Untitled Document

Criminal Background Check and Apostille Your Criminal record check will need to be first notarized by a solicitor who provides a notary service. Check the phone book for listings of registered notary Solicitors. What is an "Apostille" or "Authentication?"
	1.	Since October 15, 1981, the United States has been part of the 1961 Hague Convention abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents. The Convention provides for the simplified certification of public (including notarized) documents to be used in countries that have joined the convention. Under the Hague Convention, signatory countries have agreed to recognize public documents issued by other signatory countries if those public documents are authenticated by the attachment of an internationally recognized form of authentication known as an "apostille." The apostille ensures that public documents issued in one signatory country will be recognized as valid in another signatory country.
	2.	When a document is to be used in a foreign country, it may be necessary to authenticate the notarization or certification. Foreign countries often require documents to be authenticated before the documents will be accepted in the foreign jurisdiction. An "authentication" certifies the signature and the position of the official who has executed, issued or certified a copy of a document.
	3.	The sole function of the apostille is to certify the authenticity of the signature on the document; the capacity in which the person signing the document acted; and the identity of any stamp or seal affixed to the document.
	4.	For example an apostille issued by the New York State Secretary of State is a one page document embossed with the Great Seal of the State of New York. The apostille includes the facsimile signature of the individual issuing the certificate
How do I obtain an Apostille or Authentication?
	1.	Each country party to the Hague Convention designates an authority within its territory that can issue apostilles. For example, in the USA, it is the office of the state's secretary. In practice, you should contact a notary to get an apostille. Please note that some notaries may not be familiar with this procedure - they may propose you an ersatz that they are more familiar with. If it does not bear the term "APOSTILLE" in big, that's not it. Also, you don't have to explain why you need an apostille when dealing with your notary - just tell him what you need. Finally, please bear in mind that there are some countries that did not sign this treaty yet and thus no apostilles can be obtained.
	2.	2. Education documents (transcripts, diplomas or certificates) must be obtained from an official of the school, college or university who must certify that the document is an official record or a true copy of the original document. The official's signature must be notarized by a notary public. The document must then be presented to the County Clerk's Office in the county where the notary public is qualified to certify the signature of the notary public. The document can then be presented to the Department of State for authentication
	3.	All other documents submitted to the Department of State for authentication must first be notarized and then have the notary's signature certified at the county clerk's office where the notary is qualified. The county clerk's office will affix its seal and signature to the document.
United Kingdom/Ireland- Police report This is also known as a Subject Access or Disclosure and must be dated within the last 12 months. A Subject Access is a summary of any data which is held about you on the National Police Computer (NPC). It is also sometimes known as an NPC check. Applicants based in Scotland or Northern Ireland should note that a Scottish Disclosure or Northern Ireland Subject Access will not be accepted on its own you must obtain a UK Police National Computer Subject Access. The check costs approximately L10 and takes about 30-40 days to be issued. You will be required to send documentation to prove your identity; details of acceptable proof should be provided on the application form which can be downloaded from your local Police forces website. After 30-40 days you will receive your report. It will then need to be Notarized and Legalised. Notarization and Legalisation of the Police Report. #Step 1 Notarization Your Police check will need to be first notarized by a solicitor who provides a notary service. Check the phone book for listings of registered notary Solicitors. #Step 2 Authentication or (it is often referred to as legalisation) After seeing a Notary, you need to now get the notary stamp, seal, and signature, confirmed. This is done by taking it to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Foreign Commonwealth office checks the signature, seal or stamp that appears on the document against the database of registered notary public lawyers and if all is in order they will attach an Apostille (This is a legalisation certificate) which confirms everything as genuine. This cannot be done in a foreign country consulate, only at the Legalisation Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London. The public counter offers a same day service which is open from 9:30am till 3:30pm The fee for legalisation is L27 per Document. You can pay with the debit cards Cirrus/Visa Delta and Switch (no credit cards!) or in cash. For further information place visit the FCOs website: www.fco.gov.uk and click on legalisation. Canada has no apostille service so applicants must have their criminal check record noterized and then cleared by the nearest Korean consulate or embassy

Criminal Background Check and Apostille

Your Criminal record check will need to be first notarized by a solicitor who provides a notary service. Check the phone book for listings of registered notary Solicitors.

What is an "Apostille" or "Authentication?"

Since October 15, 1981, the United States has been part of the 1961 Hague Convention abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents. The Convention provides for the simplified certification of public (including notarized) documents to be used in countries that have joined the convention. Under the Hague Convention, signatory countries have agreed to recognize public documents issued by other signatory countries if those public documents are authenticated by the attachment of an internationally recognized form of authentication known as an "apostille." The apostille ensures that public documents issued in one signatory country will be recognized as valid in another signatory country.

When a document is to be used in a foreign country, it may be necessary to authenticate the notarization or certification. Foreign countries often require documents to be authenticated before the documents will be accepted in the foreign jurisdiction. An "authentication" certifies the signature and the position of the official who has executed, issued or certified a copy of a document.

The sole function of the apostille is to certify the authenticity of the signature on the document; the capacity in which the person signing the document acted; and the identity of any stamp or seal affixed to the document.

For example an apostille issued by the New York State Secretary of State is a one page document embossed with the Great Seal of the State of New York. The apostille includes the facsimile signature of the individual issuing the certificate

How do I obtain an Apostille or Authentication?

Each country party to the Hague Convention designates an authority within its territory that can issue apostilles. For example, in the USA, it is the office of the state's secretary. In practice, you should contact a notary to get an apostille. Please note that some notaries may not be familiar with this procedure - they may propose you an ersatz that they are more familiar with. If it does not bear the term "APOSTILLE" in big, that's not it. Also, you don't have to explain why you need an apostille when dealing with your notary - just tell him what you need. Finally, please bear in mind that there are some countries that did not sign this treaty yet and thus no apostilles can be obtained.

2. Education documents (transcripts, diplomas or certificates) must be obtained from an official of the school, college or university who must certify that the document is an official record or a true copy of the original document. The official's signature must be notarized by a notary public. The document must then be presented to the County Clerk's Office in the county where the notary public is qualified to certify the signature of the notary public. The document can then be presented to the Department of State for authentication

All other documents submitted to the Department of State for authentication must first be notarized and then have the notary's signature certified at the county clerk's office where the notary is qualified. The county clerk's office will affix its seal and signature to the document.

United Kingdom/Ireland- Police report

This is also known as a Subject Access or Disclosure and must be dated within the last 12 months. A Subject Access is a summary of any data which is held about you on the National Police Computer (NPC). It is also sometimes known as an NPC check. Applicants based in Scotland or Northern Ireland should note that a Scottish Disclosure or Northern Ireland Subject Access will not be accepted on its own you must obtain a UK Police National Computer Subject Access. The check costs approximately L10 and takes about 30-40 days to be issued. You will be required to send documentation to prove your identity; details of acceptable proof should be provided on the application form which can be downloaded from your local Police forces website.

After 30-40 days you will receive your report. It will then need to be Notarized and Legalised.

Notarization and Legalisation of the Police Report.

#Step 1 Notarization

Your Police check will need to be first notarized by a solicitor who provides a notary service. Check the phone book for listings of registered notary Solicitors.

#Step 2 Authentication or (it is often referred to as legalisation)

After seeing a Notary, you need to now get the notary stamp, seal, and signature, confirmed. This is done by taking it to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Foreign Commonwealth office checks the signature, seal or stamp that appears on the document against the database of registered notary public lawyers and if all is in order they will attach an Apostille (This is a legalisation certificate) which confirms everything as genuine. This cannot be done in a foreign country consulate, only at the Legalisation Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London. The public counter offers a same day service which is open from 9:30am till 3:30pm The fee for legalisation is L27 per Document. You can pay with the debit cards Cirrus/Visa Delta and Switch (no credit cards!) or in cash.

For further information place visit the FCOs website: www.fco.gov.uk and click on legalisation.

Canada has no apostille service so applicants must have their criminal check record noterized and then cleared by the nearest Korean consulate or embassy