Wednesday 11 December 2024
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Apostille

What is an Apostille?

Apostille is the documentary device by which a government department authenticates a document as genuine, thereby legalizing it for use in another member country under the terms laid out in 1961. Once a document has been Apostilled, thereby providing official government authentication of the signatures and stamps appearing on it, it is automatically deemed legalized for use in another member country.

What is The Hague Convention?

This is an intergovernmental convention which set about establishing a simplified system to allow documentation originating in one member country to be easily recognized as authentic in another member country. The norms were established at The Hague Convention of 6 October 1961.

An Apostille consists of the following:

•         name of country from which the document emanates

•         name of person signing the document

•         the capacity in which the person signing the document has acted

•         in the case of unsigned documents, the name of the authority which has affixed the seal or stamp

•         place of certification

•         date of certification

•         the authority issuing the certificate

•         number of certificate

•         seal or stamp of authority issuing certificate

•         signature of authority issuing certificate

Its simplicity and lack of ambiguity has made the Apostille a favored form of validation of documents worldwide, even in countries that are not actually signatories to The Hague Conference.

Why do I need an Apostille?

Authorities in Greece need proof that US documents or the signatures of US officials on documents are genuine before they will accept them.

Which stamp do I need? An Authentication or an Apostille?

That depends on the country you are dealing with.

As a general rule, countries that are party to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (Greece is party to this Convention) require an Apostille on documents which qualify as US public documents.

Documents going to countries that are not party to the Hague Convention generally require an Authentication. These countries include China, Vietnam, most Middle Eastern countries and many others.

On what documents do I get an Authentication or Apostille?

You need a document with an original signature on it. That means either the original document or a notarized copy. Any official Government document with an original signature/stamp or seal on it can be Apostilled. If the document is not an official Government document (such as legal documents or medical certificates) the document (or a copy of it) must be notarized by a Notary Public. All business documents must be notarized or certified by the relevant chamber of commerce/industry.

All tertiary education documents must be notarized or verified by the central Student Administration area of the issuing institution. Please note that some universities will not verify their documents with an original signature, in which case the document must be notarized by a Notary Public.

Where can I get the Apostille?


Address
Telephone
DELAWARE
Office of the Secretary of State
401 Federal St., Suite 3
Dover, DE 19901
+1 302-739-4111
MARYLAND
Office of the Secretary of State
Statehouse
Annapolis, MD 21401
+1 410-974-5520
VIRGINIA
Office of the Secretary of Commonwealth
830 East Main Street, 14th Floor
Richmond, VA 23219
+1 804-786-2441
WEST VIRGINIA
Office of the Secretary of State
Capitol Building
1900 Kanawha Blvd. East, No. 157-K
Charleston, WV 25305-0770
+1 304-558-6000
NORTH CAROLINA
Office of the Secretary of State
PO Box 29622
Raleigh, NC 27626-0622
+1 919-807-2140
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Office of the Secretary, D.C.
441 4th St. N.W.
(One Judiciary Square)
Washington, D.C.
+1 202-727-3117
NEW YORK CITY
Department of State/Certification Unit
123 William St.
New York, NY 10038
+1 212-417-5747
NY STATE (ALBANY)
Department of State - Certification Unit
41 State Street
Albany, NY 12231
+1 518-474-4770
NEW JERSEY
Division of Revenue - Apostile Office
33 West State St., 5th Floor
Trenton, NJ 08646
+1 609-292-0642
NEW JERSEY (by Mail)
Division of Revenue - Apostile Office
PO Box 452
Trenton, NJ 08625
+1 609-633-8258
CONNECTICUT
Secretary of State - Notary Division (Apostille)
30 Trinity Street
Hartford, CT 06106
+1 860-509-6135

PENNSYLVANIA
Department of State - Bureau for Apostille

210 North Office Bldg.
Harrisburg, PA 17120
+1 717-787-4035
+1 717-787-5280

AUSTIN
Secretary of State-Authentications Unit

P.O. Box 13550
Austin, TX 78711-3550
+1 512-463-5705

Please contact the relevant Greek Consular Authority in the USA for further information.

Please note that all prices mentioned throughout the website are in Euros. The exchange rate changes once a month and the rate is valid throughout that month. This page will be updated at the first of each month.

The exchange rate for December 2024 is:
1 EURO = 1.10 USD for a Consular Service
1 EURO = 1.10 USD for the Visa Section

Please note that we accept cash.

Some General Consulates/Consulates/Consular Offices may accept credit cards and debit cards.

For money orders contact the respective Diplomatic Authority (Embassy, Consulate or General Consulate) to which the money order will be payable to.

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