Document legalization: how to translate and authenticate a contract, certificate or permit

Document legalization is an important step in any transaction performed overseas. Apostilles are issued by officials to confirm a document’s authenticity to a foreign government. Once a document bears an apostille, it is officially recognized as legitimate by the official who stamped it. This process ensures only genuine copies are used.

Apostilles are useful for anyone traveling outside their home country who needs to prove they have legally obtained items abroad—businesspeople, diplomats and tourists alike. For example, some countries require all passports to carry an apostille before entry is permitted.
Apostille services are offered by many agencies worldwide. These organizations can help you organize documents, certify them for authenticity and arrange delivery or return.

Here’s what you should know if you plan to travel abroad with legal documents such as a will, marriage certificate, birth certificate, divorce judgment or other sensitive paperwork.

What to know about international document legalization

Legalization means a document receives a stamp showing it has been verified by a government agency and is genuine. One benefit of legalizing documents is that it is typically an inexpensive procedure—the whole process for certifying a will to take to Mexico, for example, costs roughly 22 USD.

Not every document you bring abroad needs legalization, yet it’s wise to err on the side of caution and legalize the most sensitive items—birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce judgments, death certificates and wills.

Which documents must be legalized?

Documents that require notarization for legalization may include, but are not limited to:

Marriage certificate: It’s best to have your marriage certificate notarized if you’re traveling with a spouse or children.

Birth certificate: If traveling with minors under 18, consider legalizing a child’s birth certificate as well.

Divorce judgment: When traveling with an ex-spouse to another country, authenticating and/or legalizing the divorce judgment is advisable.

Death certificate: If traveling with a deceased individual, authenticating and/or legalizing the death certificate is prudent.

Which documents don’t need legalization?

Documents that typically don’t require notarization or authentication are:

Student ID: Studying abroad? You may carry your student ID to attend classes and take exams. Just note you might need to have your ID authenticated—but not legalized.

Medical records: Unsealed medical records do not require notarization but must be authenticated by the consulate.

Driver’s license: If you plan to drive, your driver’s license does not need to be notarized or authenticated.

Documents that require authentication but not legalization:

Some documents only receive authentication from the consulate, not legalization—for example:

Birth record: If traveling with children and enrolling them in school, you’ll normally first have the child’s birth record authenticated, then have a notary certify it.

Death certificate: Sometimes needed to close a deceased relative’s bank account, collect insurance benefits or settle a mortgage, a death certificate may be authenticated but not notarized for these purposes.

How to authenticate and legalize documents

If you decide to use consular authentication followed by legalization, take your document to the consulate for verification. A consular officer will apply an authentication seal confirming the document’s validity and that it was reviewed by the consulate.

If opting for notarization first, bring your paperwork to a public notary who will ask you to show a government-issued photo ID matching the name on the document. You’ll then sign in the notary’s presence, after which the notary stamps, signs and dates the document. The notary forwards everything to the consulate for authentication and the consular seal.

Extra tips for traveling with sensitive documents

1. Keep documents secure. Where possible, don’t store them in a suitcase; instead, keep them in a safe, locked location.

2. Avoid carrying documents in your wallet or on your person at all times. Losing a wallet or having it stolen could expose your paperwork to the wrong hands.

3. If traveling with a will, make copies and leave the original in a secure location at home.

4. Store documents digitally. Save scanned copies on your computer or in a cloud service such as Dropbox or iCloud.

Document legalization certifies a document’s authenticity and verifies its source, making it essential for international transactions and ensuring acceptance abroad. When traveling overseas with sensitive paperwork, know which items must be notarized, which require authentication and which need no special processing at all.