Document legalization: How do I translate and legalize a contract, certificate or permit?

There legalization of documents is an important step in any transaction. Visit apostilles are issued by government officials to verify the authenticity of a document with a foreign government. When a document is stamped with an apostille, it is officially recognized as legitimate by the official who stamped it. This process ensures that only authentic copies are used.

Apostilles can be useful for anyone traveling outside their home country and wishing to show that they have legally obtained certain items abroad. This includes businessmen, diplomats and tourists. For example, some countries require all passports to be stamped with an apostille before they are allowed to enter the country.
Apostille services are available from numerous agencies worldwide. These agencies can help you organize your documents, certify them for authentication and arrange for their delivery or return.

We explain what you need to know if you plan to travel abroad with legal documents such as a will, marriage certificate, birth certificate, divorce decree or other sensitive documents.

What you need to know about legalizing international documents

Legalization of a document means that the document will be stamped to indicate that the document has been verified by a government agency and is genuine. One of the advantages of legalizing your documents is that it's an inexpensive process.

For example, if you're flying to Mexico and want to take your will with you, you'll need to have it notarized by a notary and then authenticated by the Mexican consulate. The whole procedure will cost you around 22 USD.

Although it's not necessary to have all the documents you bring abroad legalized, it's best to err on the side of caution and legalize the most sensitive documents. Documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, death certificates and wills are good examples.

What documents need to be legalized?

Documents that must be notarized to be legalized 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 you're traveling with children under 18, you can also have their birth certificates legalized.
• Divorce decree
  If you're traveling to another country with your ex-spouse, it's a good idea to have your divorce decree authenticated and/or legalized.
• Death certificate
  If you're traveling with a deceased person, it's a good idea to have the death certificate authenticated and/or legalized.

Which documents do not need to be legalized?

The following documents do not need to be notarized or authenticated:

• Student card
  If you're studying abroad, you may want to bring your student card with you so you can attend classes and take exams. Be aware that you may need to have your ID card authenticated, but not to have it authenticated.
• Medical records
  If you are traveling with medical records and they are unsealed or in a sealed envelope, they do not need to be notarized but must be authenticated by the consulate.
• Driver's license
  If you are driving in a foreign country, your driving license does not need to be notarized or authenticated.

Which documents need to be authenticated, not legalized?

There are certain documents that the consulate will only authenticate, not legalize, for example:

• A birth certificate
  For example, if you're traveling with children and want to enroll them in school. You'll first need to have your child's birth certificate notarized, and then have it notarized by a notary.
• A death certificate
  If a family member has died, you may need to present the death certificate for a variety of reasons, such as closing the deceased's bank account, receiving insurance benefits or obtaining the death certificate to close the deceased's mortgage. In this example, the death certificate is authenticated but not notarized.

How can you authenticate and legalize your documents?

If you have decided to have your documents authenticated by a representationIf you're a citizen of France, you'll need to take your document to the consulate and have it checked. The consulate official will affix an authentication seal to the document. This seal certifies that the document is authentic and has been verified by the consulate.

If you have decided to have your documents authenticated by a notaryIf you're a notary, you'll need to take your documents to the notary public, who will ask you to show identification bearing your name and photo. The notary will then ask you to sign the document in front of him, affixing his seal and writing his name on it. The notary will then send the documents to the consulate, where they will be checked and stamped.

Other tips for traveling with sensitive documents

1. Keep your documents in a safe place. If possible, don't keep them in a suitcase or bag, and keep them in a safe, locked place.
2. Avoid keeping documents in your wallet or on your person at all times. If your wallet is lost or stolen, your documents could fall into the wrong hands.
3. If you are traveling with a will, make copies and leave the original at home or in a safe place.
4. Store your documents in a digital file. You can store your documents in a digital file and have them saved on your computer or on a cloud storage system such as Dropbox or iCloud.

Document legalization is the process by which a document is certified as authentic and its source verified. Document legalization is essential for international transactions and for documents to be legally valid in other countries. When traveling abroad with sensitive documents, make sure you understand which documents need to be notarized, which need to be authenticated and which do not require any special processing.

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