A government-issued certificate that authenticates the validity of a document for use in another country, under the Hague Apostille Convention.
What is an Apostille?
An apostille is essentially a form of international notarization. When you form a U.S. company or have official documents (such as a Certificate of Incorporation, operating agreements, or powers of attorney) that you need to use in another country, those documents may need an apostille to be recognized as valid abroad. The apostille is a separate page or stamp issued by a competent authority (in the U.S., usually the Secretary of State of the state where the document was issued, or the U.S. Department of State for federal documents) certifying the authenticity of the signature and seal on the document. This process stems from the Hague Convention of 1961, which created a simplified way for member countries to mutually recognize official documents. Instead of going through a complex embassy legalization, an apostille from the issuing country makes the document valid in any other Hague Convention country.
For example, if your Delaware Certificate of Formation needs to be presented to a bank or government in your home country (say, Turkey or India), you might be asked for an apostilled version. The Delaware Secretary of State can issue an apostille on the Certificate of Formation, attesting that it’s an official document. The foreign authority can then trust its legitimacy. For non-U.S. founders, this often comes into play when opening a bank account overseas for your U.S. entity, proving the U.S. company exists, or when your home country’s authorities need proof of your foreign business. The process usually involves obtaining a certified copy of the document (certified by the state), then requesting the apostille for that document. Apostilles are not used for domestic U.S. purposes; they are strictly for international validity of documents. Keep in mind that if your country is not a member of the Hague Convention, a different “legalization” process via consulates might be required. But for most, the apostille is a quick solution – for instance, many Clemta clients likely require an apostilled Certificate of Incorporation to show back home, and Clemta or similar services can obtain it as needed.
