Typically, documents submitted to foreign consulates or embassies must be accompanied by an apostille. This document must be obtained by the applicant prior to submitting documents to the foreign consulate or embassy. However, do apostilles expire? In this article, we will explain what this document is and whether or not it has an expiration period.
An apostille certifies a document so that countries that are part of the 1961 Hague Convention will recognize it. The Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents is an international treaty intended to simplify the process for accepting foreign documents in any of the countries that are part of the treaty. For example, a document issued in the US that is accompanied by an apostille can be submitted in any other member country and legally recognized there.
An apostille is often attached to official documents, such as birth certificates, marriage certificates or death certificates. Essentially, an apostille authenticates signatures or stamps on the original document. However, in order to be accepted, the apostille must be translated in most cases. Translating an apostille is a simple process that can be done quickly.
However, it is important to understand whether these documents have an expiration period or not. Apostilles do not inherently have an expiration date; they contain an issue date but not an expiration date. However, some consulates require apostilles to have been issued within the last 30 to 90 days. The reason for this is that some documents may contain time-sensitive information, such as background checks or medical records. So, it is always important to check with the consulate or embassy where you are applying to see if they have a requirement regarding the time period when apostilles can be submitted.
At CSH Translation, we can assist you with translating an apostille and any other document. For questions, please contact us.