What is an apostille and why do I need it?

Today, I wanted to take a look at one of the necessary steps for preparing and/or teaching overseas, which is that whole apostilling (is that even a word?) process. Before we started this whole process I had never even heard of the word apostille, so obviously I had no idea how important it is.

So what is an apostille? Through some research we determined that an apostille basically just verifies our documents for international use. That includes things such as degrees, those spiffy FBI background checks, and apostilles are used for a variety of other things too.

Per the FBI website:  "*An apostille is a certification that a document has been “legalized” or “authenticated” by the issuing agency through a process in which various seals are placed on the document."

In our case, after the FBI background checks are completed and make their return they have to be sent right back out again to be apostilled. For something like the background checks, the apostille has to be done by the US Secretary of State and there is a fee associated with the apostille. This process can take a few weeks, but not as long as the background checks themselves.

Now, in the case of this apostille, there are several options. You can expedite the process by using priority mail or some sort of speedy shipping option (with tracking as desired along with self addressed and stamped envelopes for the return trip) or you can send them normally, if you aren't in any particular hurry. Just be prepared for the price increase as you take advantage of faster shipping options. You also have the option of driving to the Department of State during their brief working hours, convincing a friend or relative to do it for you, or paying an actual agency that does it to take care of the apostille. In our case, as soon as the background checks return, they are going out in the mail for the end of the worst of the paperwork.

There is one more leg to go with the apostille process though. You also need to get a copy of your degree notarized and apostilled too. The notary can be completed by any notary (just make sure it's done right!), but then it must be sent to the Secretary of State of the state that the notary was completed in. It doesn't matter if your degree is from another state, but the notary and apostille must be completed in the same state.

So we had the notary done locally here in Indiana and it was shipped out to the Secretary of State in Indianapolis, Indiana shortly after. We did run into a hitch though, and that was due to the notary public screwing things up so that they were sent back to us incomplete. Thankfully we were able to go to the shipping store where the corrections were made and shipped out without costing us even more money. We're hoping to get them back soon.

As a side note, we ran into another hitch with the degrees and that was due to the UPS losing them in the process of sending them from Indianapolis to about an hour North. Not cool UPS. Claims have been filed, however, and we are expecting them soon.