Since October 15, 1981, the United States has been part of the 1961 Hague Convention abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents. The Convention provides for the simplified certification of public documents to be used in countries that have joined the convention. Under the Hague Convention, signatory countries have agreed to recognize public documents issued by other signatory countries if those public documents are authenticated by the attachment of an internationally recognized form of authentication known as an “Apostille.” The Apostille ensures that public documents issued in one signatory country will be recognized as valid in another signatory country.
As your Delaware Registered Agent, we can obtain an Apostille for any Delaware Certified Copy of a document if your business needs require this certification. An Apostille is a one page document issued under the Great Seal of the State of Delaware by the Secretary of State that is attached to a certified copy of a document such as your Certificate of Incorporation; Formation copies of an LLC, LLP, or LP; or a Good Standing Certificate.As required, all copies of documents have the State of Delaware gold seal affixed. Good Standing Certificates are automatically a certified document and also come with a State of Delaware gold seal affixed. Many foreign countries require this document as evidence of Delaware Incorporation. Each document requires a separate Apostille. An Apostille is not a standalone document; it must be obtained with a certified document.
Apostilles may also be attached to non State of Delaware documents relating to the business entity such as a Certificate of Incumbency or corporate resolutions. To obtain an Apostille on a Non-State of Delaware document we must obtain a certification by a Delaware Notary and mail the document to the Delaware Division of Corporations for an Apostille to be attached.
Pricing Information
State of Delaware fees for each Apostille – $30. Expedited processing per document within 24 hours – $40 extra; same day expedited processing – $50 extra. As your Delaware Registered Agent we charge a small processing fee of $25 per request of documents (not per document) plus the cost of courier delivery.
- Apostilles attached to State of Delaware documents with expedited service are $35 for each document.
- Apostilles attached to non State documents with expedited service are $220 for each document, depending on the number of pages.
