Apostilles and notarization

What is notarization?

Notarization is the notarial act itself: a commissioned notary verifies the signer's identity, witnesses the signing, and completes a notarial certificate. That is what BKS Notary does, online, for documents that are eligible.

What is an apostille?

An apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document (including a notary's signature and seal) so it can be recognized in another country that is part of the Hague Apostille Convention. It is issued by a designated government authority, not by a notary.

How they relate

For some documents used abroad, the order of steps is: first the document is notarized, then it is submitted to the appropriate state authority to obtain an apostille. In other words, notarization can be a first step, but it does not by itself make a document ready for international use.

What BKS Notary provides

BKS Notary performs the online notarization. We do not issue apostilles, and notarizing a document does not automatically produce one. If your document will be used in another country, check with the receiving party about exactly what they require, including whether an apostille is needed and which authority issues it.