General Apostille Information

Georgia Bilingual Notary Document Authentication

Georgia has two separate and distinct state agencies authorized to authenticate documents. Choosing the correct agency to whom to send the documents is based upon where your documents will be used. The following series of questions will guide you.

Will the document be used in a foreign country, foreign embassy or foreign consulate?

Yes -  

Will the document be used in a country, including an embassy or consulate, which is a participant to The Hague Treaty Convention 12 (commonly known as the Apostille Convention)? Click Here to see the list of participating countries.

Yes -  

Authentication Type: Apostille

No -

Authentication Type: Great Seal Certification

Contact the Georgia Secretary of State. They are the only state agency that can issue this type of certification. 

No -

Authentication Type: Certification of Notary Public

Apostille Information

Documents the Georgia Bilingual Notary can apostille:

• Georgia Issued Vital Records, Court Documents and Corporations Division Documents: Publicly recorded documents must be official certified copies with the signature and seal of the issuing Georgia state or county official. These documents are never notarized.

  • Birth certificates.

  • Death certificate.

  • Marriage certificates.

  • Divorce decrees.

  • Court documents.

  • Documents filed with a Georgia County Clerk of Superior Court.

  • Corporate documents on file with the Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division. Note: These must be certified copies issued by the current Secretary of State. These can be certified copies issued directly from their office or they can be certified copies downloaded from their website.

• Georgia Notarized Documents (examples: powers of attorney, affidavits, corporate documents, translations, diplomas or school transcripts, etc.) These documents must be properly notarized in accordance with Georgia laws before this office can authenticate them for use internationally. Note: Any document requiring notarization must be notarized prior to submission

  • When documenting a notarial act, the notary public completes a notarial certificate (i.e. notary language block that identifies the type of notarial act performed) and signs by hand in ink, exactly the name indicated on the notary’s commission. Sample notarial certificates can be found in the Notary Files & Forms – Notarial Certificates section.

  • The notary must include the exact date of notarization on the notarial certificate.

  • The notary’s signature must match the name as it appears on the notary commission and must match the signature as it appears on the commission.

  • The notary seal/stamp must match the name as it appears on the notary commission.

  • The seal must contain the notary’s name, the name of the county in which the notary is commissioned, the words “Notary Public,” and the name of the state.

  • The document must have a clear impression of the notary seal/stamp.

Documents the Georgia Bilingual Notary cannot apostille:

• Out-of-state documents. (Contact that particular state for authentication.)

• Federal documents that have been signed and sealed by a federal agency or federal court. This includes consular report of birth abroad. (Contact the U.S. Department of State Authentications Office.)

• Photocopied documents (unless a Georgia notary has properly certified it as a copy).

• Documents issued by a foreign country. (Contact that country.)

• Documents going to countries that are not parties to the Apostille Convention.

• Documents that will be used within the United States of America, its territories or possessions. Notes: Documents going to foreign embassies or consulates located within the U.S. are considered to be international documents going to that foreign country.