Where do I get an Apostille?
Apostilles are usually obtainable from a State Notary Division or a Secretary of State’s Office.  Due to budget cuts, Secretary of State Offices are not always closeby, so it can be labor intensive to get to them.
 
What is an Apostille?
An Apostille CAN BE a document or certificate that is attached to a document notarized by a notary public, that is going to be sent OVERSEAS to a country that are NOT members of the HAGUE Convention. Or it can be an original document such as a Birth Certificate or Marriage Certificate that contains the original seal from the state that it originated from.  In either case, the document is going to be sent overseas to places such as Mexico, Spain, Argentina, or India.
 
Some documents need to be authenticated before you can get an Apostille, while others don’t.
 
How do I get an Apostille?
You might consider contacting an EXPERIENCED notary who has been through the Apostille process many times.  There are many notaries who fit this description, but you need to know how to find them. Or, you could contact your state’s Secretary of State yourself, and drive to them, and go through this process (which is like pulling teeth) yourself.
 
Q. Can you recommend a few notaries who are experts in the Apostille Process?
A.  Yes, below there is list of notaries in various locations who know the process well.
 

San Diego, CA — Joe Ewing
 
Los Angeles, CA — Carmen Towles
 
San Francisco, CA — Glenn Turner

Sergio Musetti — Cotati, CA
 
New York City, NY — Linda Harrison
 

Oradell, NJ — Linda Harrison
 
What is an Authentication?
This certificate accompanies an Apostille.  The Authentication verifies the notary’s official seal and their signature on a notarized certificate section on a document.
 
When do I need an Authentication?
This is a tricky question.  Please contact your local County Clerk’s office, and they will give you a professional answer.

You might also like:

Apostille general information
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21419

Using the correct notary certificate for an Apostille
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19902