On Wednesday, the Marin County Clerk’s Office is partnering with the California Secretary of State to host a pop-up apostille service.
The event will be held at the Marin County Civic Center in San Rafael and is designed to save residents the time and expense of traveling to Sacramento or Los Angeles to obtain an apostille verification. Secretary of State staff will verify signatures from California notaries and those on vital records.
An apostille is an official authentication issued by the Secretary of State in a state where the document originated. Without it, foreign governments may refuse to accept a document, even if it’s official. It certifies that the signature, seal, or stamp on a document issued in one country is genuine, so it will be recognized by authorities in another country that is part of the Hague Apostille Convention.
Many foreign governments, schools, employers, and courts require an apostille before they will accept U.S. documents. Without one, individuals may face delays related to travel, education, employment, dual citizenship applications, or legal and family matters abroad. An apostille typically eliminates the need for further document legalization by an embassy.
Common examples of apostille services involve birth, marriage or death certificates, court documents, power of attorney forms, school transcripts and diplomas, adoptions, immigration paperwork or corporate documents.
Some common examples are birth, marriage or death certificates, court documents, power of attorney forms, school transcripts and diplomas, adoptions, immigration paperwork or corporate documents. Federal documents are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State.
In recent years, the California Secretary of State has partnered with counties to bring apostille services directly to local communities, often drawing 700 to 800 customers.
“People often discover they need an apostille at the last minute,” said Marin County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk Shelly Scott. “Offering this service in Marin helps residents meet urgent deadlines without traveling to Sacramento or Los Angeles.”
The event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Suite 233 on the second floor of the Civic Center at 3501 Civic Center Drive in San Rafael. Free parking is available. Payments must be made by credit card, check, or money order. Cash is not accepted.