Apostilles and Certifications

Apostilles

An apostille is a form of authentication established at the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, to which the United States is a subscriber. An apostille is used to authenticate public documents, certifying the authenticity of the issuing official’s or notary public’s signature on the document, the capacity in which the person has acted, and identifies the seal/stamp which the document bears. Apostilles are used as transmittal on documents executed in one subscribing country that are being sent to another subscribing country.

In person:

Up to 5 public documents for authentication:

  • Your request can be made at our Division of Business Services, Office of the Secretary of State, 148 West River Street, Providence, RI 02904.

  • Payment:

    There is a fee of $5.00 per apostille or certification being requested. Checks or money orders should be made payable to the RI Department of State.

More than 5 public documents for authentication:

Contact our office at 401-222-3040 prior to your visit to make pre-arrangements for more than 5 public documents or download and fax our In-Person Authentication Request Form (fax: 401-222-1309).


  • Provide the name of the country to which the documents will be sent.
  • Provide the name of the issuing official or notary public’s signature on the documents.

Failure to make pre-arrangements for more than 5 public documents, will result in wait time and may require that you return to our office at a later date to complete your transaction.

Mail:
  • Download and complete our Mail Authentication Request Form.
  • Provide the name of the country to which the documents will be sent.
  • Submit the original or certified copy of the document(s) that you wish to have an apostille or certification attached to.

  • Payment:

    There is a fee of $5.00 per apostille or certification being requested. Checks or money orders should be made payable to the RI Department of State.

Mailed requests are processed daily. A mailed request will be returned to you by first class mail. A self-addressed/stamped envelope will help expedite delivery time. If overnight service is required, a pre-addressed, pre-paid airbill must be included with the request.

Apostille Order Forms:

Public documents include, but are not limited to, birth or death certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, school transcripts, school diplomas or degrees, and adoption papers.

Notarized documents:

A notarized document presented for authentication must include a properly completed notarial certificate. A notarial certificate is the portion of the document or an attachment to the document that is completed by the notary public, bears the notary’s signature and seal and states the facts attested by the notary in a particular notarization (ex: jurisdiction, date of notarization, name of signor etc.)

It is prudent for a notary public to use a seal when notarizing documents. An authentication is a certification of the authenticity of the issuing official’s or notary public’s signature on the document, the capacity in which the person has acted, and identifies the seal/stamp which the document bears. It is strongly recommended that all documents intended for out-of-country use bear the seal of the notary public.

Definitions and examples of common notarial acts are provided in Section 3(f) of the Standards of Conduct for Notaries Public in the State of Rhode Island.

Vital Records:

Birth, death, and marriage records are vital records and must be obtained through Vital Records at the Rhode Island Department of Health. We cannot authenticate a document certified by any official other than the State Registrar of Vital Records or the Deputy State Registrar of Vital Records. Our office cannot authenticate a birth, death, or marriage record issued by a City or Town Clerk.

To contact the Rhode Island Department of Vital Records go to their website or call 401-222-2811.

A notary public should not notarize or prepare a copy certification of a vital record, see Section 4(a) of the Standards of Conduct for Notaries Public in the State of Rhode Island. 

Divorce Decrees:

An exemplified copy of a final divorce decree is required for authentication and can be obtained through the Rhode Island Family Court, Domestic Clerk’s Office. The Family Court is located within the J. Joseph Garrahy Judicial Complex, One Dorrance Plaza, Providence, RI 02903. Please contact the Domestic Clerk’s Office at 401-458-3200.

BCI Records:

The Bureau of Criminal Identification, Office of the Attorney General provides certified BCI records. A BCI record can be obtained by mail or in person through the Office of the Attorney General, Customer Service Center, 4 Howard Avenue, Cranston, RI  02920, 401-274-4400. Visit the Attorney General's website for specific filing instructions including required filing fee. When requesting a BCI record for out-of-country use, please specify on your application that it will be presented to an out-of-country authority and must bear the signature and seal of the Attorney General.

School transcripts/diplomas/degrees:

Many foreign exchange students need to provide their home countries with certified records of their school transcripts, diplomas or degrees. Most often the school record is certified to in the presence of a notary, who then notarizes that statement. Often it is the record officer of the school who certifies to the record in the presence of a notary public. The notarized transcript, diploma or degree is sent to the Secretary of State’s office for authentication.

The following formats are standard procedures; however, we offer no guarantee for your particular set of documents. Please consult with an official of the destination country before requesting a school transcript, diploma, or degree be certified to verify the country’s preferred method of certification.

Short form for witnessing or attesting to signature of a school official. Required elements:

Jurisdiction where the document was notarized;
Statement by school official (principal/registrar) as to the authenticity and type of document being notarized;
Signature of school official (Document must be signed in the presence of the Notary);
Statement by the notary indicating who signed the document/date of signature;
Signature line for notary;
Notary prints his/her name in clear and legible block letters, lists commission expiration date, and commission number;
Notary affixes his/her seal.

Example:

I, ___________________, the (school principal/registrar) of ______________ (name of school) hereby certify that this is a true and original (transcript/diploma/degree) for (student’s name.)

__________________________________
Signature of School Official
_______________
Date

State of Rhode Island
County of ______________

This _____ day of ________, _____, before me personally appeared ______________ (school registrar/principal) and signed the above statement.


Verify an Issued Apostille

Certifications

A certification is a form of authentication used for countries that do not participate in the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents. A certification is used to authenticate public documents, certifying the authenticity of the issuing official’s or notary public’s signature on the document, the capacity in which the person has acted, and identifies the seal/stamp which the document bears. These documents typically require additional authentication by the U.S. Department of State after receiving state authentication.

In person:

Up to 5 public documents for authentication:

  • Your request can be made at our Division of Business Services, Office of the Secretary of State, 148 West River Street, Providence, RI 02904.

  • Payment:

    There is a fee of $5.00 per apostille or certification being requested. Checks or money orders should be made payable to the RI Department of State.

More than 5 public documents for authentication:

Contact our office at 401-222-3040 prior to your visit to make pre-arrangements for more than 5 public documents or download and fax our In-Person Authentication Request Form (fax: 401-222-1309).

  • Provide the name of the country to which the documents will be sent.
  • Provide the name of the issuing official or notary public’s signature on the documents.

Failure to make pre-arrangements for more than 5 public documents, will result in wait time and may require that you return to our office at a later date to complete your transaction.

Mail:
  • Download and complete our Mail Authentication Request Form.
  • Provide the name of the country to which the documents will be sent.
  • Submit the original or certified copy of the document(s) that you wish to have an apostille or certification attached to.

  • Payment:

    There is a fee of $5.00 per apostille or certification being requested. Checks or money orders should be made payable to the RI Department of State.

Mailed requests are processed daily. A mailed request will be returned to you by first class mail. A self-addressed/stamped envelope will help expedite delivery time. If overnight service is required, a pre-addressed, pre-paid airbill must be included with the request.

Apostille Order Forms:

Public documents include, but are not limited to, birth or death certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, school transcripts, school diplomas or degrees, and adoption papers.

Notarized documents:

A notarized document presented for authentication must include a properly completed notarial certificate. A notarial certificate is the portion of the document or an attachment to the document that is completed by the notary public, bears the notary’s signature and seal and states the facts attested by the notary in a particular notarization (ex: jurisdiction, date of notarization, name of signor etc.)

It is prudent for a notary public to use a seal when notarizing documents. An authentication is a certification of the authenticity of the issuing official’s or notary public’s signature on the document, the capacity in which the person has acted, and identifies the seal/stamp which the document bears. It is strongly recommended that all documents intended for out-of-country use bear the seal of the notary public.

Definitions and examples of common notarial acts are provided in Section 3(f) of the Standards of Conduct for Notaries Public in the State of Rhode Island.

Vital Records:

Birth, death, and marriage records are vital records and must be obtained through Vital Records at the Rhode Island Department of Health. We cannot authenticate a document certified by any official other than the State Registrar of Vital Records or the Deputy State Registrar of Vital Records. Our office cannot authenticate a birth, death, or marriage record issued by a City or Town Clerk.

To contact the Rhode Island Department of Vital Records go to their website or call 401-222-2811.

A notary public should not notarize or prepare a copy certification of a vital record, see Section 4(a) of the Standards of Conduct for Notaries Public in the State of Rhode Island. 

Divorce Decrees:

An exemplified copy of a final divorce decree is required for authentication and can be obtained through the Rhode Island Family Court, Domestic Clerk’s Office. The Family Court is located within the J. Joseph Garrahy Judicial Complex, One Dorrance Plaza, Providence, RI 02903. Please contact the Domestic Clerk’s Office at 401-458-3200.

BCI Records:

The Bureau of Criminal Identification, Office of the Attorney General provides certified BCI records. A BCI record can be obtained by mail or in person through the Office of the Attorney General, 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903, 401-274-4400. Visit the Attorney General's website for specific filing instructions including required filing fee. When requesting a BCI record for out-of-country use, please specify on your application that it will be presented to an out-of-country authority and must bear the signature and seal of the Attorney General.

School transcripts/diplomas/degrees:

Many foreign exchange students need to provide their home countries with certified records of their school transcripts, diplomas or degrees. Most often the school record is certified to in the presence of a notary, who then notarizes that statement. Often it is the record officer of the school who certifies to the record in the presence of a notary public. The notarized transcript, diploma or degree is sent to the Secretary of State’s office for authentication.

The following formats are standard procedures; however, we offer no guarantee for your particular set of documents. Please consult with an official of the destination country before requesting a school transcript, diploma, or degree be certified to verify the country’s preferred method of certification.

Short form for witnessing or attesting to signature of a school official. Required elements:

Jurisdiction where the document was notarized;
Statement by school official (principal/registrar) as to the authenticity and type of document being notarized;
Signature of school official (Document must be signed in the presence of the Notary);
Statement by the notary indicating who signed the document/date of signature;
Signature line for notary;
Notary prints his/her name in clear and legible block letters, lists commission expiration date, and commission number;
Notary affixes his/her seal.

Example:

I, ___________________, the (school principal/registrar) of ______________ (name of school) hereby certify that this is a true and original (transcript/diploma/degree) for (student’s name.)

__________________________________
Signature of School Official
_______________
Date

State of Rhode Island
County of ______________

This _____ day of ________, _____, before me personally appeared ______________ (school registrar/principal) and signed the above statement.

;