DOCUMENT APOSTILLE GUIDE
Alabama Power of Attorney Apostille Requirements
Learn how to prepare your document for apostille processing, including applicable notarization requirements, required certifications, and important submission guidelines.
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Preparation Requirements
Prepare the Power of Attorney
The Power of Attorney must be properly completed and signed by the principal. Confirm whether the destination country requires a particular format, witnesses, translation, or additional execution formalities before signing.
Obtain Alabama Notarization
For an Alabama apostille, the Power of Attorney must bear the original signature and official seal of a currently commissioned Alabama notary public. The seal must be embossed (raised) or ink-stamped, and the notarial certificate must be complete and legible.
Verify the Notarial Information
Check that the notary's name, signature, seal, and other required notarial details are present. Incomplete notarizations or documents bearing an unacceptable signature or seal may be rejected.
Confirm the Destination Country
An apostille is used when the receiving country is a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. Documents intended for non-Hague countries require a certification and may need additional authentication.
Foreign-Language Documents
Documents written in a foreign language must be accompanied by a notarized English translation when submitted to the Alabama Secretary of State. Any translation required by the receiving country should be arranged according to that country's requirements.
Important Information
An apostille authenticates the signature, seal, and official capacity of the public official. It does not confirm the legal validity or contents of the Power of Attorney. Requirements imposed by the receiving country must be checked separately.
Required Certification
Alabama Notary Public
A Power of Attorney submitted for an Alabama apostille must bear the original signature and official embossed or ink-stamped seal of a currently commissioned Alabama notary public. The notarization must be properly completed.
County Authentication for Apostilles
Additional county authentication of an Alabama notary's commission is generally not required when requesting an apostille for use in a Hague Apostille Convention country.
Certification for Non-Hague Countries
For notarized documents requiring an Alabama certification instead of an apostille, the Alabama Secretary of State requires additional county authentication of the notary's commission. This is issued by the probate judge's office in the county of the notary's commission.
Issuing Authority
Alabama Secretary of State – Authentication Division.
Important Notice
An apostille certifies the authenticity of the official signature and seal, not the legal effectiveness of the Power of Attorney. Additional requirements may apply in the destination country.