Apostille vs. Notary Public
APOSTILLIZATION vs. NOTARIZATION:
Many persons are advised at public offices (Passport Office, Drivers Permit Office) or by Foreign Banks that certain documents that are required to be submitted, either need to be notarized, apostilled or both.
DID YOU KNOW?!: Most documents need only be notarized, some documents need only be apostilled, while others need to be notarized first and thereafter sent to be apostilled.
Notarization is an identity-based, anti-fraud measure performed by a notary public.
A notary public’s role is as a licensed public officer who serves as an impartial witness to the signing of documents and establishes the authenticity of the signatures.
Notaries Public affirm their completion of these critically important tasks by affixing their signature, notarial stamp and seal to the signed document. Such notarizations are considered self-authenticating evidence that a document was properly signed.
The process of Apostille authenticates the seals and signatures of officials on public documents such as birth certificates, court orders or any other document issued by a government entity.
The Apostille is an official government issued certificate added to documents so they will be recognised when presented in another country.
Apostilling is therefore only required of documents issued in one country that are required to be used in a foreign country. When you are asked to have your document apostilled or to produce an apostilled document, please note:
- All documents issued by the Ministry of LEGAL Affairs can be apostilled by the Ministry of Legal Affairs ONLY. These documents include but are not limited to:
- Birth Certificates;
- Death Certificates;
- Marriage Certificates
All of these polymer certificates will be Apostilled by the Ministry of Legal Affairs by physically taking and leaving them at the Ministry’s office at Government Campus, or paying to order a polymer one there and returning to collect the apostilled certificate within 5-7 business days.
These Certificates must NOT be notarised otherwise the Ministry of Legal Affairs will not accept same to be apostilled.
- All other documents for use in foreign countries are to be apostilled by the Ministry of FOREIGN Affairs.
Examples of such documents include but are not limited to:- Locally registered Powers of Attorney;
- Letters issued by locally registered entities; and
- Certificates of Good Character issued by T&T Protective Services
Please note that these documents with the exception of the Certificate of Good Character MUST be notarized by a Notary Public licensed in Trinidad & Tobago, before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will accept same to be apostilled. The same process obtains in that the document must by physically delivered to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and collected within 5-7 business days after it has been apostilled.
