Notary, Apostille, and Authentication FAQs
Please explain the notary process
Georgia law requires that a signer appear before the notary at the time of the acknowledgement, in order to swear that he or she freely signed for the purposes stated in the document under his or her own will.
At the time of acknowledgement, please have with you an Identification Card for identity verification. Acceptable documents must be current and contain a photo, physical description, and signature. A few examples include:
We also ask that you do not sign the document prior to our meeting, or that it be resigned if already signed. Some services, such as jurats, require the document actually be signed in the notary’s presence (a jurat requires the wording “subscribed and sworn to” on the document just above where the Notary Public signs his or her name). People who cannot sign their name due to illiteracy or disability can use a mark as a signature as long as a notary and two other impartial witnesses are present. A notary in Georgia can also list two signers on one notarial certificate as long as they appear before him or her at the same time.
At the time of acknowledgement, please have with you an Identification Card for identity verification. Acceptable documents must be current and contain a photo, physical description, and signature. A few examples include:
- Driver’s licenses
- State ID cards
- Passports
- Military IDs
- Inmate IDs
We also ask that you do not sign the document prior to our meeting, or that it be resigned if already signed. Some services, such as jurats, require the document actually be signed in the notary’s presence (a jurat requires the wording “subscribed and sworn to” on the document just above where the Notary Public signs his or her name). People who cannot sign their name due to illiteracy or disability can use a mark as a signature as long as a notary and two other impartial witnesses are present. A notary in Georgia can also list two signers on one notarial certificate as long as they appear before him or her at the same time.
Notary Restrictions
We cannot provide notarization via fax, because the signer is always required to appear personally before the notary.
We also must decline to pre/post date document notarizations. Please understand the distinction between the document date and the notarization date. The document date is the effective date of the document and is of no concern to the notary. The notarization date is the actual date the signer appears before the notary and must be accurately reflected on the document.
A notary public cannot draft legal documents or give legal advice unless he or she is also an attorney.
Georgia notaries have the right to refuse service when they suspect fraud or are uncertain of a signer’s identity, willingness, or competence. However, notaries should never refuse service on the basis of race, religion, nationality, lifestyle, or because the signer is not a client.
We also must decline to pre/post date document notarizations. Please understand the distinction between the document date and the notarization date. The document date is the effective date of the document and is of no concern to the notary. The notarization date is the actual date the signer appears before the notary and must be accurately reflected on the document.
A notary public cannot draft legal documents or give legal advice unless he or she is also an attorney.
Georgia notaries have the right to refuse service when they suspect fraud or are uncertain of a signer’s identity, willingness, or competence. However, notaries should never refuse service on the basis of race, religion, nationality, lifestyle, or because the signer is not a client.
Does my document need to be notarized or do I need an apostille?
According to their website, the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) can apostille the following documents (which can never be notarized)
- Georgia Issued Vital Records, Court Documents and Corporations Division Documents: Publicly recorded documents must be official certified copies with the signature and seal of the issuing Georgia state or county official.
- Birth certificates.
- Death certificate.
- Marriage certificates.
- Divorce decrees.
- Court documents.
- Documents filed with a Georgia County Clerk of Superior Court.
- Corporate documents on file with the Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division. Note: These must be certified copies issued directly from the Corporations Division office. Apostilles are not issued on downloaded documents from the internet.
What Documents GSCCCA Cannot Apostille?
Documents the GSCCCA cannot apostille:
- Out-of-state documents. (Contact that particular state for authentication.)
- Federal documents that have been signed and sealed by a federal agency or federal court. This includes consular report of birth abroad. (Contact the U.S. Department of State Authentications Office.)
- Photocopied documents (unless a Georgia notary has properly certified it as a copy).
- Documents issued by a foreign country. (Contact that country.)
- Documents going to countries that are not parties to the Apostille Convention.
- Documents that will be used within the United States of America, its territories or possessions. Notes: Documents going to foreign embassies or consulates located within the U.S. are considered to be international documents going to that foreign country.
How do I know if my documents need an Apostille or a State of Georgia Great Seal Certification?
Georgia has two separate and distinct state agencies authorized to authenticate documents. Choosing the correct agency to whom to send the documents is based upon where your documents will be used. The following series of questions will guide you.
Will the document be used in a foreign country, foreign embassy or foreign consulate?
Yes - Will the document be used in a country, including an embassy or consulate, which is a participant to The Hague Treaty Convention 12 (commonly known as the Apostille Convention)? Click HERE to see the list of participating countries.
Yes - Authentication Type: Apostille
Our notary public can work with you to submit your documents to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA). The GSCCCA is the only state agency authorized to issue apostilles for documents originating in the State of Georgia.
Note: Notarized documents do not require additional county certification prior to obtaining the apostille.
No -Authentication Type: Great Seal Certification
Our notary can work with you to contact the Georgia Secretary of State. They are the only state agency that can issue this type of certification.
No -Authentication Type: Certification of Notary Public
Our notary can work with you to submit your notarized document to the notary’s commissioning county Clerk of Superior Court or to the GSCCCA following the instructions listed below. Certification of notary public, also called a certificate of authority, certifies that the notary public holds, or held, a notary commission during a particular term of office. The GSCCCA only issues this certification for documents that will be used within the U.S., a U.S. territory or U.S. embassy (typically visa requests).
Notes: (1) Documents going to foreign embassies or consulates located within the U.S. are considered to be international documents going to that foreign country. (2) A certification of notary is not used in conjunction with an apostille. (3) The Georgia Secretary of State will only accept notary certifications from the notary’s commissioning county.
Please note that our notary will not provide services for countries, customers or corporations that fall under the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Sanctions Program.
Source: https://www.gsccca.org/notary-and-apostilles/apostilles/general-apostille-information
Will the document be used in a foreign country, foreign embassy or foreign consulate?
Yes - Will the document be used in a country, including an embassy or consulate, which is a participant to The Hague Treaty Convention 12 (commonly known as the Apostille Convention)? Click HERE to see the list of participating countries.
Yes - Authentication Type: Apostille
Our notary public can work with you to submit your documents to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA). The GSCCCA is the only state agency authorized to issue apostilles for documents originating in the State of Georgia.
Note: Notarized documents do not require additional county certification prior to obtaining the apostille.
No -Authentication Type: Great Seal Certification
Our notary can work with you to contact the Georgia Secretary of State. They are the only state agency that can issue this type of certification.
No -Authentication Type: Certification of Notary Public
Our notary can work with you to submit your notarized document to the notary’s commissioning county Clerk of Superior Court or to the GSCCCA following the instructions listed below. Certification of notary public, also called a certificate of authority, certifies that the notary public holds, or held, a notary commission during a particular term of office. The GSCCCA only issues this certification for documents that will be used within the U.S., a U.S. territory or U.S. embassy (typically visa requests).
Notes: (1) Documents going to foreign embassies or consulates located within the U.S. are considered to be international documents going to that foreign country. (2) A certification of notary is not used in conjunction with an apostille. (3) The Georgia Secretary of State will only accept notary certifications from the notary’s commissioning county.
Please note that our notary will not provide services for countries, customers or corporations that fall under the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Sanctions Program.
Source: https://www.gsccca.org/notary-and-apostilles/apostilles/general-apostille-information
What if my document’s destination country is not listed on your website?
If the country is not listed, it is not a member of the Hague Convention. We can still verify the document by getting a Great Seal certification for you from the appropriate state department.
Do I need to have a document translated into English before getting an apostille?
No, it doesn’t matter what language the document is in.
How do I obtain Authentication for a Birth, Death, or Marriage Certificate?
A notary public can only authenticate birth, death, and marriage certificates that are issued in the state of Georgia. We cannot accept documents from other states or from a county healthy department. We can also only accept documents with original handwritten signatures.
Please contact the Vital Record Services of the Georgia Department of Community Health for a death certificate, birth certificate, single status verification letter, or marriage license. All signatures on each document must be original and handwritten. The County Probate court, in the county in which the marriage was recorded, can also issue a marriage certificate. The County Probate Court can also issue birth certificates. These documents do not need to be notarized.
The apostille process compares the document’s issuing public official’s signature to signatures on file with the state. If the document is old, they may not have the signature on file. You may need to get a new certified copy of the document if it was issued before 2000.
Please contact the Vital Record Services of the Georgia Department of Community Health for a death certificate, birth certificate, single status verification letter, or marriage license. All signatures on each document must be original and handwritten. The County Probate court, in the county in which the marriage was recorded, can also issue a marriage certificate. The County Probate Court can also issue birth certificates. These documents do not need to be notarized.
The apostille process compares the document’s issuing public official’s signature to signatures on file with the state. If the document is old, they may not have the signature on file. You may need to get a new certified copy of the document if it was issued before 2000.
What countries are part of the Hague Convention?
CONVENTION COUNTRIES
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Which countries are NOT part of the Hague Convention?
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Please note that we will not provide services for countries, customers or corporations that fall under the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Sanctions Program.