7/27/2015

ApostillesandCertificationsNHSOS

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Home(/)>ApostillesandCertifications

ApostillesandCertifications
REQUIREMENTS

Manydocumentswhicharebeingfiledoverseasforadoptions,education,relocations,etc.require
anapostilleorcertificationoftheNotaryPublicorJusticeofthePeacesignature.
EachdocumentmusthaveanoriginalNotaryPublicorJusticeofthePeacesignaturewitnessing
thesignatureoftheauthorofthedocument.Ifsignedbyanotary,thenotary'ssealmustbe
includedinordertobecertifiedbythisoffice.Pleasemakesureyourdocumentsarenotarized
beforebringingthemtotheSecretaryofState'sOffice.
Thisofficecannotcertifysignaturesoftownandcityclerks,countyorstateregistrarsor
otherstateofficials.ThesignaturesmustbethoseofaNotaryPublicorJusticeofthe
PeacefortheStateofNewHampshire.
A$10.00feepercertificateischarged.Thismaybepaidincashorcheckmadepayabletothe
StateofNewHampshire.Inaddition,anexpeditedfeeshallbechargedifIMMEDIATE(SAME
DAY)serviceisrequested.Theexpeditedfeeof$25.00willbechargedforevery10ormore
documentssubmittedforcertification,andanadditional$25.00willbechargedforeveryadditional
tendocuments.
DocumentshandcarriedtotheSecretaryofState'sOfficewillbeacceptedbetweenthehoursof
8:00a.m.and4:30p.m.TheofficeislocatedintheStateHouseRoom204at107NorthMain
StreetinConcord,NewHampshire.
Documentsmailedtotheofficeshouldbeaccompaniedbyaletterindicatingwhatcountrythe
documentisgoingto,acheckinthecorrectamount,andaselfaddressedpostagepageenvelope
http://sos.nh.gov/certs.aspx

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7/27/2015

ApostillesandCertificationsNHSOS

forreturningthedocumenttoyou.Also,werequestthatyouincludeaphonenumberwhereyou
maybereachedshouldwehaveanyquestions.
Mailingaddress:SecretaryofState'sOffice,107NorthMainStreet,Concord,N.H.03301

SomecountriesarepartofTHEHAGUECONVENTIONandrequireAPOSTILLESondocumentswhich
aregoingtobefiledintheircountries.AlistingofcountriesbelongingtoTheHagueConvention,aswell
asindepthinformationonwhattheHagueLegalizationConventionisallaboutcanbefoundhere
(http://www.apostilleinfo.com/sample.htm).

DocumentsgoingtocountriesNOTlistedabovewillusuallyrequirearegularcertificateofthe
notarypublicorjusticeofthepeace.

PLEASENOTE:NOFOREIGNCURRENCYWILLBEACCEPTED
CERTIFIEDCOPIESOFVITALRECORDS
RSA5C:98VitalRecordsCopies.I.AvitalrecordmayNOTbeissued,duplicated,sealed,or
notarizedbyanypersonsotherthanthedivisionorclerksoftownsandcities.Theserestrictionsshallnot
applytovitalrecordsinthepublicdomainunlessacertifiedcopyisrequested.
II.Certifiedcopiesofvitalrecordsshallbeissuedtothepubliconlybythestateregistraroraclerkofa
townorcityinaccordancewiththischapter.
RSA5C:99ApostilleRecords.Anapostillerecordmeansavitalrecorddocumentwhichcontainsthe
certificationasprovidedforinthe1961HagueConventionandwhichisrecognizedintheUnitedStates
andothercertifyingcountriesasacertifieddocument.Anapostillerecordshallbepreparedinthesame
mannerasrequiredforacertifiedcopyandshallcontainthefollowing:thesignatureofthestateregistrar
ortheclerkofthetownorcitythenotarizedacknowledgementofthestateregistrarorclerkand
acknowledgementofthedocumentbytheNewHampshiresecretaryofstate,includinghisorher
signatureandseal.
TheSecretaryofState'sOfficewillNOTputanapostilleonavitalrecordifitisnotsubmittedin
theproperformasstatedabove.

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http://sos.nh.gov/certs.aspx

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