Georgia Secretary of State Apostille 518-956-5673

Self-Service Guide for Notarization and Authentication by the Georgia Secretary of State

There are two types of authentication by the Secretary of State: Apostille and Certificate of Authentication. An Apostille, also known as "Hague Authentication," can only be used within member countries of the Hague Convention. Since Chinese consulates are currently not part of the "Hague Convention member states," only the "Certificate of Authentication" can be submitted to various Chinese consulates in the United States.

If you don’t have time to handle it yourself, you can contact CHV for代办 services. Add our customer service number: 1-518-956-5673 (US). We provide notarization and authentication services for personal or corporate documents from all 50 U.S. states, including consular three-level authentication or Hague Authentication. Expedited processing is available, with completion in as fast as 3 business days.

In-person or mail-in processing:

Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority Notary Division
Notary Division
1875 Century Boulevard, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30345

Website: www.gsccca.org/notary-and-apostilles/apostilles/

Reminders for Notarization and Authentication in Georgia

The Hague Authentication process in Georgia differs from other U.S. states.

It is important to understand the distinction between the two entities to apply for Hague Authentication or certification at the correct office. The state has two separate state agencies authorized to authenticate or issue Hague Authentication for public or private records.

The decision to use one agency over the other depends on which country your document will be used in abroad.

If you require Hague Authentication, the GSCCCA (Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority) will handle the document, as it is the only office in Georgia authorized to issue Hague Authentication.

If you require consular or embassy legalization, the competent authority is the Georgia Secretary of State.

For Georgia vital records:

• Request from the Office of Vital Records.
• Issued within the last five years.
• Signed by hand with a pen.

Birth, death, and marriage certificates do not require notarization, as the seals and signatures are already eligible for Hague Authentication.

If you have a certificate issued by a probate court (birth or marriage), ensure it has a handwritten signature; stamped signatures are not accepted.

If you need to apply for a new copy of a vital record, contact: Vital Records, 2600 Skyland Drive, Atlanta, GA 30319. Phone: (404) 679-4702.

Regarding school records, we can obtain Hague Authentication for you:

• We can provide Hague Authentication for school records from Georgia Tech, University of Georgia, Emory University, Georgia State University, and other recognized academic institutions.
• Request the school registrar to issue a signed and notarized copy of the diploma and/or school transcript, with the authenticity of the copy stated on school letterhead.

For corporate or business records eligible for Hague Authentication, they should be certified copies with handwritten (pen) signatures issued by the Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division.

• Certified copies of business records with handwritten (pen) signatures issued by the Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division are eligible for Hague Authentication.
• Please note that copies obtained from their website cannot be authenticated.

Notes on notarized documents: Notarized documents do not require any supplementary certification. The appointment date should be indicated before issuing Hague Authentication.

• Notarized documents such as school records, powers of attorney, or affidavits should be properly handled according to Georgia notary rules.

Notary rules are as follows:

• Complete the notary certificate. (This certificate can be printed or handwritten.)
• Sign by hand with a pen.
• Write the correct signing date.
• Stamp the document with a clear seal.

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