What is an Apostille and Why do I need One to Teach English Abroad?

If you’ve ever thought about working, getting married, or applying for citizenship abroad, you may have read about needing to secure an apostille for certain documents. We’re here to break down what an apostille is, where you can get an apostille and what timelines look like for getting these documents.

What is an apostille?

In short, an apostille is a document that authenticates another document. Confusing, but almost always necessary to live and work abroad as a foreigner. An apostille is a type of certification or authentication that is used to validate the authenticity of public documents when they are being used abroad. The apostille is a form of legalization that simplifies the process of accepting documents between countries that are parties to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents.

The Hague Apostille Convention establishes a standardized certificate, known as an apostille, which is attached to the document by a competent authority in the country where the document originated. This certificate confirms the document's legitimacy and ensures that it will be recognized as valid in other countries that are also party to the convention, without the need for further authentication. There are over 100 members of the Hague Apostille Convention.

If you’re planning to move, work, marry, or obtain citizenship abroad, common documents that may require an apostille include birth certificates, marriage certificates, educational diplomas, and other legal documents. When individuals plan to teach English abroad, they often need to obtain an apostille for their teaching qualifications and other supporting documents to meet the requirements of the host country.

Where can I get an apostille?

To know where to get an apostille, it’s necessary to consider what organization issued the document. For U.S. citizens, it’s necessary to determine the organization document you are authenticating was issued. documents issued by state agencies, such as birth and death certificates must be authenticated at the secretary of state level. These vital records must be authenticated by the state that issued them, such as a birth certificate issued in Colorado must be authenticated by the Colorado secretary of state. Educational diplomas can be authenticated by any secretary of state. Documents from federal organizations often require an apostille from a federal entity, but more on that below.

What apostilles are needed for teaching English in Korea?

If you’re planning to teach English in South Korea, you will be required to submit apostilles for your educational diplomas (issued by a secretary of state) and an apostilled F.B.I. background check (apostille MUST be issued by the U.S. Department of State). For diplomas, you will need to make a copy of your diploma and have the copy notarized (at your bank or anywhere there is a pubic notary works). You will take both your original diploma and the copy to the notary (note: you will NOT do this for your F.B.I. background check). After the copy has been notarized, you are ready to get an apostille from the secretary of state. Obtaining apostilles for diplomas is a relatively quick and straightforward process, taking around 2-3 weeks, while an apostille from the U.S. Department of State can take many months. In cases where an apostille is needed more quickly from the State Department, you can consider going through a channeler, which are companies that offer expedited service in exchange for a premium (around $195 is typical, while the cost of the apostille itself is in the neighborhood of only $30). We HIGHLY recommend contacting channeler companies before using their services to understand what timeline they will be able to deliver your documents in. In any event, it is important to start the paperwork process early so your visa can be processed in a timely fashion.

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