Application for Apostille or Certification of Documents – OLD
The Hague Treaty was established at a convention held in 1961 at Hague, located in the Netherlands. This Treaty abolished the requirement for the legalization of foreign public documents. The convention provides for the simplified certification of public documents to be used in countries that have joined the convention, by use of a special form called an Apostille. Effective October 16, 1981, the United States recognized the Hague Treaty.
The determination of whether an Apostille or Certification is issued depends upon which country the documents are bound for. If that country recognizes The Hague Treaty, then an Apostille will be issued. If the country does not recognize the Hague Treaty, a Certification will be issued. The following link is a list of countries that recognize the Hague Treaty.
1. Complete, sign, and submit the Application for Apostille or Certification of Documents.
2. Certify your document. Please follow the directions below for Public Documents & General Documents.
| Public Documents Birth, marriage, and death certificates and court documents (divorce decrees, probated will, judgment, etc.) and copies of documents on file in the State Bureau of Conveyances must first be certified by the custodian of those records before they may be presented to the Lieutenant Governor for Certification or affixing an Apostille. The certified copy must display the ORIGINAL SIGNATURE (not a stamped signature) of the custodian of the record. CONTACT the Department of Health or the respective Court or the Bureau of Conveyances for any information on any fees charged for certified copies. Certified court records must contain the signature stamp of the court clerk along with the seal of the court. |
General Documents General Documents are documents such as diplomas, unrecorded powers-of-attorney, agreements, bylaws, transcripts, unrecorded conveyance documents, unprobated wills, etc. These documents must be acknowledged before a notary public and then submitted to the State of Hawaii First Circuit Court (or the Circuit Court in which the Notary Public resides) for signature and commission verification. |
3. Once the notary’s signature and commission have been verified, documents must be forwarded to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, State Capitol, 5th Floor, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, 96813.
Please submit the following:
- Application for issuance of an Apostille or Certification. Include your documents and specify what country your documents are bound for.
- $1.00 per document in the form of a money order, cash, or a cashier’s check
- An addressed and stamped envelope if you wish the documents to be returned or forwarded by mail OR provide a local, toll-free telephone number where you can be contacted when the documents are ready for pickup.