Documents for International Use: Apostille, Notarization, or Both?

Apostille or notarization requirements often confuse people when documents are being used outside the United States. Individuals are frequently told their paperwork must be “notarized” or “apostilled” — sometimes both — without any explanation of what that actually means.

This lack of clarity leads to confusion, rejected submissions, and unnecessary delays.

This page explains the difference between notarization, apostille, and situations where both are required, so you can determine the correct preparation for your documents before submitting anything.

Why This Is So Confusing

Understanding whether apostille or notarization applies depends on the document type, issuing authority, and the country where the document will be used.

In practice, people usually hear one of the following:

• “Your documents need to be notarized for international use.”
• “You need an apostille for your visa or overseas employer.”
• “The embassy said the document must be legalized.”

These instructions are often incomplete.

Notarization, apostille, and legalization are not interchangeable. They serve different purposes depending on:

• the type of document
• the country where it will be used
• who issued the document

Missing even one of these distinctions is a common reason documents are rejected.

What Notarization Does (Apostille or Notarization Explained)

Notarization verifies:

• the identity of the signer
• that the document was signed voluntarily
• that the signature is genuine
• and, in certain cases, that the signer swears or affirms the truth of the statements in the document

Notarization does not:

• authenticate the contents of the document
• make the document valid for use in another country by itself

For many private documents, notarization is only the first step, not the final one.

To understand how notarization fits into the apostille process, see our explanation of
apostille vs. notarization.

What an Apostille Does

An apostille certifies:

• that the notarization or issuing authority is legitimate
• that the document can be recognized in another country that is part of the Hague Apostille Convention

An apostille does not replace notarization. In many cases, the apostille requires that the document be notarized first.

When You Need Both Notarization and an Apostille

Many documents require both steps, in this order:

1. Notarization
2. Apostille

This commonly applies to:

• powers of attorney
• affidavits
• corporate documents
• employment or verification letters
• benefit or pension letters

In these cases, notarization makes the document eligible for an apostille — but notarization alone is not sufficient for international use.

For a deeper dive into when notarization is required before apostille, see
when notarization is required before a state apostille.

When You Do NOT Need Notarization Before an Apostille

Some documents do not require notarization before an apostille because they are already certified by the issuing authority.

Common examples include:

• certified birth certificates
• certified marriage certificates
• certified death certificates
• certain court-issued records

For these documents, the apostille is applied directly to the certified copy.

Special cases — such as amended or corrected records — may require additional review.

Apostille vs. Legalization: When an Apostille Is Not Enough

An apostille applies only when the destination country is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention.

If the destination country is not a Hague member — such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, or Iraq — the document may require legalization, which is a different, multi-step process involving:

• state-level certification
• federal authentication
• embassy or consulate processing

This distinction is often overlooked and is a frequent reason documents are rejected.

For more detail, see our explanation of
apostille vs. legalization.

How to Determine What Your Documents Actually Need

To determine the correct preparation, you need to know:

• what country the document will be used in
• whether that country accepts apostilles
• whether the document is a private document or a certified public record
• whether the authority that issued the document is state or federal

Skipping any of these steps often results in delays or rejections.

How This Fits with State vs. Federal Apostilles

Another common point of confusion is whether the apostille must be state or federal.

That distinction depends on:

• who issued the document
• not what the document is about

To avoid submitting to the wrong authority, review our guide on state vs. federal apostilles, which explains how issuing authorities determine the correct apostille type.

Next Steps

If your documents are being used internationally and you are unsure whether they require notarization, an apostille, or both, the safest approach is to confirm the correct process before submitting anything.

In many cases, identifying the correct sequence of steps is the most important part of preparing documents for international use.