Authentication New Look - Oregon Adopts Uniform Apostille Standards

We are pleased to announce that, beginning Thursday, January 26, 2012, Oregon follows the Uniform Apostille Standards, and adopts the Model Apostille Certificate format of the Hague Conference on Private International Law.

As you will see from the sample, the changes to our certificates are profound. First and foremost, authentication certificates for countries belonging to the Hague Convention (of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents) and non-signatory countries will look exactly the same. That is, every authentication certificate coming from the Oregon Secretary of State’s office will be in one uniform and standard format, complying with national and international standards.

Other formatting changes are significant as well. The only signature on Oregon’s certificate will be the signature of the Secretary of State, and will be printed from a signature on file. There will not be a handwritten countersignature. There will no longer be a foil seal, nor will we continue to emboss the document. Instead, an official green-colored stamp will be placed so that it is partially on our certificate and partially on the underlying signature page.

The certificate addresses the capacity of the public official, and so will be attached to the signature page with that official’s signature. It will not be attached to the top of a bundled document, unless the top page is a signature page. Again, this is in keeping with international and national standards. The attachment will be offset to the left, and each certificate has a unique, random number, with which you may verify its authenticity by contacting our office. Our certificates will always be 8.5" x 11 inches, and certain explanatory information will be included on the bottom.

In addition to conforming to recognized standards, we believe this change simplifies and speeds up the legalization of foreign documents. There is less chance of misunderstanding of legalization requirements on the part of citizens going abroad. It should make it easier for receiving parties to confirm that the certificates are authentic.