I need an apostille - an official stamp from the State of Connecticut saying that my document is authentic.
An apostille is a certification accepted by other countries. You would only need an apostille if you are sending your document to another country.
In Connecticut, an apostille can be issued only by the office of the Secretary Of The State Of Connecticut.
The procedure for getting an apostille is
 | You bring the document to a Connecticut Notary Public and sign the document in front of them. |
| The Notary Public then adds the correct wording for a Jurat. |
| You then fill out a form and send the completed form, along with the notarized document and a $40.00 fee, to the Secretary Of The State Of Connecticut. ($40 per apostille; or $90 per apostille for expedited service) |
| The office of the Secretary Of The State applies the apostille and returns the document to you. |
If you need an apostille certifying a copy of a document, the procedure is
| Connecticut law says that a notary public cannot certify a copy of a document. Instead, you can print out a letter in which you swear to the authenticity of a copy. A notary public places you under oath and then you sign the document. This is the procedure recommended by the State of Connecticut. |
| You create a document that says that you swear that the attached copy is true and correct copy of the original. (see text below) |
| You bring the document to a Notary Public and sign the document in front of them. The Notary Public then adds the correct wording for a Jurat. You, as the person who made the copy, are swearing an oath that the copy is accurate. The notary is simply notarizing your signature. |
| You then send the notarized document to the Secretary Of The State Of Connecticut along with $40.00. |
| The office of the Secretary Of The State applies the apostille and returns the document to you. |
For more information on apostilles, see the apostille page on the web site of the Connecticut Secretary Of The State
| Please note that if the document in question is considered a public record, such as birth, death, or marriage certificates. In Connecticut, you can obtain official (certified) copies of public records from a Town Clerk. |
If you have questions on how to properly complete the form, please call 860-509-6100.
To obtain the apostille, mail your completed form, document(s), and fee to the following address:
Authentications and Apostilles
Secretary of the State
P.O. Box 150470
Hartford CT 06115-0470
If you choose to hand deliver or use fedex, the address is:
Authentications and Apostilles
Secretary of the State
165 Capitol Avenue, Suite 1000
Hartford CT 06106
All orders will be returned from Hartford by First Class Mail, unless the customer provides for an alternative prepaid delivery service. (If you want your document returned by FedEx, you must enclose a completed and prepaid fedex shipping label.)
