Apostilles and Authentications are certifications of a state notary's signature or county official's signature on a document. An apostille is a form of certification set by countries belonging to the Hague Convention. An authentication is a form of certification used by all other countries not in the Hague Convention.
Documents that may require an apostille or authentication are:
- birth or death certificates
- marriage licenses
- divorce decrees
- documentation for overseas adoptions
- school transcripts
- school diplomas or degrees
- any business documentation for overseas
- Power of Attorney documents
These documents must be issued by Nebraska officials, otherwise, the Secretary of State's office can not authenticate them.
When requesting an apostille or authentication it is important to include the following:
- original document signed by a Nebraska notary or county official
- a $10.00 statutory fee per document being authenticated
- what country this document is going to
- instructions where certification should be sent when completed
- phone number of where you can be reached if we should have questions
The Notary Division normally has same day service for processing all apostilles and authentications depending upon the volume of mail received. Documents are mailed by first class mail. If you want express mail then you will need to provide a pre-paid addressed airbill.
Send your apostille or authentication request to:
Nebraska Secretary of State
Notary Division
PO Box 95104
Lincoln, NE 68509
or
Nebraska Secretary of State
Notary Division
1201 N Street, Suite 120
Lincoln, NE 68508
For assistance please call
(402)471-2558
