What is an Apostille, and When is It Needed?

An apostille is a special stamp affixed to documents to confirm their authenticity and legal validity in international relations. It is part of the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, signed by over 100 countries. The primary purpose of the apostille is to simplify the process of document recognition, whereby documents officially issued in a country that is a party to the convention are recognized in other countries that are parties to the convention.