It’s no wonder engaged couples choose to tie the knot in beautiful locations all over the world. There are so many fantastic destination spots. Some people want a private ceremony with a small group of close knit friends and family, and others want a more lavish event that includes many others who travel from different locations to share in the special day. Regardless of the location, couples getting married in other countries have the additional requirement to secure paperwork to legally get married abroad. Hopefully sooner than later in the wedding planning process, they learn about the need to obtain apostilles from government offices. The reason we say hopefully sooner than later is that, depending on the documents needed, it could take weeks for processing. That said, it’s always best to start earlier to avoid any last minute needs that could affect a smooth or legal wedding day abroad. Some of the common documents that the bride and/or groom may be asked to obtain apostilles for are background checks (ie: criminal records), birth certificates, Single Status Affidavits, and residency documentation. Regarding background checks, these could be requested from state and/or federal databases. Any bride and/or groom planning a wedding probably has a “TO DO” list longer than most people, and it’s important that they’re organized and pay close attention to the details. Florida Notary Public, LLC DBA Apostille FLA has been successfully helping engaged couples handle the apostille process so they can focus their efforts on the other things they need to do. The apostille process can be daunting if you don’t have experience doing it, and let’s face it, most engaged couples don’t repeat the process more than once. Questions arise regarding which documents are needed, if translations are needed, if the vital statistic documents they have are valid, how long the process takes, if documents need to be sent directly to the destination country etc are all important.
Mindy Strum is a Certified Apostille Agent with 10+ years as a notary public in the state of Florida. Florida Notary Public, LLC DBA Apostille FLA provides apostille services from each state and the USDOS.
