Apostille in Hawaii has become available in twelve languages besides English. This is reported by the official website of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii Sylvia Luke.
Why apostille services are becoming multilingual in Hawaii
The Office of the Lieutenant Governor stated that the reform of the apostille procedure is part of the state’s commitment to linguistic diversity and inclusivity in public administration. One in four Hawaii residents currently speaks a language other than English at home. In response, Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke initiated changes to the document legalization process to make apostille services more accessible for all.
Hawaii is one of the most linguistically diverse states in the country, and government services must reflect this. Expanding access to apostille applications in twelve languages ensures that more residents, regardless of the language they speak, will be able to navigate this process with clarity and confidence, said Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke..
Under current legislation, the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii is responsible for the legalization of local documents intended for use abroad, including notarial acts, birth certificates, and marriage certificates. Approximately 9,000 documents are apostilled annually. The statement on the Lieutenant Governor's office website emphasizes that expanding language accessibility in apostille services “marks a significant step toward more equitable and inclusive government services.”.
Available languages for apostille services
In addition to English, apostille services are now available in the following twelve languages:
- Simplified Chinese;
- Chuukese;
- Ilocano;
- Japanese;
- Korean;
- Marshallese;
- Hawaiian;
- Spanish;
- Tagalog;
- Thai;
- Vietnamese;
- Visayan.
The reform was initiated as part of the Department of Health's Office of Language Access, which assists citizens with limited English proficiency.
Nineteen years ago, Hawaii became the first state in the country to pass a comprehensive language access law to meet the needs of community members with limited English proficiency. It is crucial that every person with limited English proficiency has meaningful access to government services, regardless of the language they speak. The Office of Language Access will continue to collaborate with all state agencies to ensure that government services are truly accessible to everyone in our state, — said May Mizuno, Executive Director of the Office of Language Access.
Apostille applications can be submitted online or in person at the Lieutenant Governor's office.
What is an apostille?
What is an apostille? Why do I need an apostille? How do I get an apostille? - Our video will explain everything you need to know about the apostille. If you have a document that needs to be certified with an apostille for use abroad, Schmidt and Schmidt will assist you! We provide apostille services in more than 100 countries worldwide.
