The U.S. state of Iowa has transitioned to a new "unified" document legalization form for use abroad starting in 2025. This was announced by the official website of the Secretary of State.
How to obtain a new certificate of document legalization in Iowa
The Secretary of State's office will authenticate the document's validity for any country using a single certificate — regardless of whether the country is a member of the Hague Convention or not. Thus, the certificate will replace both the Apostille stamp and the consular legalization mark.
The lower part of the certificate contains a special mark explaining that it is universal and can be used in countries that have not joined the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961 (also known as the Apostille Convention) since June 1, 2011. This international agreement simplifies the recognition of public documents abroad by replacing the lengthy consular legalization process with a streamlined apostille procedure.
To obtain the legalization service, you must send a special request on a standardized form along with the document to the Secretary of State's office. You can use either mail or a special electronic document submission form. The service is provided on the same day the document is received, from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM.
The Secretary of State's office reminds that only documents issued by state officials or notarized by notaries within its territory are accepted for legalization. The certificate contains a golden seal and a watermark. The date stamped on it indicates the day of the document's legalization.
What should be included in the application for a certificate of document legalization in Iowa?
The application for document legalization has a standardized form. It includes the applicant's last name, first name, phone number, email address, and physical address. It is essential to specify for which country the legalization is being done.
Additionally, it is necessary to indicate which payment system the applicant prefers to use for the fee (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover). The payment card details are entered directly in the application. The fee for the document is 5 USD. There is no option to pay the legalization fee in cash.
A separate line should indicate how many copies of the document are to be legalized.
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.
