A document issued in Puerto Rico for use abroad may need an apostille or another form of authentication before the receiving authority will accept it. If you are unfamiliar with what an apostille is, it authenticates the signature, the capacity of the person who signed the document, and, where applicable, the seal or stamp. It does not verify the document’s contents.
Although Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, records issued there follow a local apostille process. So, where to apostille documents in Puerto Rico? Requests for eligible documents go through the Puerto Rico Department of State, specifically its Certifications and Regulations Division in San Juan. These can include birth, marriage, and death certificates, diplomas and academic transcripts, criminal record certifications, powers of attorney, and deeds.
The required procedure depends on the destination country. For countries that are party to the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille is generally the required form of authentication. Documents intended for non-Hague countries may instead require an authentication certificate followed by embassy or consular legalization. Our apostille services can help determine the appropriate route and handle the required authentication steps.
