APOSTILLA

LEGALIZATION OF DOCUMENTS ACCORDING TO THE HAGUE CONVENTION
(Hague Convention, October 5th, 1961)

As of January 30th, 2001, Colombia is a participant in the 1961 Hague Convention. This Convention abolishes the requirement of diplomatic or consular legalization for foreign public documents.

The present Convention shall apply to public documents which have been executed in the territory of one Contracting State and which have to be produced in the territory of another Contracting State.

For the purposes of the present Convention, the following are deemed to be public documents:
* Documents emanating from an authority or an official connected with the courts or tribunals of the State, including those emanating from a public prosecutor, a clerk of a court or a process-server ("husier de justice");
* Administrative documents.
* Notarial acts: official certificates which are placed on documents signed by persons in their private capacity, such as official certificates recording the registration of a document of the fact that it was in existence on a certain date and official and notarial authentications of signatures.

However, the present Convention shall NOT apply:
* To documents executed by diplomatic or consular agents;
* To administrtive documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations."
* Acts performed before a Notary Public or other official authority, must be forwarded to the Secretary of State of the corresponding state to be certified according to the Hague Convention with an APOSTILLE.

State government agencies that certify documents:

ILLINOIS
Springfield:
Office of the Secretary of State, Index Dept.
111 E. Monroe St.
Springfield, IL.62756
Tel. 1800- 252 8980 - 217- 782 0644

Chicago:
Office of the Secretary of State
17 North State, Room 1030
Chicago, IL 60602
Tel: 312-793 2556

INDIANA
Office of Secretary of State
Statehouse, Suite 201
Indianapolis, IN.46204
Tel. 317- 232 6542 Fax 317- 233 3283

IOWA
Office of Secretary of State
Hoover Office, Second Floor
Des Moines, IA. 50319
Tel. 515- 281 5204 Fax 515- 242 5953

KANSAS
Office of Secretary of State
State Capitol, Second Floor
Topeka, KS. 66612
Tel. 785- 296 4564 Fax 785- 296 4570

MICHIGAN
Department of State
Office of The Great Seal
Lansing, MI. 48918-1750
Tel. 517- 322 1460 Fax 517- 373 0727

MINNESOTA
Secretary of State’s Office
180 State Office Bldg.
St. Paul, MN. 55155
Tel. 651- 296 2803 Fax 651- 297 5844

MISSOURI
Office of Secretary of State
Commission Division
P.O. Box 784
Jefferson City, MO. 65102
Tel. 573- 751 4936 Fax 573- 751 8199

NEBRASKA
Office of Secretary of State
Notary Division, Room 1303
Box 95104 State Capitol
Lincoln, NE. 68509
Tel. 402- 471 2554 Fax 402- 471 4429

NORTH DAKOTA
Office of Secretary of State
Capitol Building
Bismarck, ND. 58505
Tel. 701- 328 2900 Fax 701- 328 1690

OHIO
Office of Secretary of State
30 East Broad St.14 th Fl.
Columbus, OH. 43266-0418
Tel. 614- 466 2655 1877-767 6446

SOUTH DAKOTA
Office of Secretary of State
500 East Capitol
Pierre, SD. 57501-5077
Tel. 605- 773 3537 Fax 605- 773 4550

WISCONSIN
Office of Secretary of State
P.O. Box 7848
Madison, WI. 53707-7848
Tel. 608- 266 8888 Fax 608- 266 3159