Apostilleuh-PAH-stil
An apostille is an international certification issued under the 1961 Hague Convention (Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents) that authenticates a foreign public document — such as a birth certificate, power of attorney or corporate record — so it is recognized as valid in another member country without further consular legalization.
By Daniel Ortega · Last reviewed 6 November 2026
How it works
<p>Mexico, the United States and Canada are all members of the Hague Apostille Convention, so a US or Canadian document needs only an apostille from the issuing state or federal authority, not consular legalization. Foreign buyers commonly apostille powers of attorney for real estate transactions when they cannot be present in Mexico to sign, as well as birth certificates, marriage certificates and corporate documents for fideicomiso or direct title ownership.</p><p>In the US, state apostille fees range from USD 1 to 40 (median USD 10); federal documents cost USD 20 per document at the US Department of State. Canada joined the Convention on January 11, 2024, replacing the prior consular-legalization process. Most Mexican states require certified translation by a perito traductor registered in Mexico in addition to the apostille. The apostille itself is a certificate attached to the original document by the issuing authority (state Secretary of State or federal agency) and does not replace the notarization or original signature.</p>