Puerto Rico expands apostille services to 12 service centers
The Department of State has made document certifications for international use available at five additional Integrated Service Centers.
The Puerto Rico Department of State has announced the expansion of the apostille service in five additional Integrated Service Centers (CSI, in Spanish), bringing the total to 12 locations across the island, Secretary of State Omar J. Marrero said.
“This expansion of the apostille service in our network of Integrated Service Centers responds in part to an increase in the demand for this service by citizens, as well as the primary mission of the CSIs to greatly facilitate the provision of key services for the people,” said Marrero.
The new locations incorporating the apostille service include the Roberto Sánchez Villela Government Center, known as Minillas, in San Juan, along with CSIs in Lares, Ciales and Vieques.
These centers join the State Department’s main offices in Old San Juan, the CSI at Plaza Las Américas in Hato Rey, and CSIs in Arecibo, Mayagüez, Moca, Ponce and Fajardo, which were already offering the service.
The purpose of an apostille, or certification, is to authenticate the signatures of public officials on documents intended for use outside of Puerto Rico.
“In essence, it is a separate sheet that is added to the document in question showing the official’s signature and a seal proving the legality of said document,” explained Marrero.
The types of documents that can be apostilled include birth, marriage, divorce, single status and death certificates, as well as notarized documents, academic certificates and degrees, and certificates related to employment, income, medical records and property.
Internationally, the practice of using an apostille was formalized under the Hague Convention, an international agreement signed in the Netherlands in 1961.
“The apostille has become a valuable legal resource that greatly simplifies previous processes for these purposes, which required multiple visits to the embassies and/or consulates of the respective nations,” Marrero added.
Currently, 104 countries are party to the Hague Convention and therefore recognize apostilles. These include the United States, Argentina, Australia, Germany, Austria, Bahamas, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Greece, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela.
For nations that do not participate in the convention, the Department of State provides a similar certification for international document use.
