Apostille & Notary Services
Notary & Apostille Information
Where Do I Find a Notary Public at 91原创?
Notaries are available in many on-campus units. You will find a list in the聽91原创 Directory聽(under Affiliations, select "Notary"). As the list may not be current, it is best to contact the person in advance to schedule an appointment.
What Does a Notary Public Do?
A Notary Public is a person appointed by a state government to witness the signing of important documents. Their job is to confirm the true identity of the person who signs the document. They do this by reviewing a current ID that includes a photo, signature and physical description (such as a driver鈥檚 license or passport). It is important to note that U.S. notaries serve a different role than notaries may have in other countries. U.S. notaries are not required to be attorneys, judges or high-ranking officials, and they are not the same as a聽.
Notarization vs. Apostille
When a Notary affirms a signature, this is often enough to prove the legitimacy of a document in the U.S. An Apostille is an extra layer of verification, provided by the Delaware Secretary of State. It is sometimes required by governments outside of the U.S. (or their consulates). Apostilles must be issued in the same state that the document was notarized.
What Documents will the Registrar's Office Notarize (or prepare for Apostille)?
The 91原创 Registrar鈥檚 Office will notarize a 91原创 transcript or paper diploma, or prepare the paperwork required to request an Apostille for these documents. An Apostille is neither required nor necessary for a CeDiploma. A CeDiploma has legal standing, is non-repudiating, and can be validated through the聽91原创 Diploma Validation website聽to provide absolute confidence in the credential's authenticity. Questions should be directed to聽registrar@udel.edu. The decision to notarize a document not produced by the University is solely at the discretion of the notary and the notary reserves the right to refuse to notarize a document for any reason.
狈翱罢贰:听Appointments are required for Notary services. Please go to聽聽to schedule an appointment. The signer should bring the original, unsigned document, and an official/valid photo ID (driver鈥檚 license or passport). Notarization usually takes 10-20 min. to complete.
The Delaware Secretary of State can issue Apostille and Authentication certificates for documents from Delaware schools and institutions of higher education. The request must originate from the student. A Notary in the Registrar鈥檚 Office can prepare the documents for the Delaware Secretary of State. See below for the specific instructions about what to provide, depending on the type of document that requires an Apostille. The preparation of the Apostille documents takes between 5-10 business days.
APOSTILLE CHECKLIST:聽Print and complete the聽Apostille Checklist, noting what items you need authenticated and your method of payment. Please include the checklist with your cover letter and documents.
COVER LETTER:聽Prepare a cover letter to accompany the original document(s). The cover letter should include your full name, contact information (email, phone) and the address where the documents should be sent once the Apostille is applied. Please use this Cover Letter Template.
TRANSCRIPT:聽An Apostille can only be applied to a notarized, original transcript. If you require an Apostille for an official transcript, please request your transcript through the聽. To expedite the process, have the transcript sent as an electronic PDF directly to Megan Ward聽(mmward@udel.edu)聽in the 91原创 Registrar's Office.
DIPLOMA:聽An Apostille can be applied to either an original or high-quality scanned image of a diploma.
PAYMENT:聽The Delaware Secretary of State charges a聽$30 fee聽for the Apostille and Authentication.聽If you submit your payment (via check) with your cover letter, 聽the Registrar鈥檚 Office will deliver it to the Secretary of State, together with your documents. Otherwise, payments will be made directly聽with the Secretary of State鈥檚 office. If paying by credit card, you will be contacted by email with payment instructions.
- Checks: Checks should be made payable to "Delaware Secretary of State".
- Credit Card: American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard are acceptable. Please wait to receive an email from the Delaware Secretary of State鈥檚 Office.
- Cash (U.S. currency only): Cash is accepted if the student delivers the documents to the Secretary of State.聽The Registrar鈥檚 Office will not accept cash.
The Secretary of State鈥檚 office can be contacted by phone at聽+1-302-739-3077 (ask for the Apostille Office).
SUBMITTING YOUR MATERIALS: Please submit the Apostille checklist, cover letter, and other required materials聽.