Simply put, an Apostille is a certification attached by an official of one country that lets the receiving country know the document has been certified and ratified. The idea is that this allows the receiving government to forgo many of their routine examinations and oversight checks on the document that would slow down the process and take up valuable working hours. In the end, this results in a faster and more streamlined process for standard international paperwork.
“Apostilles authenticate the seals & signatures on public documents such as birth certificates, court orders, or any other document issued by a public authority, for them to be recognized in foreign countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty.” -U.S. Department of State.
Nearly any official document translated and notarized to be accepted by a foreign government will require an apostille certification. If the country in question was not a member of the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty, you would need to get into direct contact with the Secretary of State of that country to figure out their unique requirements.
