This 'Apostille pop-up' in Orange County authenticates documents for international use

Birth certificates, marriage licenses, college transcripts — outside of the U.S., they're often seen just as pieces of paper unless they're authenticated by a special document called an Apostille.

Getting an apostille is a necessary step for Americans who want to be able to study, buy property or get married in certain countries. But the process can be time-consuming, especially if you can't easily visit an office of the California Secretary of State, the agency that provides apostille services.

Enter the "apostille pop-up shop," which has the state partnering with local county governments to bring their services into the community for one day.

The latest edition will take place tomorrow, Wednesday Oct. 9 at the Orange County administration building in Santa Ana. No appointments are required for the walk-up services.

"People come in every day asking where they can go to get an apostille," said Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen. "So that's what started our interests."

Nguyen said the pop-up event will save local residents the hassle of having to wait for weeks for the processing of an apostille request mailed to Sacramento or traveling to the Los Angeles location of the Secretary of State's office.

"If you live in Orange County, you have to drive to LA, it's a whole day, and not only that -- time and money, right?," Nguyen said.

Where and when is it?

The event runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The address: 601 North Ross St, Santa Ana, Calif.

What do I need to bring?

Bring the original — not photcopy of — the document you need authenticated. This document would have been already signed by either a California public official or certified in some other way.

There will be a notary on site to sign documents that need it, saving people an additional trip.

The apostille from the state lets overseas officials know that a birth certificate issued by a county is real, said Deputy Clerk Daniel Guttierez.

"They don't know the difference between Orange County or L.A. County," Guttierez said. "The apostille is the Great Seal of California [which] has international recognition around the planet, and that's why they're able to say, 'Oh, okay, this document is valid."

What is the cost?

Each apostille costs $20, plus a $6 handling fee for each different public official’s signature to be authenticated.

For example, two documents signed by the same public official would cost $46, while two documents signed by two different officials would be $52.

Will there be more apostille pop-up events?

Nguyen is receptive. This week's event is the second of its kind held in Orange County. The first event in May drew nearly 500 people with ties to countries such as Vietnam, Mexico and South Korea.

How do I learn more about apostilles?

The California Secretary of State recommends reading the "The ABCs of Apostilles" from the Permanent Bureau (Secretariat) of the Hague Conference on Private International Law.