| According to several nationally recognized studies | | | | Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, and Jamaica. |
| there are more than 600,000 international students | | | | Other countries include Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Kuwait, |
| studying in the United States today. Translating to | | | | Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, |
| nearly 4% of all students enrolled in U.S. educational | | | | Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, |
| institutions will be from international decent. | | | | Morocco, Mozambique, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, |
| This staggering growth leaves one industry bound for | | | | Nigeria, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine |
| exceptional growth, the Apostille industry. An Apostille | | | | Mission (PLO), Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, |
| is defined as a documentation legalization service. | | | | Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, |
| Apostille is a French word which means certification. In | | | | Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, |
| English it is used to refer to the legalization of a | | | | Tajikistan , Tanzania , Thailand , Togo, Tunisia , |
| document for international use. On October 5, 1961 | | | | Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Uganda, |
| several nations joined to create this simplified method | | | | Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, |
| of legalizing documents through the Hague Convention | | | | Zambia, and Zimbabwe. |
| Abolishing the requirement of Legalization for Foreign | | | | The demand for such services is increasing as the |
| Public Documents. | | | | number of international students continues to |
| Documents that are certified with a conformant | | | | skyrocket in the U.S. and abroad. Everything from a |
| apostille are accepted for legal use in all the nations | | | | marriage certificate to a power of attorney can be |
| that have signed the Hague Convention Abolishing the | | | | legalized internationally by Apostille companies. Typical |
| Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public | | | | costs range from $100 to $200 for the full legalization |
| Documents. | | | | of a document, including shipping. |
| Member countries of the Hague convention include | | | | Most students throughout their college careers require |
| Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, | | | | several copies of official transcripts, along with other |
| Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, | | | | important documents like degrees, statements of |
| Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia and | | | | study major, not to mention medical records. Contrary |
| Herzegovina, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, | | | | to popular belief, just because a document is issued |
| China (Macau), China (Hong Kong), Colombia, Cook | | | | from a major university or hospital does not make it |
| Islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, | | | | recognized worldwide. This is why Apostille |
| Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, | | | | documentation services have become so popular. |
| France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, | | | | International students are often granted entry to the |
| Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, | | | | U.S. through temporary student visa passes, and thus |
| Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Republic of, Latvia, Lesotho, | | | | will be forced to return to their native country after |
| Liberia, Liechtenstein, and Lithuania. | | | | completing their studies. |
| Other member countries include Luxembourg, Malawi, | | | | Returning home without having the proper documents |
| Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, | | | | legalized can be cause for concern. Apostille services |
| Republic of, Monaco, Namibia, Netherlands, New | | | | relieve the concerns of international students that will |
| Zealand, Niue, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, | | | | need their degrees, and important documents legalized |
| Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, | | | | for world wide acceptance. |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, | | | | An Apostille service will legalize most documents like |
| Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, | | | | driver licenses, medical records, educational degrees |
| South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, | | | | and transcripts for members of the Hague Convention |
| Switzerland, FYR of Macedonia, Tonga, Trinidad and | | | | Treaty. For those wanting documents legalized that |
| Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United | | | | come from other countries not among the Hague |
| States of America, and Venezuela. | | | | Convention Treaty nations, Embassy Legalization |
| In countries which are not signatories to the 1961 | | | | service can be used. |
| Convention and do not recognize the apostille, the | | | | In the ever changing global economy, the rules of |
| document must have an Embassy Legalization from | | | | engagement are changing for international students. |
| which the document is issued. | | | | Often they can obtain their education in the U.S. and |
| Typical embassies from which Embassy Legalization | | | | return home to a distinguished job in their native |
| services can be transacted include Afghanistan, | | | | country; utilizing new technology to be anywhere and |
| Algeria, Angola, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, | | | | everywhere the company needs them to be. |
| Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, | | | | However, regardless of where one is working, if an |
| Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, | | | | international student does not have their documents |
| People's Republic of, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, | | | | legalized, all can be for not, as many countries require |
| Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, East | | | | document legalization in order to recognize such |
| Timor, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, | | | | documents as a college degree. |
| Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, | | | | |