NOTARIZATION/LEGALIZATION OF DOCUMENTS

Documents that will be used in the Philippines that are executed, signed, or issued in Hawaii must EITHER bear a consular notarization from the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, OR an Apostille Certificate from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor in order for the documents to have legal effect in the Philippines.

I. PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL NOTARIZATION / LEGALIZATION  of a private document such as affidavits, special powers of attorney, deeds, sworn statements, etc.

These documents must be executed/signed in the presence of a Consular Official of the Philippine Consulate General. The notarized document will have as the covering page an ACKNOWLEDGEMENT or JURAT, which is signed by a Consular Official and contains the Consulate seal.

Public documents, or documents issued by government agencies of Hawaii, for use in the Philippines will no longer be notarized by the Philippine Consulate General. (Refer to Section II on Apostille.)

HOW TO APPLY:

By appointment through https://kiosk.na4.qless.com/kiosk/app/home/19

REQUIREMENTS FOR NOTARIZATION/LEGALIZATION OF DOCUMENTS AT THE CONSULATE

1. Confirmed online appointment.  The applicant will receive a system-generated email and text message confirming the appointment.

2. PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF THE SIGNATORY OR SIGNATORIES. If there are multiple signatories, all signatories have to be present to sign in front of the Consular Officer.

3. Original and one (1) photocopy of each document/s to be notarized. 

4. Original and two (2) photocopies of valid identification (ID) with photograph and signature of the holder. The ID must bear the name and signature that appears on the document to be notarized. Accepted identification are as follows:

- For Filipino citizens:  Philippine passport and proof of Filipino citizenship

- For US/foreign citizens:  US/foreign passport 

- For Filipino dual citizens:  Identification Certificate, Oath of Allegiance and/or Order of Approval in addition to the Philippine and/or US passport

- Driver’s license, State ID or any other government-issued identification cards containing photo and signature

5. A non-refundable fee of USD 25.00 per document to be paid in cash, US postal money order, debit/credit card, Manager’s check, or Cashier’s check.  Personal checks are not accepted.

6. Self-addressed USPS priority mail envelope, with postage stamps worth US$10.10 and tracking sticker.  UPS, Fedex or other courier service envelopes are not accepted.

Important: 

• Check that all requirements are complete before coming to the Consulate on the day of your appointment.  Only signatories with appointments are allowed to enter the Consulate.
• The Consular Officer reserves the right to require additional proof or documents from an applicant to prove his/her citizenship, identity, or familial ties (such as Birth or Marriage Certificates), and ensure accurate and complete personal data entries.
• All documents are released by mail. The Consulate assumes no responsibility for any delay or loss in the mail, or while the documents are in the custody of the postal service.
• Requests for immediate release of documents may be accommodated, provided that sufficient proof of urgency (such as airline ticket) is presented by the applicant. An expedite fee of $10 will apply per document.

II. NOTARIZATION/LEGALIZATION BY APOSTILLE

A. Private Documents such as affidavits, special powers of attorney, deeds, sworn statements, etc., for use in the Philippines that cannot be executed and signed in the presence of a consular official.

Procedure:

1. The original document must be acknowledged before a local notary public then submitted to the State of Hawaii First Circuit Court (or the Circuit Court in which the Notary Public resides) for signature and commission verification.

2. Once the notary’s signature and commission have been verified, documents must be forwarded to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, together with an Application for issuance of an Apostille or Certification.  Please check the website of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor for further information on obtaining an Apostille or Certification (https://ltgov.hawaii.gov/application-for-apostille-or-certification-of-documents/)   

3. After the document has been “Apostilled” by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, it can be sent to the Philippines directly. There is no need for the document/s to be authenticated by the Philippine Consulate General.

B. Documents issued by the Hawaii government and for use in the Philippines, such as school records, marriage/ birth/ death certificates, etc.

Procedure:

1. Birth, marriage, and death certificates and court documents (divorce decrees, probated will, judgment, etc.) and copies of documents on file in the State Bureau of Conveyances must first be certified by the custodian of those records before they may be presented to the Lieutenant Governor for Certification or affixing an Apostille. The certified copy must display the ORIGINAL SIGNATURE (not a stamped signature) of the custodian of the record. CONTACT the Department of Health or the respective Court or the Bureau of Conveyances for any information on any fees charged for certified copies. Certified court records must contain the signature stamp of the court clerk along with the seal of the court.

Note:  If you are  requesting  an Apostille on a  birth,  marriage, or  death certificate, you will be ordering your Apostille directly from the Hawaii State Department of Health.  Please refer to the Department’s website for further information on obtaining an Apostille (http://health.hawaii.gov/vitalrecords/apostilles/).

2. CERTIFIED COPIES of the documents must be forwarded to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, together with an Application for Apostille or Certification.  Please check the website of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor for further information on obtaining an Apostille or Certification (https://ltgov.hawaii.gov/application-for-apostille-or-certification-of-documents/)   

3. Once the document has been “Apostilled” by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, it can be sent to the Philippines directly. There is no need for the document/s to be authenticated by the Philippine Consulate General.

FAQs on Apostille

What is an Apostille and when do I need one?

• An Apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document. It is issued by a country that is party to the Apostille Convention to be used in another country which is also a party to the Convention.
• On 14 May 2019, the Philippines became a party to the Apostille Convention. Authentication is still required for all Philippine documents to be used abroad, but this time with an Apostille instead of an Authentication Certificate (“red ribbon”) as proof of authentication.
• After authentication (Apostillization) by the Office of Consular Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA-OCA) of the Philippines, which is the country’s Competent Authority, there is no more need for authentication (notarization/legalization) by the Foreign Embassies or Consulates except for non-Apostille countries and those that objected to the Philippine accession. 
• For the convenience of clients, e-apostille is now offered by DFA-OCA for public documents issued by the Philippines. More information may be found here: https://www.apostille.gov.ph/e-apostille/

In which countries does the Apostille Convention apply?

• The Apostille Convention only applies if both the country where the public document was issued and the country where the public document is to be used are parties to the Convention. For the updated list of all “Apostille Countries,” please visit this link: https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41
• Aside from countries that have not acceded to the Apostille Convention, the Philippine Apostille will not yet apply to Austria, Finland, Germany and Greece. Documents from and to such countries will still require legalization by the concerned Embassy or Consulate.

What do I do if the country where I need to use my public document is not an Apostille Country?

• Since 14 May 2019, DFA-OCA has been issuing Apostille Certificates to all documents submitted for authentication. If your public document is to be used in a country where the Apostille Convention does not apply, you should contact the Embassy or Consulate of the country where you intend to use the document in order to find out what your options are. This usually means that you need to present your documents to the said country’s Embassy or Consulate in the Philippines for its authentication/legalization.
• You may also ask the intended recipient of your document whether an Apostille is necessary in your particular case.

To which documents does the Apostille Convention apply?

• The Philippine Apostille will apply to the same types of documents that are subject to authentication by the DFA prior to the effectivity of the Apostille Convention in the Philippines.
• Moreover, an Apostille may never be used for the recognition of a document in the country where that document was issued. Apostilles are strictly for the use of public documents abroad. Thus, if your document is to be used in the Philippines, it cannot be submitted to the DFA for authentication/Apostillization.

What is the benefit of an Apostille and how is it different from the Authentication Certificate ("Red Ribbon")?

• The Apostille streamlines the whole authentication procedure of documents for use abroad resulting in more convenience, less cost and processing time for the applicants. Before Apostille, a Philippine document to be used abroad needs a Certification by the relevant government agency or office, Authentication by the DFA and Authentication (Legalization) by the Embassy of the country of destination.
• With the Apostille, the aforementioned document will no longer require legalization by the Foreign Embassy if the country of destination is already a Member of the Apostille Convention (or an “Apostille Country.”) Once Apostilled, the document can be validly used in any and all Apostille Countries.
• The Apostille Convention also establishes conditions that are more conducive to foreign investment thereby improving the country’s global competitiveness. It makes it easier for companies to start up a business in a foreign country such as the Philippines. More direct investments in the Philippines mean more jobs for the Filipinos.

I am an Overseas Filipino, how will the Apostille Convention affect me?

• Just as Philippine documents for use in Apostille countries will no longer need to pass through another authentication by the foreign embassies in Manila after they have been authenticated (Apostilled) by the DFA-OCA, foreign documents from Apostille countries will only need Apostillization by the host government for them to be validly used in the Philippines or in another Apostille country. (Note: DFA-OCA will not authenticate/Apostillize all types of foreign documents.)
• There shall be no change in the authentication process in non-Apostille countries and in Austria, Fintand, Germany and Greece.

What if I still want my document, executed in an Apostille country, to be authenticated by the Philippine Consulate General?

• Since 14 May 2019, Philippine Embassies/Consulates are no longer authenticating documents originating from Apostille countries. Such documents will still need the Apostille from the host government but not the authentication by the Philippine Embassy/Consulate.
• Embassies and Consulates are not authorized to issue an Apostille. However, Philippine Embassies/Consulates shall continue to provide notarization/legalization (i.e., acknowledgement and jurat services) to applicants regardless of whether the origin of the document is an Apostille country or not.

What are the effects of an Apostille?

• Just like the Authentication Certificate (or “red ribbon”), an Apostille only certifies the origin of the public document to which it relates: it certifies the authenticity of the signature or seal of the person or authority that signed or sealed the public document and the capacity in which this was done.
• An Apostille does not certify the content of the public document to which it relates.
• An Apostille may never be used for the recognition of a document in the country where that document was issued — Apostilles are strictly for use of public documents abroad. Thus, DFA- OCA will not issue an Apostille for documents that will be used in the Philippines.

If the recipient of my Apostille wants to verify my Apostille, what should I suggest?

• Each Apostille Country is required to keep a register in which it records the date and number of every Apostille it issues, as well as information relating to the person or authority that signed or sealed the underlying public document. Recipients may contact the Competent Authority identified on the Apostille and ask whether the information on the Apostille corresponds with the information in the register.
• In order to verify a particular Apostille, recipients may contact the Competent Authority. Contact information for the Competent Authorities, including phone numbers and website information, is available in the Apostille Section of the Hague Conference website: https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/authorities
• Apostilles issued by DFA-OCA may be verified through this link: https://sites.google.com/dfa.gov.ph/apostilleverif. The DFA-OCA may also be contacted via email to verify Philippine apostilles through This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

CITIZEN'S CHARTER

Notarization/Legalization of Documents

For private documents such as affidavits, special powers of attorney, deeds, sworn statements, etc., executed in Hawaii to have legal effect in the Philippines, these must be signed in the presence of a consular official and notarized by the Philippine Consulate General. The notarized document will have as the covering page an ACKNOWLEDGEMENT or JURAT, which is signed by a Consular Official and contains the Consulate seal.