How to certify academic documents obtained in the United Statesfor foreign use

All academic documents issued in the United States must be certified with the APOSTILLE to be accepted in Italy.

The APOSTILLE cerfies the validity of a notary public in the State and makes the official document legal also in Italy.

1)The academic document (transcript and copy of the diploma of degree from the records) first requires verification by the Registrar, who is the Official who has custody of the school/University official records. Examples of verification letter to attach to the academic documents to be certified for foreign use are available on request sending an email to .

2)The Registrar’s signature, on theverification letter, is not recorded with the office of the Secretary of State. Therefore, it is important that the Registrar’s signature be notarized by a notary public available in that school/ university with the notarial act called “Acknowledgment”.

“Acknowledgment” means a declaration by a notary public that the person has signed the verificationletter for the purposes stated therein and, if signing in a representative capacity (i.e. Registrar), that the person has the authority to sign the verification letter on behalf of the school or university identified therein.

In taking an “Acknowledgment” a notary must determine, either from personal knowledge or from satisfactory identification documents, that the person appearing before the notary is the person whose true signature is on the verification letter.

Example of Acknowledgment by aNotary

On this day (date), before me came (full name and title of the school

authority signing), known to me to be the individual who executed the

foregoinginstrument .

State of (name of the State)

County of (name of the County)

Notary commission expires on (date)

______(seal and signature of the Notary)

3)A written request must be submitted to the Secretary of State along withthe following:

Original verification letter, attached the official academic documents, signed by the appropriate School/University official and bearing the notary public Acknowledgment

Name of the Country where the documents will be used.

A fee per each Apostille required made payable to the Secretary of State

Self addressed, stamped envelope.

Documents may be submitted in person at the Secretary of State office. For address, hours of operation, fees and other information visit the Secretary of State web site.

4)Academic documents are NOT correctly certified if :

The certification letter is signed by other than the school/university representative (i.e. student or representative of the student)

The notary public certifies copies of the documents presented for notarization – they must be originals!

5)This Consulate General of Italy in Houston will only process academic documents issued in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. If you have obtained your degrees in a State other than those mentioned, you should contact the Consulate General of Italy in the United States that covers that territory for information on how to obtain the Apostille in that area. The academic office of the same Consulate is also in charge of assessing whether the academic documents have been properly certified and verify the specific degree program completed. Then will proceed with affixing the consular certification and validation for Italy called dichiarazione di valore