Re: "Legalizing" a letter?

sachin wrote on Sat, 29 Nov 2003 22:29:28 -0500....
> Trying to show proof of funds for law school, since I am an International
> Student
> 
> I am currently in the US, and my parents will mail me an affidavit of
> support. How can I get it "legalized"?  What does "legalizing" entail?

As you probably know, an affidavit is more than just a letter.  It's a 
swaorn statement, which will be sworn in front of a notary public or 
other officially recognised person in your parents' country.  He/she will 
sign and seal a certificate on the document to say they did so.

Traditionally, legalisation involves several stages.  First, the 
appropriate ministry in your parents' country attaches another sealed 
certificate to the affidavit, to say that they recognise the notary.  
Then the US embassy or consulate in your parents' country might need to 
add a further sealed certificate to say that they recognise the 
ministry's certificate.  Probably the notary will be able to arrange all 
this (for a fee!).

Finally, after you receive it, it might be necessary for you to get the 
US Government (the State Department, I assume) to add a third 
certificate, vouching for the authenticity of the certificate of the US 
embassy or consulate.

However, is all this really necessary?  Most countries have agreed with 
the US to abolish legalisation, or to adopt simplified procedures.  See 
for example http://travel.state.gov/authentication.html and 
http://travel.state.gov/hague_foreign_docs.html .   (These pages seem to 
relate more to the inverse procedure of getting a US public document 
legalised for use in another country, but I expect it would also apply 
the other way round).

-- 
Tim Jackson
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