Flying out of Atlanta can take you anywhere. Not only is Georgia fortunate enough to have its biggest city as the state capital, but it’s also home to one of the country’s busiest international hubs. Shouldn’t the state have the services to match such efficiency?
When it comes time to start planning an international trip, it’s important to cross every T and dot every I. Forgetting to check whether your US passport is undamaged after being in storage and still valid for at least six months from your departure date can cost you in expedited application charges, with the potential to cancel your trip if you don’t catch it in time.
Similarly, preparing all the paperwork necessary for visa applications, whether you need to print off a few documents and make an appointment with a consulate or apply for an official copy of business agreements with the Georgia Secretary of State is bound to add a few more days or weeks of preparation time. This is where the Apostille certification process comes in. Any official document issued by the state or federal government often cannot be accepted abroad without an Apostille Certification – in the case of countries under the Hague Convention – or Authentication Certificate – for all others.
These international laws specify that travelers needing birth certificates, university diplomas, and criminal background checks issued in the US to be recognized in other countries for visa applications or any number of reasons – applying for dual citizenship, setting up a business – must have the appropriate certification. Apostille services performed at the Georgia Secretary of State in Atlanta are only authorized to authenticate documents issued locally. Other certificates like FBI criminal background checks or any business agreements extending to the federal level must be shipped or processed in person at the US Department of State. However, both are two halves of the same coin: Apostille certification at the state and federal levels.
If you discover any visa or government application requires an Apostille, you have a few options for obtaining one. Applicants in Georgia can mail their application in with a small fee and expect to have the document returned with certification within a few business days. As with most types of applications, those handed over in person tend to receive higher priority. Because those in Savannah must also apply in Atlanta, mailing things in at the last minute isn’t always a possibility, nor may driving the distance during a normal business day.
If your departure date doesn’t allow for the extra time to handle an Apostille, what are the options left to you? Mailing in your passport renewal, your Apostille request, your visa application, and more all at once and hoping for the best? Most likely, you’ll be waiting a long time and sweating over something out of your control.
Apostille Services in Georgia State
When you learn you need an Apostille with your visa application, or simply need assistance with any part of the visa and passport application process, Travel Visa Pro should be your first choice. Working multiple stops for passport photos, Apostille certification, and passport renewals into your pre-departure plans isn’t necessary when Travel Visa Pro is nearby. Someone knowledgeable in Atlanta can handle every aspect of the bureaucratic nightmare of these applications. Travel Visa Pro’s team of travel experts have over forty years’ experience getting our clients the travel documents they need in the time they need.
For many travelers, it all comes down to convenience. Would you rather handle your applications yourself for the first time, risking possible delays or even a cancellation, or entrust your documents to a company with a proven track record of demystifying the visa and passport application process? Apostille certification may not be impossible for business people or experienced travelers to obtain, but if you’re unfamiliar with the process or simply short on time, talking to Travel Visa Pro can make your travel experience a smooth one.