I recently got a notification from ENotary On Call announcing that they’re now offering remote apostille services. A while back, I remember reading that remote apostilles were being discussed, but weren’t quite feasible or legally actionable yet. It looks like technology and regulations have finally caught up!
Has anyone else seen this update or used a remote apostille service yet? I’d love to hear your thoughts on how this might impact our industry?
This seems vague. I could imagine that if someone just needed to make a sworn statement, and the remote notary was in a state that will issue an apostille on an electronic document, it could work. But there are so many different scenarios, I can’t imagine that remote apostille services would work for the majority of documents.
Honestly, I was at a meeting recently where someone from a company that was facilitating online apostille services, I did not understand a word he said. So helpful I know. lol
Florida Statutes §15.16 gives the Florida Secretary of State authority to issue apostilles and sole authority within Florida to establish apostille requirements and procedures. Florida’s official apostille website also identifies the Secretary of State as the competent authority that issues the certificate.
Under the Hague Apostille Convention, apostilles may only be issued by a government authority officially designated as a Competent Authority. A private notary platform, apostille agent, attorney or courier cannot independently create or issue one.
