Does that sound like your last overseas business transaction—sweaty palms, anxious laughter, and a mound of paperwork? Perhaps so. All kidding aside, having your paperwork accepted overseas sometimes feel like running a marathon in flip-flops. Let’s, however, focus on the saving grace: Apostille documents. Ignoring this stage could make your Power of Attorney or Certificate of Incorporation worth as much as lunch receipts from yesterday abroad – click here for helpful resources!

First of all, what the devil is an apostile? Your papers sing in more than 125 nations thanks to that golden sticker—sometimes a stamp. More especially, those countries who ratified the 1961 Hague Convention Consider it your passport for documentation; it cries, “Hey, trust this document!” over national boundaries.

Which papers, then, for business call for the magic touch of the apostille? Consider articles of incorporation, corporate policies, partnerships. Earned a Certificate of Good Standing? One also will be required. Say you are sending an employee overseas to open a shop—a notarized Power of Attorney with an apostille will spare you trouble at government offices, banks, and customs.

Allow me to add a little of statistics: The most often apostilled papers, according to the U.S. Department of State, have to do directly with business—commercial invoices, certificates of origin, and patents. You run delays, uncertainty, and occasionally outright rejection of your paperwork without the apostille.

Steer clear of bureaucratic trip hazards. Before you mail anything for an apostille, always obtain original or certified copies. Photocopies just won’t cut it; depending on local policies, official officials demand either originals or court-certified copies. One can also find timing to be annoying. Some U.S. states handle apostille applications in days; others twiddle their thumbs for several weeks. Arrange accordingly.

For those entering international agreements, one piece of advice is to verify local criteria in the receiving nation twice-fold. Depending on the language of the document, some locations request certified translations. Slip up here, and your documentation could just welcome the closest garbage container.