An apostille is a certificate that authenticates all of the following:

- the signature of a public official (e.g, a notary public) on a document for use in another country. 

- the capacity in which that public official acted, and

- when appropriate, the identity of the seal or stamp which the document bears, e.g. a notary public seal.

Apostilles are usually provided by the Secretary of State (or equivalent) of the state where you signed the document. Apostilles are accepted by all of the countries that signed the Hague convention, which include both Mexico and the U.S.  

There are at least two ways to get a document (such as a power of attorney) apostilled.  

1. It is possible to do it yourself. First, find a notary public to sign and seal the document. Then you either send it or carry it into the Secretary of State Department (or equivalent) in your state. They will verify the document, which is actually verifying that the notary public that you used is licensed and is who they say they are. This is usually done by attaching a verification page from the State Department. 

The fee in this case is typically $10-25 USD for the apostille and a small amount for the notary, typically $2 - $25 USD.

2. Depending on where you live in relation to your state's State Department office, it may be easier, faster and perhaps cheaper to use an apostille service. An apostille service will often come to your house or meet you in a public place and notarize your document and then send it to the State Department on your behalf. Apostille services charge a fee of $300 USD and up.

Whether you are completing this process yourself or using an apostille service, search the internet with the word apostille and the name of your state. Several options will come up. If you are pressed for time, get on the phone and talk directly to the State Department or an apostille service. We have seen State Department websites that say their turnaround time is only 7 days, but when talking to them on the phone we find out that they are running three weeks behind.

Since Canada is not a signatory of the Hague Convention, which authorizes the use of an apostille, Canadians and other citizens from non-Hague Convention countries need to have their POA authorized at a Mexican Embassy or Consulate.