In the Samoa, the designated Competent Authority to issue Apostilles is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Apostilles authenticate the seals and signatures of officials on public documents such as birth certificates, notarial, court orders, or any other document issued by a public authority, so that they can be recognized in foreign countries that are parties to the Convention.
Public documents include:
- Documents emanating from an authority or an official connected with the courts or tribunals of the state, including those emanating from a public prosecutor, a clerk or a process server;
- Administrative documents;
- Notarial acts; and
- Official certificates which are placed on documents signed by persons in their private capacity, such as official certificates recording the registration of a document or the fact that it was in existence on a certain date and official; and notarial authentication’s of signatures.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade charges $30USD per apostille stamp. If further certification is required (document to be sent out to other Missions like the Phillipines), the apostilled document is sent to the Samoa High Commission in Wellington. The Samoa High Commission of Wellington charges $10NZD admin. fee per document and $65USD per apostille stamp.
The following 69 countries are members of the Hague Convention and all legally accept and recognise a document with an Apostille. Other countries may also accept an Apostille, however, please contact us for further advice.
