Notary Services USA

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Document Authentication for International Use

North American multinationals frequently need US-issued documents — corporate resolutions, powers of attorney, certificates of good standing, articles of incorporation — recognised by Dutch, Luxembourg or Swiss notaries, registries and counterparties. The path runs through US state-level notarisation, then apostille certification under the 1961 Hague Convention. For destination jurisdictions outside the Hague framework, the route runs through full embassy legalisation. WVT manages document preparation, US notarisation coordination, state Secretary of State apostille and, where required, embassy legalisation as one workflow rather than three separate procurement steps.

Our expertise

European in-house counsel handling US subsidiaries, US corporate secretaries preparing documents for European closings, and PE houses coordinating cross-border deal documentation use WVT’s US-Europe document chain. Our team handles US notarisation coordination, apostille and embassy legalisation alongside the receiving-side civil-law notarial work in the Netherlands, Luxembourg or Switzerland.

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Sequencing US Apostille With European Closings

Cross-border closings break down when US documents arrive in Europe missing apostille, or with apostille on the wrong underlying notarisation. Dutch civil-law notaries reject documents that don't meet the format requirements; Luxembourg RCS rejects filings on the same basis. WVT prepares US documents to receiving-jurisdiction specification before US notarisation, manages the state-level apostille submission, and confirms receipt with the European notary or registry handling the next step. The European civil-law notarial deed proceeds without document-level rework.

FAQ's

What is the difference between a US notary public and a European civil-law notary?

A US notary public verifies the identity of a signer and witnesses the signature, but does not authenticate the substance of the document or hold a statutory monopoly over corporate acts. European civil-law notaries — in the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Switzerland — are state-appointed officers who draft, authenticate and execute corporate notarial deeds with binding legal effect on third parties.

When is an apostille required versus full embassy legalisation?

Apostille certification under the 1961 Hague Convention covers document recognition between member states, including the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the United States. Documents destined for non-Hague jurisdictions require full embassy legalisation, which adds steps through the destination country’s consulate. WVT confirms the correct route at the document review stage before submission.

Can WVT coordinate US notarisation remotely for European clients?

Remote online notarisation is available in most US states for many document types, allowing European clients to execute notarial signing remotely with a licensed US notary. Some document types and some destination jurisdictions still require wet-ink notarisation and physical apostille. WVT confirms acceptance criteria for the specific document and destination before scheduling.

How long does the US apostille process take?

Apostille turnaround varies by US state. New York, California and Delaware typically process within five to ten business days, with same-day options available for documents prepared correctly. Federal documents authenticated through the US Department of State take longer — typically two to four weeks. WVT manages timing against the closing calendar and uses expedited routes where the deadline requires.

Does WVT handle the receiving-side European notarial work as well?

The receiving-side European notarial step is where US documents are actually used — a Dutch BV share transfer, a Luxembourg SARL incorporation, a Swiss capital increase. WVT’s civil-law notaries in those jurisdictions execute the receiving-side deed within the same engagement, so the US apostille and the European notarial act are sequenced as one workflow.