If you reside in the United States, there are certain situations where you may need to grant someone permission to act on your behalf in another country. An example of this would be if you owned property in another country and you needed someone in that country to act on your behalf with the selling of the property. To authorize that individual to act on your behalf you would need an Authorization Letter Apostille.
Authorization Letter Explained
An authorization letter is used to authorize an individual in another country to act on your behalf and to legally bind you in any specific personal or business transactions with third parties pursuant to an business relationship. The authorization letter certifies that the individual has the legal authority to act on your behalf or the behalf of your organization in carrying out a required action.
An authorization letter must be typed and can not be handwritten. This makes the document easier to read and appear much more professional. The letter must be prepared to meet scrutiny and both the first and third party must submit their identification cards.
When authorizing someone to act on your behalf in another country, you are directly accountable for the actions that take place, which is why it’s of the upmost importance that you always authorize a person of trust. Please keep this important factor in mind.
How to Write an Authorization Letter
The format used when writing an authorization letter should include the date, name of the person to whom it is written, details pertaining to the person who has been authorized (such as name and proof of identity), the reason for your unavailability, duration of the authorized letter and the specified action to be carried out by the appointed individual.
When acting as a business the authorization letter is required to:
Be an original document on an official organization letterhead
Contain the names and signatures of all authorized signatories
Contain the name and signature of an authorized board representative
Be properly notarized
The validity of an authorization letter is usually twelve months from the date of the contained signature. The document usually indicates the validity dates. If the validity of the authorization letter is longer or shorter than 12 months, it should be mentioned.
To ensure that it’s done correctly, it is recommended that your authorization letter be drafted by an attorney in the country requesting your documents. The attorney will have a competent understanding of the country’s laws and can prepare the letter so that is written in both English and in the language of the foreign country if it’s not an English speaking territory.
Authorization Letter Apostille
Before an Authorization Letter Apostille can issued, the letter must be signed and notarized. Please note that the signer of the document must physically appear before a notary public. American Apostille & Notary Services can notarize your document and issue an Authorization Letter Apostille which is very convenient.
American Apostille & Notary Services can notarize and Apostille Authorization Letters (or Authorization of Agent letters) in all 50 US states, the District of Columbia, and the US Federal Government (USA Embassy). They can also process your Authorization Letter through the US Department of State and the Embassy or Consulate office for countries that are not members of the Hague Apostille Convention.
Obtaining an Authorization Letter Apostille can be a complicated process. It’s always wise to use a professional service provider that fully understands the apostille process and the specific requirements of certain countries. Having your document prepared incorrectly can lead to it be rejected. This could end up costing you valuable time and money.