The difference between notarization and apostille — and why both might be required for your document to be accepted in Israel.
A U.S. notarization is an official act by a state-licensed notary public who witnesses a signature, verifies the signer's identity, and confirms the document was signed voluntarily. The notary stamps or seals the document and signs it — creating an official record that the signing took place.
Notarization does not certify that the content of the document is accurate or legal. It certifies that the person who signed the document is who they say they are, and that they signed in front of a licensed notary.
For Israeli purposes, notarization is typically the minimum required for documents like certificates of life, simple affidavits, and some bank compliance documents.
An apostille is a second-level certification that goes on top of notarization. After a document is notarized, the notarized document can be submitted to the Secretary of State of the relevant U.S. state, who issues an apostille — a separate certification page attached to the document that verifies the notary's authority and legitimacy.
The apostille is specifically designed for cross-border document use. It's what makes a U.S.-notarized document recognizable and legally binding in Israel without additional consular processing.
| Notarization | Apostille |
|---|---|
| Verifies signer identity | Verifies the notary's authority |
| Issued by a notary | Issued by the Secretary of State |
| Step 1 in the process | Step 2 — only after notarization |
| Valid domestically | Makes the document valid internationally |
The key point: you cannot get an apostille without notarization first. The apostille certifies the notary — so the notary must have done their job correctly before the apostille process can begin. This is why document preparation before the notarization step matters so much.
Certificates of life for Bituach Leumi typically require only notarization. Many KYC documents for Israeli banks also require only notarization. Simple affidavits submitted to private parties may require only notarization.
Powers of attorney for real estate, corporate transactions, and legal proceedings in Israel almost always require both. Estate and inheritance documents submitted to Israeli probate courts typically require both. Any document going to a government institution in Israel that has specifically requested apostille requires both.
Ask the receiving party — your Israeli lawyer, bank, court, or government office — what they require. If they specify "apostille," you need both steps. If they specify "notarization" or "notary," you may only need the first step. When in doubt, getting the apostille provides the highest level of authentication and is unlikely to be rejected.
A notary who doesn't speak Hebrew can stamp a document — but they can't tell you if the format is what the Israeli institution expects, whether the wording in the document matches Israeli legal standards, or whether something is missing. Mistakes at the notarization step mean the apostille is wasted, and the whole process starts over.
Ami reviews the document before the signing step to make sure it's prepared correctly for the receiving institution — not just stamped and sent.
Send us the document, the deadline, and where it will be used. We respond same day.