An Affidavit is a written, sworn statement confirmed by oath or affirmation before a notary public. It serves as a declaration of facts and is often required for various legal, personal, or business matters. When an Affidavit issued in the United States needs to be used in Syria, it must go through a formal legalization process to be recognized as valid by Syrian authorities.
Unlike some documents that may accept digital formats, Affidavits for use in Syria must be signed and notarized in person. Digital signatures and electronic notarizations are not accepted. This ensures the authenticity of the signer’s identity and the validity of the notarial act.
Understanding the Legalization Process
Since Syria is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, documents such as Affidavits require full embassy or consular legalization rather than an Apostille certificate. Legalization verifies the authenticity of the notary, state, and federal seals on your document before it can be used in Syria.
However, it’s important to note that the Embassy of Syria in Washington, D.C. is temporarily closed. This makes the process more complex, as final authentication by Syrian authorities may need to be arranged through alternative channels or trusted service providers experienced in Middle Eastern document processing.
Affidavit Legalization Process
To be accepted in Syria, a U.S.-issued Affidavit must undergo the following authentication process:
- Notarization: The document must be signed in person by a U.S. notary public. Electronic notarizations are invalid for this purpose.
- State Certification: The notarized document must be certified by the Secretary of State from the state where the notarization occurred.
- U.S. Authentication: The state-certified document must be authenticated by the U.S. Department of State.
- Syrian Legalization: As the Syrian Embassy in the U.S. is currently closed, consult a professional legalization service for current procedures, which may involve third-party diplomatic channels.