Philippines Special Power of Attorney Apostille and Authentication

What is a Philippines Special Power of Attorney?

A Philippines Special Power of Attorney (SPA) is an attorney- or government-provided letter that allows the signing party to authorize an agent in the Philippines to perform specific acts on their behalf. The SPA can be signed in front of a U.S. state-commissioned notary and then apostilled for use in the Philippines, or it can be signed in person at the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco in front of a Philippines-commissioned notary.

How do I get a Philippines Special Power of Attorney apostilled?

1. Email us for a price quote

Pricing varies depending on your location, the turnaround time needed, and the shipping destination. For a quick price quote, send an email to [email protected] with the following information:

Your name, address, and phone number
The name, address, phone number, and email address of the recipient (if you’d like us to ship it to a third party)
The number of Special Powers of Attorney that need to be authenticated

We will respond with a price quote without delay. Once we’ve agreed upon a price, we will send you an invoice and start the apostille process.

2. Obtain the SPA document

The attorney in the Philippines should provide you with the SPA document. The Philippine Consulate General website also provides sample downloadable forms for commonly used documents including a Sample Special Power of Attorney. We are not attorneys and make no claims about whether the sample form on the Consulate website is valid for use in your case. However you obtain the document, please do not sign the SPA until you are in front of the notary.

3. Get the document notarized

The Philippines Special Power of Attorney must be signed in front of a notary public and two witnesses. If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, we can come to your location and notarize the document for you. We can also provide witnesses, if needed, with advance notice and for an extra fee. If you’re elsewhere in California, you can appear before a local notary and then ship the notarized/witnessed document to us. If you’re in another state, contact us for apostille instructions by emailing [email protected].

4. Get the document to us

If we notarize the document, we’ll simply take it with us. If someone else notarizes it, you can send it to our office:

SF Notary + Apostille Sacramento
c/o Christine Amos
2511 Carlsbad Ave
Sacramento, CA 95821

Please include a short note with your document that includes:

Your name, email address, and telephone number
The name, address, and telephone number of the person to whom we will ship the apostille SPA once it is ready

If you are including payment by check or money order, please make it payable to “AMN SF, LLC.”

5. We’ll take it from there

Once we have notarized documents and payment, we will obtain an apostille from to the California Secretary of State and will ship the apostilled document to you or the specified recipient.

We use FedEx Priority Overnight Service for USA destinations and FedEx International Priority Service for overseas destinations. Moreover, for any document shipped overseas, we will also send you a scan of the apostilled birth certificate for your records.

For more information or to place your order, please email [email protected] or call +1 (415) 655-9455.

How do I get a Philippines Special Power of Attorney notarized at the Philippine Consulate?

1. Obtain the SPA document

2. Visit the Philippine Consulate

Take the following items with you to the Philippine Consulate, located at 447 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94108:

Two copies of the Philippines Special Power of Attorney (the Consulate keeps a copy)
Your valid ID (passport from any country, driver license, or DMV-issued ID card)
Two copies of your ID
A stamped envelope or prepaid label from USPS, UPS, or DHL addressed to yourself or to the recipient in the Philippines (documents are released by mail)
A credit card, money order, bank draft, certified check, or cashier’s check (see website for current fees)

Appointments are not required. The Consulate states, “Walk-ins are allowed for legal and notarial services, subject to daily cut-off, on a first-come, first-serve basis.”

3. The Consulate will ship the document

The Philippine Consulate will not hand you the notarized document at your appointment; it will be released by mail. They recommend using a shipping service with tracking. Note: they do not accept FedEx. You can create a label addressed to yourself or to the recipient in the Philippines.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Philippines Special Power of Attorney

Can I just get the Special Power of Attorney form notarized?

The form is not valid for use in the Philippines if it is simply notarized by a notary in the U.S. It must be either notarized by a Philippine notary at the Consulate or notarized by a U.S. state-commissioned notary and then apostilled by the corresponding Secretary of State.

Do I have to visit the Consulate in person to get the document notarized?

Yes. The Philippine Consulate requires you to visit and sign in person in front of a consular notary. If you are not near a Consulate office, an apostille will be easier and more affordable.

Are there other Philippine Consulate locations?

The Philippines has consulates in Guam, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, as well as an embassy in Washington, DC. If you’re near any of those locations and able to visit the local office, you can get a Philippine notarization.

Which is better: consular notarization or apostille?

The answer depends on your situation. If you live close to a Philippine Consulate, have access to a printer and a copier, have mobility and time to wait in line, and are not in a rush to get your document back, the consular visit is a cheaper option. If you are looking for convenience, quick turnaround, and expert guidance through the process, our apostille service makes it simple. You just sign your name from the comfort of your own home (or preferred location), and we’ll take care of everything else.

What is the turnaround time?

The turnaround time for consular notarization is not mentioned on the website or guaranteed. Our turnaround time for notarization and apostille is generally 2-3 business days.

What if I’m in another part of California?

You can appear before a local notary and then ship the notarized document to us. If you’re walking in to a notary office, be sure to bring witnesses or confirm that they have witnesses available on site. If you’re looking for a mobile notary, email us for a recommendation. We have numerous partners around the state.

What if I’m in another state?

You can appear before a local notary in any state, but then the apostille will be processed through that state’s Secretary of State. We may still be able to obtain the apostille for you, or we may have a local partner apostillle service. Email us for more information.

What if I’m in another country?

You can visit the Philippine Embassy or Consulate for the country you’re currently in and get a Philippine notarization. If that is not convenient, you can use remote online notarization to sign the document with a U.S. notary in a state that allows electronic notarization. We can help to arrange an electronic notarization—please contact us to discuss.

Disclaimer: Information on this website is for informational purposes only. These instructions are based on our knowledge and experience and are meant to be helpful; however, they might contain errors. Please let us know if you encounter mistakes so that we can promptly correct them. SF Notary + Apostille is not a law firm, and its agents are not attorneys. Please contact a licensed attorney or your local bar association for counsel on legal matters.

Philippines Special Power of Attorney Apostille | Call +1 (415) 655-9455