Apostille pop-up brings hundreds to OC for certification, many preparing for family separation

SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- The office of the Orange County Clerk-Recorder hosted its third Apostille pop-up Wednesday, bringing hundreds of people from across Southern California looking to take advantage of their services for various reasons, including possible family separation.

The sun had just risen as the first of more than 700 people lined up for the service, which is usually only available in downtown Los Angeles, Sacramento or with a wait by mail.

An Apostille is an international certification, which validates the authenticity of a document, such as a vital record, making it legal in nations participating in the Hague Treaty.

Marcela Moncada was there to get her documents certified to get dual citizenship in the U.S. and Mexico. She was glad the process only took 10 to 15 minutes.

"Eventually, I just want to own land and live a happy, peaceful, long life that I could afford," Moncada said.

Tony Zeng said he needed a power of attorney as soon as possible to move forward with his plans to start a business overseas.

"We opened a company in Ukraine," he said.

OC District 2 Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said many use the certification for immigration services or preparation for possible family separation.

The office of the Mexican Consulate sits in District 2.

Sarmiento told Eyewitness News the consulate has reached out to his office, letting him know there is a high demand in the community for Apostille services to certify documents, such as marriage licenses, birth certificates, and professional degrees.

"We know that family separations are a real thing right now," said Sarmiento. "People are scared of the mass deportation threats that are happening throughout the country, and they're no longer threats. They're real. So, it's not only that, but again, other people who are in the immigration process."

"Many people need these documents validated so they can go through with their not only citizenship applications and petitions, but also for their legal permanent resident petitions," he added.

Though the reasons for an Apostille vary, California Secretary of State said the need is clearly there.

"We've been talking about it in our office and wondering, 'Is the need great?' and it's hard to evaluate it," she said. "So when we started the pop-ups, we realized the need is up and down the state everywhere."

According to the Secretary of State's Office, the number of Apostille certifications issued has grown annually in California since at least 2022, with an increase of nearly 17% this year in the first quarter alone when compared to 2024.

With more than 1,700 documents, getting this certification at Wednesday's event, OC Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen requested the service be brought to the area year-round.

"What I've asked the Secretary of State is to consider having permanent staff here, at our building, and actually provide that service on a daily basis because the demand is there," he said.

The next Apostille pop-up event in Orange County is scheduled for this coming fall.