You Better Watch Out: 2024 to introduce new federal reporting requirement for most US businesses, with penalties of up to $10,000 and 2 years in prison

Attention business owners! A significant regulatory change is on the horizon, and it’s one you can’t afford to ignore. Starting January 1, 2024, nearly all businesses operating in the United States will be required to file a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). What is Beneficial Ownership? Simply put, …

Certificate of Good Standing: what is it good for?

A Certificate of Good Standing, sometimes known as Certificate of Status or Certificate of Existence, is a state-issued document confirming that a given business entity is in “good standing” with the state. This means that the entity has been properly registered with the state, is up to date on paying all required state registration fees …

What is a New York City Letter of Exemplification and why is it necessary for the purposes of apostille / authentication?

We are often contacted by people who were born in New York City or who have had their loved ones pass away withing the 5 boroughs asking how they could get the respective birth and death certificate apostilled or authenticated for use abroad. A prerequisite for legalization is a letter of exemplification, a statement signed …

Criminal Background Checks in the United States

If you are applying for a foreign visa, permanent residency, or citizenship, you may be required to provide a background check. The specific requirements for background checks vary from country to country, so it is important to check with the embassy or consulate of the country you are applying to for specific information. In general, …

Divorce Decrees vs. Divorce Certificates

Going through a divorce can be a difficult and emotional process. There are many legal and financial details to consider, and it can be easy to get lost in the paperwork. Two important documents that are often confused are divorce certificates and decrees. What is a divorce certificate? A divorce certificate is a legal document, …

Are marriage certificates public or confidential?

It may come as a surprise that US state and local law varies considerably regarding availability of marriage certificates to the general public. One can differentiate the following types of marriage records: Public records: In some states, marriage records are public records. This means that anyone can request and obtain a copy of them, for any …

Registration of Matrimony: Marriage Licenses and Certificates

Registration of Matrimony: Marriage Licenses and Certificates If you have decided to finally tie the knot with your loved one, you must undergo a couple of vital steps in order for the US federal, state, and local government to recognize your matrimony. This generally involves obtaining a marriage license—a document issued by your local government …

Applying for marriage licenses and certificates-a primer

When a couple decides to get married, there are some legal requirements they must fulfill beforehand. The main legal documents involved in getting married are the marriage license and the marriage certificate. Here is an overview of what these are and how to obtain them: A marriage license is a legal document that gives a …