All education certificates should be apostilled to prevent fraud. An apostille authenticates documents issued in one country for use in another, and is required for degree certificates to be used within the issuing country or abroad, especially in countries party to the Hague Convention. Degree certificate apostilles are needed for employment visas, changing visa designations, medical purposes, consular services, education equivalency, university admission, and more, though the duration of an apostille varies between embassies and issuing countries.