The Imp of the Perverse

Among the requirements for a US citizen to apply for residency as a retiree in Costa Rica is a criminal background check. (citation needed)
To initiate this background check, you need to get a fingerprint kit from the GBI, take the kit to any qualified law enforcement office in the State, and return the kit to the GBI, along with the applicable fees (including the one for the blank fingerprint kit). You will also need to provide the means for return mailing of the document.

The GBI will complete the search and provide you with a Certificate, which will have been notarized.

Costa Rica requires that you obtain "authentication" of the document under jurisdiction of the Secretary of State (of the State). What this means is that the notarization of the document needs to be examined and compared to the signature on file for that notary.

The SoS has placed that responsibility/authority with Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA), as stated by the SoS here:
http://sos.georgia.gov/administration/notary.htm
(Thereupon, the SoS also points out that notaries are commissioned by County.

The GSCCCA website confirms and details the responsibilities:
http://www.gsccca.org/Projects/apost.asp

"If a document, intended for a non-Hague Convention Treaty country, requires authentication via the Great Seal, notarial certification is performed by the clerk of superior court in the Georgia county where the notary public is commissioned, not the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority.

I also confirmed this by phone with two knowledgeable employees at GSCCCA.

In our case, the Notary Public was commissioned in Henry County. I combed their web site, but couldn't find specifics of this service.
http://www.co.henry.ga.us/SuperiorCourt/CourtClerk.shtml
To confirm, I contacted them by phone (mostly to make sure I got the right mailing address). A knowledgeable employee confirmed that they provide the Notary Authentication service, and informed me that I needed to send the following:

- The notarized Certificate
- $2.50 per Certificate (cash, check, or money order)
- SASE

to:

Superior Court
No. 1 Courthouse Square
McDonough, GA 30253

I took it upon myself to include a written explanation of the request, as well.