Birth certificates, court records, notarized and corporate documents, apostilled by the state that issued them. Only have a plain copy? We order the certified copy first.
Free written quote first. No payment until you approve it.
Documents from all 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico.
An apostille is the certificate the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention uses in place of embassy legalization. It confirms the signature on a public document, the capacity of the person who signed it and, where there is one, the seal or stamp. It does not confirm what the document says.
Between Convention countries, the apostille is the only certification of signature, capacity and seal the receiving country may require. It can still set other requirements, such as a translation.
A birth certificate goes to the state that issued it, and a notarized power of attorney goes to the state that commissioned the notary.
Every document type below is ordered on the quote form above.
The same steps apply to one birth certificate or a stack of corporate records; a federal document is quoted case by case.
The country, then each document’s type, state and copy.
Your price in writing, with state fees and return shipping.
You check the quote and pay its invoice online. No account.
Any certified copy first, then the issuing office.
The apostilled documents go to your return address.
Pick each document’s type and issuing state on the form. The documents, any certified copy and the return shipping set the price.
Vital records go to the state that issued them. The authority needs a certified copy from the office that holds the record; a photocopy is not accepted.
Only a plain copy? We order the certified copy first, where the record office allows it.
Divorce decrees, judgments and other court records need a certified copy from the clerk of the court. A notary cannot certify a copy of a court record.
Only a plain copy? We order the certified copy from the clerk.
Powers of attorney, affidavits and consents go to the state that commissioned the notary. In New York, the County Clerk certifies the notary first.
We handle the county clerk step where the state requires it.
A corporate record needs a certified copy or a certificate of status from the Secretary of State.
We order the certified copy, then the apostille.
FBI background checks, USDA animal and plant health certificates and certificates of naturalization are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State, not a state. Do not have a federal document notarized: the U.S. Department of State says that makes it invalid for its certificate.
Quoted case by case.
The document takes the issuing state’s certificate, then a U.S. Department of State authentication certificate, then legalization by that country’s embassy or consulate.
We handle the U.S. steps. The embassy or consulate legalization is yours to arrange.
A diploma or transcript? Choose Diploma/Transcript on the form. Not sure what you have? Choose Other and describe it in the special instructions. Get a free quote
An apostille is a certificate placed on the document itself or attached to it. Its ten numbered items follow the model annexed to the Convention.
It names the country, who signed the document and in what capacity, and whose seal or stamp it bears. Then where, when and by whom the apostille was issued, its number, the seal and the signature.
What it does not show: that the document’s contents are true, or that the receiving office will accept it. That office may still ask for a translation or a recent copy.
(Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961)
Two things to get right before you order: the copy and the office.
The authority needs an original or a certified copy from the office that holds the record. A photocopy is not accepted. Only have a plain copy? Choose Need a Certified Copy.
A state document goes to the state that issued it, usually its Secretary of State, wherever you live now. A notarized one goes to the state that commissioned the notary.
If the destination country is a party to the Convention, the document takes an apostille. If it is not, it takes the issuing state’s certificate, then a U.S. Department of State authentication certificate, then legalization by that country’s embassy or consulate.
Pick the destination country on the form, and it shows whether that country is in the Convention.
For a country outside the Convention, we handle the U.S. steps, up to the U.S. Department of State authentication. The embassy or consulate legalization is yours to arrange.
The documents, the issuing states, any certified copy and the return shipping set the price.
State and agency fees are advanced at exact cost, plus a check advance fee, and shown on your invoice. There is no payment until you approve the quote. No account needed.
If an office returns a document, we tell you why and quote any fix before it runs.
Each issuing office sets its own processing time. Pick your Needed By date on the form.
The Return Address can be in any country. Return shipping is a line on your written quote.
A professional translator’s notarized translation can be apostilled as its own document.
Hague rules, certified copies, federal documents, timing and cost. More apostille questions
An apostille is the certificate the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention uses in place of embassy legalization. It confirms the signature on a public document, the capacity of the person who signed it and, where there is one, the seal or stamp. It does not confirm what the document says.
If the country is a party to the Convention, yes. If it is not, the document takes the issuing state’s certificate, then a U.S. Department of State authentication certificate, then legalization by that country’s embassy or consulate. Pick the country on the form and it shows which applies.
A state document is apostilled by the state that issued it, usually its Secretary of State, wherever you live now. Federal agency documents, such as an FBI background check, are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State. Documents of a federal court are apostilled by that court’s clerk.
No. The authority needs an original or a certified copy from the office that holds the record. Court records need a certified copy from the clerk of the court. Only have a plain copy? Choose Need a Certified Copy and we order the certified copy first, where the record office allows it.
Yes. A document is apostilled by the state that issued it, wherever you live now. We handle documents from all 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico.
Yes. A notarized document goes to the state that commissioned the notary. In New York, the County Clerk certifies the notary first, and we handle that step where the state requires it.
No. The apostille comes after the notarization: the state that commissioned the notary certifies the notary’s signature and seal. The receiving office still decides whether to accept it.
Federal documents go to the U.S. Department of State, and we quote them case by case. Do not have a federal document notarized: the U.S. Department of State says that makes it invalid for its certificate.
We handle the U.S. steps: the issuing state’s certificate and the U.S. Department of State authentication. The legalization by the country’s embassy or consulate is yours to arrange.
No. An apostille is not a translation. If the destination wants one, a professional translator’s notarized translation can be apostilled as its own document.
Yes. The Return Address can be in any country. Return shipping is a line on your written quote.
Each issuing office sets its own processing time. Put the date you need the documents back by in Needed By on the form.
The documents, the issuing states, any certified copy and the return shipping set the price. State and agency fees are advanced at exact cost, plus a check advance fee. All of it is in your written quote, and there is no payment until you approve it.
Yes, as separate services. Service of process is priced on our pricing page, and court filing has its own form on our court filing services page.
The receiving office decides whether to accept a document. It may still ask for a translation or a recent copy, and some countries refuse online notarizations even when apostilled.
The destination country, each document and where it comes back. Your free written quote comes back by email.
Questions? Call (800) 321-2377.
