Home/Use Cases/Adoption
96% 5-star on Trustpilot

Apostille for Adoption

International adoption requires extensive documentation, and nearly every document in your adoption dossier will need an apostille. The Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption and individual country programs impose strict requirements on document authentication. Improperly prepared documents can cause significant delays in the adoption process. We understand the urgency and emotional weight of adoption timelines, and we ensure every document is reviewed, correctly routed, and apostilled to meet your adoption agency's and destination country's requirements.

From $149 per document · No hidden fees · Tracked shipping included

Industry's Fastest
24-hour turnaround
Official Apostille
Hague compliant
120+ Countries
Accepted worldwide

50+

States & Territories

120+

Countries Accepted

1-Day

Express Available

100%

Hague Compliant

Documents

Common Documents Needed

Birth Certificates
Marriage Certificates
FBI Background Checks
Court Orders
Financial Statements
Home Study Documents
Medical Reports
Employment Verification Letters
Process

Step-by-Step Process

1

Identify Required Documents

Work with your adoption agency to determine the complete list of documents required for your adoption dossier. Most international adoptions require birth certificates, marriage certificates, FBI background checks, home studies, financial statements, medical reports, and employment letters.

2

Determine State or Federal Routing

Your adoption dossier likely includes both state and federal documents. State-issued documents (birth/marriage certificates, notarized home studies) go through the Secretary of State, while FBI background checks go through the U.S. Department of State.

3

Submit for Review

Upload all documents through our portal. We review each document for proper formatting, notarization, completeness, and compliance with both U.S. requirements and the destination country's adoption authority standards.

4

Process Apostille

We process each document through the appropriate state or federal authority. For adoption dossiers with many documents, we coordinate processing across multiple states if needed.

5

Ship to You

All apostilled documents are securely shipped to you or your adoption agency with full tracking. We can ship the entire completed dossier together or send documents as they are completed.

Destinations

Common Destination Countries

People commonly need apostilles for adoption purposes in these countries:

China
South Korea
Colombia
Philippines
India
Guatemala
Helpful Tips

Tips

Adoption dossiers often include 10-20 documents - start the apostille process as soon as your home study is approved to avoid bottlenecks.
FBI background checks for adoption are typically required for both parents and must be apostilled separately through the U.S. Department of State.
Some adoption agencies have very specific formatting requirements for apostilled documents - confirm with your agency before submitting.
Many countries require documents to be apostilled within a specific timeframe (often 6-12 months) before submission - check validity periods.
If either parent was born outside the U.S. or is a naturalized citizen, additional documents (naturalization certificate, foreign birth certificate) may be required.
Ready When You Are

Ready to Get Started?

Submit your documents online and we handle the entire apostille process - from document review to state or federal routing to shipping. We process adoption documents from all 50 states.

Trusted Nationwide · All 50 States + DC

Never mail your original documents

We process apostilles from a notarized true copy of your uploaded scan. Your birth certificate, diploma, or FBI report never leaves your hands, so it can never be lost in the mail.

How true copy processing works
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about apostilling documents for adoption.

An apostille is a certificate issued by a designated U.S. authority (a Secretary of State) that authenticates a U.S. document for use in countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention.

In most cases, no. You upload clear color scans of your documents through our secure portal. Our licensed notary certifies that the printed copy is a true and accurate reproduction of the original, and a U.S. Secretary of State issues the apostille on the notary-certified true copy.

Your originals never have to leave your possession. The resulting apostilled documents are recognized across Hague Convention countries for almost every common adoption situation.

The only time you would need to mail the physical original is if the receiving authority specifically requires the original, or requires the apostille to come from the same state that issued the document. If that applies, we offer an Original Document Apostille service and will guide you through it.

Learn more about our digital process →

Our process uses a U.S.-licensed notary who certifies that a printed copy made from your scan is a true and accurate reproduction of the original document. A U.S. Secretary of State then issues the apostille on the notary-certified true copy. The apostille authenticates the notary's seal and signature, which is exactly what the Hague Convention recognizes.

Because we work from a scan, your original never has to leave your possession, processing is significantly faster than mailing physical documents back and forth, and there is no risk of your original being lost or damaged in transit.

Government-issued vital records (birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates) typically do not require additional notarization before apostille.

Private documents such as powers of attorney, school transcripts, and personal affidavits do need to be notarized first, because the apostille is issued on the notary's certification rather than on the document itself. If your documents need notarization, we can handle it as part of your order through our remote online notary add-on.

Our digital process completes Economy orders in 4-6 business days, Standard in 2-3 business days, and Express in 1 business day. Shipping time is separate from processing time.

See full processing time details →

Pricing depends on the processing tier you choose. Economy starts at $149 per document, Standard at $197, and Express (1 business day) at $249.

All tiers include document review, notarized true copy, state apostille, and tracked domestic shipping.

See full pricing details and add-ons →

Over 120 countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention accept apostilles. This includes most of Europe, South America, and many countries in Asia and Africa.

If your destination country is not a member of the Hague Convention, you may need embassy legalization instead of an apostille. Browse country-specific guidance →

International adoption dossiers typically require apostilles on birth certificates (for both parents), marriage certificates, FBI background checks (for both parents), home study reports, financial statements or employment verification letters, medical examination reports, and court orders. The exact list depends on the destination country and your adoption agency's requirements.
The Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption establishes standards for international adoptions between member countries. For Hague adoptions, your documents must be apostilled to meet both the Hague Convention requirements and the specific receiving country's requirements. Your adoption service provider (accredited by the U.S. government) will guide you on the specific documentation requirements.
Yes, home study reports typically need to be apostilled as part of your adoption dossier. The home study must first be properly notarized, then the notarized document is submitted for apostille through the Secretary of State in the state where the notary is commissioned. Your adoption agency may have specific requirements about how the home study should be prepared for apostille.
A full adoption dossier can take 2-6 weeks to process, depending on the number of documents, the states involved, and whether federal documents (like FBI background checks) are included. We recommend starting 6-8 weeks before your agency's submission deadline. We offer expedited processing to help meet tight adoption timelines.
Yes, in most cases both parents need their own apostilled birth certificates and FBI background checks. Marriage certificates, home studies, and financial documents may be shared documents but still need apostilles. Your adoption agency will specify which documents need to be individual and which can be joint.
Related

Related Resources

Apostille for ImmigrationApostille for Marriage AbroadApostille for EducationBirth Certificate ApostilleMarriage Certificate ApostilleDeath Certificate ApostilleDivorce Decree ApostilleApostille by CountryApostille by State

The information provided on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Requirements may vary by destination country and are subject to change. For formal legal advice, consult a qualified professional.

From $149per document
Start My Order