Lost Your Original Document? You Can Still Get an Apostille
Losing the original does not block the apostille. There are two clear paths forward, and both finish online.
Losing your original document does not block the apostille. There are two clear paths. If you still have a scan or a photocopy of the lost document, you can usually upload it and we produce a notarized true copy (copia fiel certificada, true copy) and apostille that, with nothing mailed. If you have no copy at all, you order a fresh replacement from the issuing source, or have us retrieve it for you, and then upload the scan. Either way you can still get your apostille, and most of the process happens entirely online.
You Still Have a Scan or Photocopy of the Lost Document
This is the easiest situation, and it is more common than people expect. Most of us have a phone photo, an old email attachment, or a photocopy of an important document sitting in a folder somewhere, even after the paper original is gone. That copy is usually all we need to start.
Upload whatever you have through our secure portal. We print it, a notary certifies the printout as a true and complete copy, and the apostille is issued on that notarized copy. For most documents this is all you need, and you never have to track down the lost paper or order anything new.
A scan, PDF, or clear phone photo of the lost document is usually enough to begin.
We print your upload and a notary certifies it as a notarized true copy, which is the public act the apostille authenticates.
Diplomas, transcripts, powers of attorney, corporate documents, and FBI background check PDFs all work directly from your copy.
Nothing is mailed and nothing is risked, because the apostille is issued on the certified copy we produce, not on your lost original.
You Have No Copy at All to Scan
If the document is gone and you do not have any scan, photo, or photocopy of it, the move is simply to obtain a fresh replacement first, then upload the scan of that replacement to us. A replacement is a new, official copy from the source that holds the record, and it works in our process exactly like any other document.
For vital records (birth, marriage, and death certificates) the source is the state or county vital records office. For diplomas and transcripts it is your school's registrar. For an FBI background check it is a fresh Identity History Summary PDF from the FBI. Once you have the replacement in hand, scan it, upload it, and we handle the notarized true copy and the apostille from there.
We Can Obtain the Replacement For You
Do not want to navigate vital records offices, registrar request forms, and mailing timelines yourself? Our document retrieval service can order the replacement on your behalf, then move straight into producing the true copy and the apostille. One order, one point of contact, and you skip the paperwork entirely.
See our document retrieval serviceLast verified: June 2026
Then upload the scan of your replacement to us, and we produce the notarized true copy and obtain the apostille. We can retrieve the replacement for you if you prefer not to handle it yourself.
Visa Appointments and Citizenship Deadlines Do Not Wait
When you have lost a document, the slowest step is almost always getting the replacement, not the apostille. If you have a consulate appointment, a citizenship filing window, or a job start date abroad, the smart move is to order the replacement first, today, because that is the part with a real wait time.
Once the replacement is on its way, the rest runs online: you upload the scan, we produce the notarized true copy, the authority issues the apostille, and we ship the finished packet to you with tracking. Starting the replacement order early is what protects your deadline. Let us retrieve it for you and that clock starts sooner.
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 worksFrequently Asked Questions
Yes. If you still have a scan or photocopy of the birth certificate, upload it and we produce a notarized true copy and apostille that, with nothing mailed. If you have no copy at all, order a fresh certified copy from the state or county vital records office, or have us retrieve it for you, then upload the scan and we handle the rest.
Related Resources
Lost Document? You Still Have a Path
Upload any copy you have, or let us retrieve a replacement, and we produce the notarized true copy and obtain the apostille. Not sure which path is yours? Start with a free review.
We are an independent service provider and are not affiliated with any government authority, including the U.S. Department of State, any state Secretary of State office, or any vital records office. Replacement fees, processing times, and document rules are set by the issuing offices and change over time; the figures here were last verified in June 2026. We confirm the path and full cost for your specific document during the free review before you pay.