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Notarized Document Apostille

Many documents used internationally require notarization followed by an apostille. Affidavits, consent forms, statutory declarations, sworn statements, authorization letters, and other privately executed documents fall into this category. When these documents need to be presented to authorities in a Hague Convention member country, the notary's signature is authenticated by the Secretary of State through an apostille. This is the most versatile category of apostille - virtually any document can be notarized and then apostilled - but the notarization itself must meet specific requirements to be accepted.

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120+ Countries
Accepted worldwide

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States & Territories

120+

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Express Available

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Hague Compliant

Notarized Document Apostille Services

  • Digital process: Upload a clear scan of your notarized document. Our licensed notary certifies a true copy, a U.S. Secretary of State issues the apostille, and we ship the apostilled document back to you with tracking.
  • Fast turnaround: Economy in 4-6 business days, Standard in 2-3 days, Express in 1 business day.
  • International ready: Recognized across 120+ Hague Convention countries. Your original notarized document never has to leave your possession.

True Copy State Apostille

Start with a clear upload of your notarized document. Our licensed notary certifies a true copy and a U.S. Secretary of State issues the apostille on that certification.

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Original Document Processing

Send the physical notarized document when the receiving authority needs the original submitted through the issuing state's route. Transit is separate from processing.

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Key Details

What we check on your notarized document

Notary public commission validity - the notary must be active and in good standing

State where the notarization was performed (determines which Secretary of State issues the apostille)

Wet ink vs. electronic notarization - many states do not accept electronic notarizations for apostille

All required notarial elements: notary signature, printed name, commission number, commission expiration, seal/stamp, notarial act language

Whether the notarial certificate matches the type of act performed (acknowledgment, jurat, copy certification)

Destination country requirements for the underlying document

Why Apostilles.us

Why Choose Us

Expert notarized document review

Every notarized document is reviewed by our team before processing. We catch eligibility issues, missing pages, and state-specific gotchas upfront so your apostille is not rejected.

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Fast turnaround options

From 1-business-day Express to economy standard, we offer flexible processing speeds to match any deadline.

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End-to-end digital service

From scan upload to notarized true copy to state apostille to tracked shipping. We handle the entire process so you don't have to.

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Timelines

Processing Timelines

Priority ExpressExpress

As fast as 1 business day

Standard PriorityStandard

2-3 business days

Economy StandardEconomy

4-6 business days

State processing can be as fast as 1 business day for eligible requests. Shipping time is separate from processing time. If you need your apostilled notarized document for international use, submit your request as early as possible to allow for both processing and delivery.

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How It Works

How It Works

Three simple steps from upload to delivery. We handle all the complexity.

1

Upload Your Scan

Submit a clear color scan of your notarized document through our secure portal. We review it for eligibility and accuracy before anything moves forward.

Takes about 2 minutes

2

We Handle Everything

Our licensed notary certifies a true copy of your notarized document, then a U.S. Secretary of State issues the apostille on the notary-certified true copy.

Same-day processing available

3

Receive Your Apostille

Your apostilled notarized document is shipped directly to you with full tracking. Domestic and international delivery available.

Domestic and international delivery

Common Issues

Common Issues with Notarized Document Apostilles

Electronic and Remote Online Notarization (RON) Rejections

While electronic and remote online notarization is gaining legal acceptance domestically, many state Secretary of State offices do not yet accept electronically notarized documents for apostille. Additionally, even when the state accepts them, many destination countries reject e-notarized documents. Traditional in-person notarization with a wet ink signature and physical seal remains the safest choice for international use.

Missing Notarial Elements

A complete notarization must include the notary's signature, printed name, commission number, commission expiration date, the state of commission, the notarial act performed (acknowledgment or jurat), the date of notarization, and the notary's official seal or stamp. Missing any of these elements can cause the Secretary of State to reject the document.

Out-of-State Notary Issues

A notary can only perform notarial acts within the state where they are commissioned. If a California-commissioned notary notarizes a document in Nevada, the notarization is invalid. The apostille state must match the notary's state of commission, and the notarization must have been performed within that state's borders.

Wrong Notarial Act Type

There is a difference between an acknowledgment (the signer acknowledges they signed the document) and a jurat (the signer swears the content is true, signed in front of the notary). Some destination countries require a specific type of notarial act. Using the wrong one can result in rejection by the foreign authority even with a valid apostille.

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

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 a clear color scan of your notarized document 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 original notarized document never has to leave your possession. The resulting apostilled document is recognized across Hague Convention countries for almost every common use case (dual citizenship, marriage abroad, visa applications, school enrollment, foreign property transactions, and more).

The only time you would need to mail the physical original is if the receiving authority in your destination country specifically requires the original document, or specifically requires the apostille to come from the same state that issued your notarized document. If that applies to your situation, 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 notarized document needs 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.

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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.

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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 →

Not necessarily. With our digital process, the apostille is issued by a U.S. Secretary of State where our licensed notary is commissioned, which may be a different state than the one that originally issued your notarized document. The apostille is fully Hague Convention compliant and accepted by receiving authorities in 120+ countries regardless of which state issued it.

If the receiving authority in your destination country specifically requires the apostille to come from the same state that issued your notarized document, you would need to use our Original Document Apostille service, which routes your physical original through the issuing state.

Virtually any document that has been properly notarized can receive an apostille. Common examples include affidavits, consent letters (such as parental travel consent), sworn declarations, authorization letters, corporate documents, contracts, medical records, immigration support letters, and personal statements. The apostille authenticates the notary's signature, not the content of the document.
We generally advise against it for international use. While some states accept Remote Online Notarization (RON) for apostille, many do not, and many destination countries reject electronically notarized documents regardless. Traditional in-person notarization with a wet ink signature and physical seal or stamp is the most universally accepted approach.
In most states, no. The commission expiration date is a required element of a valid notarization. If any notarial element is missing, the Secretary of State may reject the document. You would need to have the document re-notarized with all required elements present before submitting for apostille.
No. The apostille only authenticates the signature, seal, and capacity of the notary public who notarized the document. It does not verify, endorse, or certify the content, statements, or accuracy of the underlying document. The apostille says 'this notary is real and authorized' - nothing more.
You need a written consent letter signed by the non-traveling parent (or both parents if the child is traveling with another adult), notarized by a commissioned notary public in the state where the parent signs. The notarization must include all standard elements (signature, seal, commission number, expiration date). We then apostille the notary's signature through the appropriate Secretary of State.
Related

Related Resources

Power of Attorney ApostilleCorporate Document ApostilleCourt Order ApostilleApostille by StateAll Document Types

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

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