Apostille Services Explained: When You Need One and How to Get It

What Is an Apostille?

An apostille is an official certification that authenticates the origin of a public document for use in another country. The word comes from French ("apostille" means a note or annotation), and the concept comes from the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents — commonly called the Hague Apostille Convention.

In plain terms: if you have an American document and need it to be recognized as genuine by a foreign government, you typically need an apostille attached to it.

Apostille vs. Notarization: What's the Difference?

This is the most common point of confusion:

Notarization verifies that a person's signature is genuine and that they appeared before the notary. It's a domestic authentication — recognized within the United States.

An apostille is an additional certification — it validates the notary's or official's credentials for use internationally. It's typically issued by a Secretary of State or equivalent government authority and confirms that the official who signed or sealed the underlying document (notary, court clerk, government official) is properly authorized.

Most apostille processes work like this:

1. The document is notarized by a U.S. notary public
2. The notarized document is submitted to the Secretary of State of the state where the notary is commissioned
3. The Secretary of State issues an apostille certifying the notary's credentials
4. The document + apostille is sent to the foreign country

When Do You Need an Apostille?

You need an apostille when a U.S. document must be used in a foreign country that is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. Common situations:

Study Abroad / Education

• Apostilled transcripts, diplomas, or degrees for foreign university admission
• Background check apostille for student visa applications
• Apostilled birth certificates for enrollment

International Employment

• Apostilled background checks for foreign employers
• Professional license certifications with apostille
• Degree verifications for overseas job applications

Immigration and Residency Abroad

• Apostilled birth certificates for visa applications
• Apostilled marriage or divorce certificates
• Apostilled police clearance letters for residency permits

International Business

• Apostilled articles of incorporation or LLC formation documents
• Power of attorney for overseas business with apostille
• Apostilled good standing certificates for foreign contracts

Marriage Abroad

• Apostilled birth certificate (required by many countries)
• Apostilled proof of single status or divorce decree
• Apostilled background check

Adoption

• Apostilled home study documents
• Birth certificate apostilles for international adoption
• Court documents with apostille for Hague Convention adoption

Which Countries Accept Apostilles?

The Hague Apostille Convention has over 120 member countries. Major members include:

• European Union countries (all)
• United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada (certain provinces)
• Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia
• India, Japan, South Korea, China (Hong Kong)
• Israel, South Africa, Russia

Countries NOT in the Hague Convention require a different process called "legalization" — a multi-step authentication through the foreign country's embassy or consulate. Examples: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and most Gulf states have their own legalization requirements.

How to Get an Apostille in the United States

The process varies slightly by state, but the general steps are:

Step 1: Identify What Needs to Be Apostilled

Not all documents can be apostilled. Documents eligible for apostilles include:

• Notarized documents (notary must be commissioned in that state)
• State-issued certified copies (vital records like birth certificates)
• Court documents (court-issued or court-certified)
• Federal government documents (require a federal-level apostille from the U.S. Department of State)

Step 2: Get the Document Notarized (If Required)

Private documents (contracts, powers of attorney, corporate resolutions) must be notarized before an apostille can be attached. The notarization authenticates the signature; the apostille authenticates the notary's authority.

Certified copies of vital records (birth certificates, marriage certificates issued by the state registrar) don't need notarization — they're already official documents.

Step 3: Submit to the Secretary of State

Submit the notarized (or official) document to the Secretary of State's office in the state where:

• The document was notarized (for notarized private documents)
• The vital record was issued (for birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc.)
• The court is located (for court documents)

Each state has its own apostille processing fees and timelines:

• In-person: Most states offer same-day or next-day processing for in-person submissions ($10–$30 per apostille)
• By mail: 3–8 weeks typically ($10–$30 per apostille plus return shipping)
• Expedited by mail: Some states offer faster mail processing for additional fees
• Third-party services: Many companies specialize in apostille processing and can expedite the process

Step 4: Send to the Foreign Country

Once you have the apostille, the document is ready to use in the destination country. Check with the foreign institution or authority to confirm exactly what they need — sometimes a certified translation is also required.

Apostille for Federal Documents

Some documents are issued by federal agencies, not state agencies:

• U.S. federal court documents
• FBI background checks / FBI Identity History Summary
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security documents
• U.S. State Department documents

These require a federal apostille from the U.S. Department of State (Authentications Office in Washington, D.C.). The process is similar but handled at the federal level.

FBI Background Check Apostille: A Common Scenario

One of the most frequent apostille requests involves getting an apostille for an FBI Identity History Summary (background check) for immigration purposes when moving abroad.

Process:

1. Request your FBI Identity History Summary (fingerprint-based background check) — done through the FBI directly or through a channeler
2. Get the FBI document notarized (the FBI will provide a document signed by an FBI official, which can be apostilled without separate notarization in some cases)
3. Submit to the U.S. Department of State for the federal apostille

This entire process typically takes 6–12 weeks if done independently, or 3–4 weeks through an expediting service.

How Looking Glass Runners Helps with Apostille Documents

We provide the notarization step — the foundation of most apostille workflows. Our notaries are commissioned in multiple states, which means we can notarize documents that will then be sent to the appropriate Secretary of State for apostille processing.

We can also help connect you with apostille processing services for a complete end-to-end solution.

Get Your Documents Notarized for Apostille →