about apostilles
An ‘Apostille’ is a certificate of authenticity provided by government entities for the documents they issue. These special certificates are required for documents that will be used outside of the United States.
Uses
Apostille certificates are required by foreign countries for things such as:
- Adopting Children Abroad
- Destination Weddings
- Oversees Real Estate Transactions
- Starting a Business outside the U.S.
- Pension Verifications
- Job Transfers, Relocating or Teaching Abroad
- Background Checks
- Obtaining Overseas Patents
- Estate Matters
DIY IS AN OPTION: Apostilles can be ordered directly from State agencies without the assistance of an agent. The process is complicated and time-consuming and agent services save you time (not money) in research, preparation, and tracking an Apostille Order.
about agent services
Agent services include 1) identifying International and U.S. state requirements, 2) preparing the documents and forms, 3) placing orders and 4) tracking them through to fulfillment and delivery to you.
State fees
Fees vary by state and range from $3 and $25 per certificate.
Agent fees
To the state’s fees, we add 1) a document preparation fee, 2) the cost of any notarizations that may be required, and 3) the cost of mailing your order forms to and from the State office (Fed Ex or UPS Next Day rates).
Delivery Time
You can request expedited delivery for sending orders and return shipping, but please be aware that we cannot guarantee the timely delivery of an Apostille Order. Processing time depends on the State agency. The wait is generally between 10 days and two weeks, but can often be several months, depending on how backed up that government office is.
ordering & Process
You fill out our Apostille Order Form and upload your document(s).
We schedule a short meeting to review your order, notarize any documents that require it, confirm cost, then email an invoice.
You pay for the order.
We prepare the documents and place the Order(s) with the appropriate State Agency(s).
We monitor the ordering process and delivery of your Apostilled document(s).