Before You Order an Apostille: 3 Questions to Ask the Recipient

3 questions for the recipient

Ask before you notarize or translate anything, and keep the answers in writing. They determine the order of every step that follows.

• Does this document need an apostille for this country?
• Which version of the document works: the original, a certified copy issued by the agency, or a notarized copy?
• Does it need a translation? If so, into which language, and who should translate and certify it: a translator in the U.S., or a translator or notary in the destination country?

Apostille or legalization

An apostille is used when both the country that issued the document and the country where it will be used are parties to the 1961 Hague Convention. For the United States, the Convention has been in force since 1981. The Hague Conference keeps the list of member countries, and the link is at the end of this article.

If the destination country isn't on the list, you'll usually need consular legalization. That's a separate procedure that goes through the consulate of the country where the document will be used.

Sometimes the requirement is simplified or dropped altogether. Under Article 3 of the Convention, an apostille can't be required when the law, regulations, or practice of the destination country, or an agreement between the countries, has abolished or simplified it. Ask the recipient whether that applies to your document.

Where people lose money

The most frustrating expense is a document that was handled carefully and still turns out to be the wrong one. The apostille went on a notarized copy when the recipient wanted the original. The translation was done in the U.S., and the recipient only accepts translations certified locally. Fixing that often means starting over and paying for another shipment abroad.

An apostille is attached to one specific copy of a document. If it later turns out the recipient needs a different copy, that copy needs its own apostille.

What to send us

Once you know the requirements, send us a scan of the document and tell us the destination country and where the finished document should go. We'll tell you which authority issues the apostille, what it will cost, and how long it will take.

For reference: a California apostille is $120 with the state fee included and takes 1-3 business days. An apostille for a document from another state is $160. An FBI background check apostille is $250 and takes 6 weeks or more. If you order apostilles for 2 or more documents, we take $20 off each one.