What Is an Apostille and When Do You Need One?

What Is an Apostille and When Do You Need One?

An apostille is an official certification that makes a document issued in one country legally recognized in another country that has signed the Hague Apostille Convention. Think of it as an international notarization.

When do you need an apostille?

You typically need one when a U.S.-issued document must be used in another country. Common situations:

• Studying, working, or retiring abroad
• Marrying a foreign national overseas
• Adopting a child internationally
• Opening a foreign bank account or establishing a business abroad
• Submitting U.S. education credentials to a foreign government

What documents can be apostilled?

• Birth, marriage, and death certificates
• Divorce decrees
• School diplomas and transcripts (often notarized copies)
• Powers of attorney
• Corporate documents and articles of incorporation
• FBI background checks

How the process works

1. Get the original document. For vital records, order a certified copy from the issuing county or state.
2. Notarize if needed. Some documents require notarization before the apostille can be applied.
3. Submit to the correct authority. Apostilles for state-level documents are issued by the Secretary of State of the state where the document originated. Federal documents (like an FBI background check) go through the U.S. Department of State.
4. Wait for processing. Times vary by state — from a few days to several weeks. Rush options are sometimes available.
5. Receive the apostilled document. It now carries an attached certification page recognized by all Hague Convention countries.

How HFH helps

We handle notarization, submission, tracking, and delivery. Apostille rules vary by state and destination country — we make sure it is done right the first time so you do not face a rejection abroad.

Start your intake and select Apostille to begin.