Questions and answers about apostille

Apostilles (French for "Certification") is an internationally recognized verification mechanism. Apostilles certify a document for all 110 nations who have ratified the Hague Convention, the same way that Notarization certifies a document for all 50 US States. It provides a standardized, global framework for authenticating documents across national governments.

Apostille - A stamp or printed form consisting of ten standard numbered fields:

• Country
• This public document has been signed by
• Acting in the capacity of
• Bears the seal/stamp of
• Certified at
• Date
• Number
• Seal/stamp
• Signature

Yes, the document will need to be notarized before being sent to your state's Secretary of State for the apostille, or to any of our VisaHQ locations.

Yes, a Certified Copy of the original document that has been notarized by a local notary can be submitted to your state's Secretary of State for apostille, or to VisaHQ offices.

Yes in certain instances. Some countries require translations of the document from the local language to English, other’s might not. Please refer to the listed requirements for the country you will be using the documents in for more information.

The most common types are contracts/licenses like business contracts, export licenses, birth/death certificates, and marriage licenses. Records such as birth certificates, university transcripts, deed pools, name changes, and passports are also commonly apostilled.

No, the apostilization does not expire. However, many countries will only accept documents that have been apostilled within a certain timeframe.

After completing an order on our website, you will be sent a list of requirements and instructions via email. You will then ship your notarized documents to our Washington, DC address. We will have your documents apostilled and shipped back to you.