7 Commonly Asked Apostille Questions
Gathering the proper paperwork to acquire an apostille can be confusing. Do you need copies or originals? Should you notarize or not?
We understand that working with the government and the all necessary paperwork can feel overwhelming. But don’t worry; we are here to answer your questions regarding the apostille process.
We are asked a lot of questions and wanted to share some with you:
- Can you help me apostille a U.S. document while I’m living overseas?
In most cases, yes. Depending on the document, you may need an original sent to us or there are times we can work with a copy. But it is usually not a problem to receive your apostille on a U.S. document, no matter where in the world you are located.
- I went to college in France. Can you apostille those transcripts?
No, foreign documents cannot be apostilled in the U.S. The United States is only allowed to apostille documents from our country. All foreign documents must receive the apostille or legalization from the country of origin. In this instance, you would acquire the apostille from France.
- Should I notarize my birth certificate before sending it to you?
A vital record should never be notarized. Instead, you will request a certified copy from the state or county from where it was originally filed. If you cannot obtain a certified copy, you can use an online service to get these records – but they charge a fee.
A vital record is a life event that is recorded with the state. Some examples are birth certificates, marriage licenses, and death certificates.
- Does the U.S. embassy issue an apostille?
No, the U.S. Embassy does not issue an apostille.
There are two main places to receive an apostille. You will request an apostille from the Secretary of State from the originating state for documents such as driver’s license, marriage certificate, or death certificate. You will request an apostille from the U.S. Department of State in Washington D.C. for federal documents such as an FBI Background Check, IRS documents, and Social Security information.
- Do I have to send you my original passport for an apostille?
No, many times, we can accept a color copy of your passport that is appropriately notarized. This means the notary must include the correct wording, signature, commission number, and expiration date.
Otherwise, we can accept a color copy uploaded to our site with the correct wording, and we will notarize it. The language needed is:
“I do hereby attest that this is a true and correct photocopy of my U.S. Passport.”
{Signed and dated}
Please note: there is a fee associated with us notarizing your document.
- Will all countries accept an apostille?
The Hague Convention of 1961 established a uniform way for member countries to recognize a document as authentic – the apostille. Not all countries accepted this and now require a document to be legalized through their embassy. You can visit the HCCH for the official list of member countries.
But don’t worry, we can apostille and legalize documents.
- Is it okay That my apostille is in English?
That depends on your destination country. Many countries whose official language is not English may require that your document and the apostille be translated. We can do this for you. We offer certified apostille translation for over 250 languages. You do not need to worry about finding an outside translator for this service.
Working with One Source Process
If you have any other questions, please Contact Us, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. We have someone available 7 days a week to handle all inquiries.
We have worked with every state and just about every country to obtain an apostille or legalization. And we have gotten apostilles for many types of documents.
We can help you with each step of the process, from start to finish.
Our process is easy. Simply fill out our Order Form and upload all required documents. We will review your order for FREE and let you know of any missing information. Once everything is ready, we will send you a price quote and timeframe for your order.
A representative will be assigned to your order, ensuring that everything flows smoothly to the correct state or federal governmental office. There is no need for you to try to handle this on your own.
See! Much easier than working through the governmental red tape.