Apostille — Frequently Asked Questions

A Hague Apostille is a standardized certificate issued by a government authority under the 1961 Hague Convention. It authenticates the origin of a public document so it is automatically recognized in any of the 125+ member countries — without additional embassy or consulate verification.

As of 2026, over 125 countries are members, including the United States, Spain, all EU countries, most of Latin America (Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, etc.), and China (since March 2024). Non-members include UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Vietnam.

An apostille is a single-step certification for documents used in Hague Convention member countries. Consular legalization is a multi-step chain (local notarization → Secretary of State → US Dept. of State → destination embassy) required for non-member countries like the UAE.

Any public document: birth, marriage, and death certificates; criminal background checks; university degrees and transcripts; court records; notarized documents; powers of attorney; company registrations. Private documents must be notarized first.

No. Apostilles are placed on original certified documents, not photocopies. If you only have a copy, you must obtain a new certified original from the issuing authority.

Only the competent authority designated by the issuing country. In the US: Secretary of State (for state documents) or US Dept. of State (for federal documents like FBI checks). In Spain: Ministry of Justice. You cannot get a US apostille on a Spanish document.

The apostille certificate itself has no expiration date. However, the underlying document may have a validity period. For immigration purposes, criminal background checks are typically only accepted if issued within the past 3–6 months.

Notarization is done by a licensed notary who witnesses signatures and certifies copies. Apostille is issued by a government authority that certifies the notary's (or official's) signature and seal for international use. Notarization often precedes apostille.

No. FBI documents are federal records. Only the US Department of State Office of Authentications can issue a valid apostille on FBI documents. Using a state office for FBI documents results in rejection.

Standard US state apostille: 5–10 business days. US Dept. of State (federal/FBI): 4–8 weeks standard, 5–7 days expedited. Rush apostille for eligible US state documents: 24–48 hours in some states.

Yes. Our entire service is remote. You send scanned copies for a free review, mail originals by courier, and we return apostilled documents by express delivery. No office visits or travel required.

An e-Apostille is a digital apostille issued for documents with a valid electronic signature or QR code. It is verifiable online via the HCCH e-Register. Many countries now issue e-Apostilles, including Spain, Argentina, and parts of the US.

No. The apostille authenticates the document as-is. Translation is a separate step that comes after apostilling. The correct sequence: apostille first, then have the complete document (including the apostille certificate) translated by a certified translator.

Yes, in many cases. A notarized "true certified copy" can be apostilled. However, for vital records (birth, marriage, death) and background checks, most destination countries require the original certified document — not a notarized photocopy.

Cost varies by country and document type. US state apostilles: $5–$30 in government fees plus service fees. US Dept. of State: $20 per document. Our complete apostille + translation packages start from $149. Contact us for an exact quote.

Usually yes. When a university closes, records transfer to a successor institution, the Ministry of Education, or a national archive. We identify the correct current authority for each case. Expect longer processing time.

A traducción jurada (sworn translation) is a translation performed by a government-appointed sworn translator, required in Spain, Germany, France, and Austria for official documents. It differs from a standard certified translation. We provide sworn translations accepted by Spanish authorities.

The Hague Conference on Private International Law maintains an online Apostille Register (e-Register) where you can verify apostilles issued by many member countries. Physical apostilles include a serial number, date, and competent authority details.

Yes. An apostille issued by a competent authority is valid in all 125+ Hague Convention member countries. You may need multiple certified copies, each separately apostilled, if you need to submit originals to multiple authorities.

Yes. The apostille and translation are separate requirements. Even if your document is in Spanish and Spain is the destination, you still need the apostille from the issuing country. The language does not replace the apostille.

Spanish immigration authorities will reject the document and ask you to resubmit with a valid apostille. This can significantly delay your visa or residency application. Apostille is mandatory — not optional.

Yes. Each copy requires its own apostille. You cannot photocopy an apostilled document and use the copies as apostilled originals. We can coordinate multiple copies in one service request to minimize cost and time.