Apostille & Authentication Services

An apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document — such as a birth certificate, notarized affidavit, or corporate filing — so it can be accepted in another country. It is issued by a government authority in the country where the document originated. Document Navigators does not issue apostilles; we help prepare and coordinate the submission.

An apostille is used when both countries are members of the Hague Apostille Convention. Authentication is used when one or both countries are not members, and may require additional steps such as U.S. Department of State authentication and legalization through a foreign embassy or consulate. We can help determine which process appears to apply based on the document and destination country.

Common examples include birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates; notarized affidavits and declarations; powers of attorney; corporate or business documents; diplomas and transcripts; and adoption-related documents. The document must generally be an original or a certified copy, and any notarization must be valid in the issuing jurisdiction.

Most apostille and authentication authorities require the original document or a certified copy. Plain photocopies are usually not accepted. If you are unsure whether your document qualifies, you may bring or email the first page, signature page, and notarization or certification page for an initial review.

Processing times vary by state, document type, and whether the document also needs federal or embassy-level authentication. Routine state-level apostilles may take several business days to a few weeks. We will include the estimated timeline in your written quote, but government agencies control actual processing times.

Expedited processing may be available through some state or federal offices for an additional government fee. We will note any expedited options in your quote and coordinate the request if you choose to proceed.

Document Navigators offers in-office notary services as a separate administrative service. If your document must be notarized before it can be apostilled or authenticated, the notarization must be completed before the apostille or authentication submission begins.

Rejection typically happens when a document is not properly notarized, certified, or formatted for the requested authority. We review returned packages for apparent processing issues and will explain the next steps, but we cannot guarantee that any government agency will accept a document or issue an apostille.

Countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention accept apostilles. If the destination country is not a member, a chain authentication process is usually required. Customers are responsible for confirming the exact requirements of the organization receiving the documents.

To prepare a written quote, we need to know the type of document, where it was issued, where and whether it was notarized, the country where it will be used, your deadline, and whether you would like final-destination shipping. You can provide this information through the form on this page.