Apostille Services
How Our Apostille Facilitation Works (Step-by-Step)
When a document must be accepted in another country, it often needs an apostille— (pronounced 'aw-paws-stee') a certificate issued by your State's Department of State (the competent authority) that authenticates the signature/seal on a qualifying Florida document. We don’t “issue” apostilles; we prepare, verify, package, and submit your documents correctly so you avoid preventable delays and rejections. Because we’re based in Northeast Florida, we typically FedEx your completed apostille packet to a trusted, bonded, and insured courier who hand-delivers it to the appropriate office in Tallahassee, then we coordinate the secure return back to you. Please be advised that the Florida Department of State processes apostilles as they receive them, so there is no express processing. You can see our pricing here.
Please note: We can facilitate Apostilles for any state. Each state's Department of State issues apostilles. Federal documents require a different process. You can start the Federal process by downloading form DS-4194 from the US State Department. You may also facilitate the process by obtaining your certified copies of federal documents by visiting the closest US Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS) office. Some countries may require a certified and sworn translation of the document.
Example: A student transcript going to France
Quick intake (2–5 minutes): You tell us the destination country (France) and what the document is (transcript). We confirm you need an apostille (France is a Hague Apostille Convention country).
Document review: We verify whether your transcript is already in an apostille-ready form. Many schools can provide an official transcript with the appropriate signature/seal or notarization pathway; if it isn’t ready, we’ll tell you exactly what the school must provide so the State can authenticate it.
Preparation (the “make it apostille-ready” step): If the transcript requires notarization or a specific certification before it can be apostilled, we coordinate that step first (this is the most common point where apostille requests fail when done without guidance).
Packet assembly: We complete the State request paperwork, confirm the country and return shipping details, and assemble everything into a clean, compliant submission packet.
State submission (FedEx → courier hand-delivery): We ship the packet via FedEx to our courier, who hand-delivers it to the competent authority for processing.
Tracking & client updates: You receive tracking and status updates at key milestones (received, submitted, completed/returning). Processing time is controlled by the State, but we keep the logistics tight and transparent.
Return delivery: Once the apostille is issued and attached to your transcript, we coordinate secure return shipping to you (or directly to your school, agent, or destination contact if requested). In some cases sworn or certified translation of the apostilled document will be required before it can be sent to the destination country.
Please be aware that we do not control the apostille process after the Competent Authority has received it. They are processed in the order they are received. So please plan ahead! If you’re not sure whether your transcript is ready for apostille, we can usually determine that quickly from a clear scan/photo of the document—and then tell you the shortest path to “apostille-ready” before anything gets shipped.
Our Role as a Notary Public in the Apostille Process
As a Florida notary public we may certify a copy only if:
The document is not a public record and
The document is not recorded or recordable in public records, and
You present the original document to us
Click here for examples of what we can and cannot certify as a notary.
