Your U.S. document, accepted abroad.
I handle apostilles for documents issued in the United States so they are recognized in Hague Convention countries. Tell me where the document is going and I take it through the right office, state or federal.
How it works. I do not issue apostilles — the California Secretary of State or the U.S. Department of State does. My job is to handle the process: I prepare your document, notarize it where required and take it to the correct office.
What an apostille actually is
It is a certificate confirming that the signature and seal on your document are genuine, so another country will accept it without asking for further proof. It does not translate the document, correct it, or change what it says.
If the destination country signed the Hague Convention, an apostille is all you need. If it did not, the document requires consular legalization instead — a longer route with extra fees. I check which category your country falls into before quoting anything.
What I can apostille for you
Birth certificates
Certified copies issued by the county or by the State of California. A plain photocopy will not be accepted — it has to be a certified copy.
Marriage certificates
For registering a marriage abroad, residency applications, or divorce proceedings in another country.
FBI background checks
These take a different route. An FBI Identity History Summary is a federal document, so it is apostilled by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, not by California. It takes longer, and I tell you that up front.
School documents
Diplomas, transcripts and enrollment letters for credential recognition or admission abroad.
Business documents
Articles of incorporation, corporate powers of attorney, certificates of good standing and other California company records.
Powers of Attorney
Powers to sell, collect, or represent you abroad. I notarize your signature first, then handle the apostille.
It depends on the destination
Hague Convention countries
- Mexico and Guatemala
- Spain, France, Italy, Germany
- Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile
- Most of Europe and much of Asia
An apostille is enough. No consulate visit required.
Non-Hague countries
- The document needs consular legalization
- State level first, then the U.S. Department of State
- Then the destination country's consulate
- Longer timeline and additional fees
I check your country first and give you the full route with timelines.
Documents bound for Guatemala
Guatemala signed the Hague Convention, so your U.S. documents only need an apostille. You do not also have to take them to the consulate, and anyone who told you otherwise is charging you for a step that does not exist.
One exception worth knowing: in Guatemala a notario is an attorney, and Guatemalan law reserves certain acts — some powers of attorney, for example — to a Guatemalan notario. Those are executed before the Guatemalan consulate, not with me. If yours is one of those, I say so up front and tell you where to go, without charging you for something I cannot do.
What I do handle: preparation and notarization on the U.S. side, the apostille process, and the finished document ready to send. And if your matter has to continue on the Guatemalan side, I coordinate with allied attorneys in Guatemala — in the capital, in Izabal and in Petén — so the document reaches the right person. They handle their part there under their own professional responsibility; I do not represent anyone or act on their behalf.
Three steps, no surprises
Tell me what you need apostilled
Which document it is and where it is going. With that I check whether it works as is or whether you need to order a certified copy first.
You get the cost and timeline
I separate official fees from my own. You know the total and the turnaround before you pay anything.
I run the process
I prepare it, notarize it where required and take it to the right office. I let you know when it is ready and hand it over or ship it.
What you pay, and to whom
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Apostille Service | From $250 |
| Apostille + Certified Translation | From $325 |
| Expedited Apostille (ready the next business day) | $389 |
| Federal Apostille (U.S. Department of State), for FBI and other federal documents | From $275 |
| Notarizing your signature, when the document requires it | $15 per signature |
These are starting prices. Government fees, recording fees, shipping, courier and other external costs are not included: they are paid directly to the agency and I give you the amount before we start. The $15 per signature is set by California law, not by me.
What people ask most
How long does an apostille take?
State apostille: 1–2 weeks. Federal apostille: 4–8 weeks. The exact time depends on whether it goes by mail or over the counter; you get the range for your case before we start.
Will a photocopy of my certificate work?
No. The state needs a certified copy issued by the county or the state, or an original notarized document. If all you have is a photocopy, I will tell you how to order the certified copy.
Does an apostille translate my document?
No. They are two separate things. If the destination country asks for a translation, that is handled separately, with its own certificate of accuracy.
Can you apostille a document from another state?
Only if California issued it. A Texas birth certificate is apostilled by Texas. If your document is from another state, I will point you to the right office.
Do I also need to go to the consulate?
For Hague Convention countries, no. For countries outside it, yes. I check your destination before charging you.
Tell me what you need apostilled.
Say which document it is and where it is going: I will tell you whether it works as is, what it costs and how long it takes.