How to Submit an Apostille Order Online: A Step-by-Step Guide for Every Document Type
Everything you need to know to place an order through the Federal Apostille order portal, from choosing federal or state to paying, mailing originals, and tracking your documents home.
The portal handles 58 document types across all 50 states, D.C. and every federal agency on one page. Most orders take about ten minutes to place.
Before You Start: What to Have Ready
Our order portal is a single page with four numbered sections. Your progress saves automatically in your browser as you go, so if you close the tab and come back later you will see a "Resume order" banner. Even so, gathering these items first makes the whole process faster:
- The document itself, or a clear digital copy of it. Scans and phone photos are accepted in PDF, DOC, DOCX, JPG, PNG, TIF and HEIC formats, up to 25 MB per file.
- The exact name(s) printed on each document. The portal asks for the person or business named on the document, spelled exactly as it appears.
- The issuing authority. For federal documents, the agency that issued it (FBI, USCIS, SSA and so on). For state documents, the state where it was issued or notarized.
- The country where the document will be used. This decides whether you need an apostille alone or embassy legalization as well.
- A return address, or a decision about how you want the finished documents back (shipping, office pickup, your own label, or digital scans only).
- A credit or debit card. Payment is processed by Square; your card details never touch our server.
Federal or State? Choosing the Right Jurisdiction
Every document you add is tagged as either Federal or State. This is the single most important choice in the order, because it decides which government office authenticates your document. A federal document sent to a Secretary of State, or a state document sent to Washington, will be rejected. (For a deeper explanation, see Federal Apostille vs. State Apostille: Which Do You Need?)
| Federal | State | |
|---|---|---|
| What it covers | Documents issued, signed or sealed by a U.S. federal agency | Documents issued, certified or notarized by a state authority or a notary in any of the 50 states or D.C. |
| Who authenticates it | U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications, Washington, D.C. | The Secretary of State of the state where the document was issued or notarized |
| Common examples | FBI background checks, IRS letters, SSA and VA benefit letters, Certificates of Naturalization, NARA records, FDA and USDA export certificates, federal court documents, USPTO certificates | Birth, marriage, death and divorce certificates; notarized documents; transcripts and diplomas; copies of IDs and passports; powers of attorney; corporate and state court records |
| Base price | $120 per document | $120 per document (+$25 if we notarize it) |
If you are unsure, open the "Federal vs. State — what's the difference?" panel at the top of Section 1, or use the instant quote described next. It will classify the document for you.
Shortcut: Let the Instant Quote Build Your Order
If you are not sure what your document is called or which category it falls into, look for the "Not sure what you need?" card. You have two options:
- Describe it in plain English, for example: "My FBI background check and my son's Texas birth certificate, for Spain, translated to Spanish." Then click Get my instant quote.
- Upload a photo or PDF of your document and let the portal read it.
You will get an itemized estimate, a warning if your destination country requires embassy legalization, and a Build my order button that adds the matching documents to your cart. You then attach your files and fill in the remaining details exactly as described below. The estimate assumes standard U.S. return shipping; final shipping, page counts and any surcharges are confirmed at checkout.
Below the empty cart you will also see quick-start buttons for our most-ordered documents (FBI Background Check, SSA Benefit Letter, Naturalization Certificate, Transcript/Diploma, Birth Certificate and more), plus a button that opens the full list of all 58 types.
Section 1: Add Your Documents
Section 1 is headed "What Needs Apostilling?". Your order is built as a cart: every document gets its own line, so you can mix federal and state documents, uploads and mail-ins, notarized and non-notarized items in one order. Click + Add a document to open the document window, then work through these fields.
Jurisdiction
Choose Federal (issued by a U.S. federal agency) or State (issued by a state agency or notary). The document list below changes to match.
Document type
Pick the closest match from the list. Helper text appears under your choice, and some types show an "Important — please read" notice that you must acknowledge before continuing.
Name(s) on the document
Enter the full name of the person or business exactly as printed. If more than one name appears, list them all.
Number of pages
Used to price scanning and printing. Printing an uploaded document is free for the first 10 pages, then $0.50 per page.
Agency or state of origin
For most federal types, the issuing federal agency fills in automatically. For state documents, choose the state of origin from the list.
Submission method
Choose Upload digital file (fastest) or Mail in original (required for wet-ink originals). Some document types allow only one; the other option is greyed out.
Files or description
For uploads, drag and drop your file(s). For mail-ins, write a description of at least 15 characters and enter how many copies you are mailing.
Optional add-ons
Tick notarization, a high-resolution scan, or expedited processing where offered, then click Add to order or Save & add another.
A closer look at the fields that trip people up
Each uploaded file counts as one document. If you upload three files on one line, the portal will tell you that three documents will be processed and price them accordingly. Upload only the file(s) you actually need apostilled, and double-check each one before attaching it. If a document has several pages, combine them into one PDF.
The mail-in description matters. We use it to match the envelope that arrives to your order. Be specific: document type, issuing office or state, the name(s) on it, and the date. A good example is "Original birth certificate for Jane A. Doe, Travis County, Texas, dated 03/1990." The portal counts characters for you and will not let you save the line until you reach 15.
Copies are counted separately. If you are mailing two original birth certificates from the same state, enter 2 in "How many copies of this document are you mailing?" rather than adding two lines.
Once saved, each line appears in Your Documents with tags such as Federal · FBI · Upload or State · TX · Mail-in. You can Edit or Remove any line. If something is missing, the line is flagged "Needs attention" with a link to finish it.
Upload or Mail In? How to Tell
Uploading is faster because we receive your document instantly. But some authorities only accept the original, and the portal enforces this automatically. Here is how the most common document types are handled:
| Submission rule | Document types |
|---|---|
| Mail-in original required | Certificate of Naturalization (N-550 / N-570); Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA); Consular Report of Death Abroad (CRDA); state document already carrying a state apostille (for non-Hague federal authentication); originally certified birth, marriage and death certificates and divorce decrees; documents already notarized in wet ink |
| Upload only (we notarize the copy) | Copies of a driver's license, passport or state ID; retirement or benefit verification letters where you only have a scanned PDF |
| Either upload or mail in | FBI Identity History Summary; IRS, SSA, VA and OPM letters; Certificate of Citizenship; USCIS documents; NARA records; federal court documents; FDA, USDA, EPA, FAA, FCC, SEC and other federal agency documents; academic records; driving records; powers of attorney; corporate documents; state court documents |
Document Types With Special Rules
Most documents follow the standard path. A handful have extra requirements, fees or timelines that the portal will flag as you add them:
Consular Reports of Birth or Death Abroad (CRBA / CRDA)
These can only be apostilled by Vital Records in Virginia, by mail. Expect approximately 4–8 weeks and an additional $30 fee per document. You must also download an authorization form from the portal, sign it in front of a notary, and mail the notarized original together with your document. If the report is more than five years old, tick the box provided; a $25 notary fee and a $50 new-document fee are added.
Petition for Name Change and DOJ / ATF documents
These are reviewed by the U.S. Department of Justice before going to the Department of State. Allow approximately 4–6 weeks and an additional $50 DOJ fee. A name change petition must be less than 10 years old; if yours is older, first obtain a certified true copy from the District Court that issued it.
Benefit and verification letters (SSA, IRS, VA, OPM)
The portal asks whether the letter bears a signature or seal recognized by the U.S. Department of State. Choose "Yes" for federal processing. If you choose "No / not sure," we notarize the letter and process it at the state level instead, and a $25 notary fee is added. Either way, the letter still gets apostilled.
Vital records from New York, Texas and Nevada
These three states charge a higher Secretary of State fee for birth, marriage, death and divorce certificates, so a $100 per-document surcharge applies. Other document types from those states are not surcharged; the portal shows a note confirming this when you select the state.
New York state documents
New York documents are apostilled by the New York Department of State and processed by our New York office. If you mail one in, the portal gives you our New York address, not the California address used for other states. Check the address on your cover sheet before sealing the envelope.
Academic records, IDs and other copies that need notarizing
Most states will not apostille a plain copy of a transcript, diploma, ID or driving record; it must be notarized first. For these types, notarization ($25 per document) is required and we handle it for you. For corporate and state court documents it is optional, since Good Standing certificates and court-certified copies usually do not need it.
State documents going to non-Hague countries
If you already hold a state document that carries a state apostille and you need it for a non-Hague country, add it as the federal type "State-Issued Document Already Apostilled." It must be mailed in, because the Department of State authenticates the physical apostille certificate.
Anything not on the list
Choose "Other federal document" (and select the issuing agency) or "Other state document," and describe it in the notes field. Our team reviews every order before submission and will contact you if anything needs to change.
Add-ons available on each document line
| Add-on | Price | When it's available |
|---|---|---|
| Notarization before authentication | $25 per document | State documents where notarization is optional or required |
| High-resolution scan | $10 per document (first 10 pages), then $0.50 per page | Any document; emailed within 24 hours of completion. Required if you choose digital-only delivery. |
| Expedited state apostille | +$75 per document | Uploaded state documents that are not vital records (academic records, IDs, driving records, benefit letters, powers of attorney, corporate and court documents). Returned in 1–3 business days, shipping not included. |
Section 2: Your Information
This short section collects the four details we need to send you order updates: first name, last name, email and phone. All four are required.
Use an email address you check regularly. It is where your confirmation, stage-by-stage tracking updates and any digital scans will be sent. Enter a phone number with at least 10 digits so we can reach you quickly if a document needs attention.
Section 3: Return Delivery, Destination and Optional Services
Section 3 asks "Where should we ship the finished documents?" and covers three decisions: how you get your documents back, where they will be used, and whether you need translation or legalization.
Choose your return delivery
| Option | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| We Arrange Shipping | $25 standard within the U.S. (FedEx, 2–3 business days); $140 international standard (FedEx, 7–9 business days) | Most customers. We book the FedEx label and email you the tracking number. |
| Overnight / Express Shipping | U.S.: $125 evening delivery, $165 for 12–2 PM, $185 Priority Overnight 8–10 AM. International: $225 FedEx International Priority, 2–4 business days | Tight deadlines. Timed delivery is not available at every address; if yours is ineligible we use the fastest available service and let you know. |
| I'll Send My Own Prepaid Label | $0 | Customers with a carrier account. Email us a prepaid, trackable label after checkout. Non-FedEx labels require coordinating an in-person pickup with our team. |
| Pick Up at a Local Office | $10 | Collect in person at Century City / Los Angeles, Irvine, San Diego, Washington, D.C. or New York. We email you when documents are ready. |
| Digital Scans Only | $0 shipping; scanning required at $10 per document | Recipients who accept a digital copy. We email high-resolution scans and hold your originals for 30 days before securely destroying them unless you arrange pickup or shipping. |
Some orders ship more than once. When a document has to pass through more than one office (for example, a mailed-in state document, documents going to both our D.C. and California offices, or embassy legalization), each trip is a separate shipping leg. If we arrange your shipping, every leg is already included in the shipping line of your order summary. If you send your own labels and your order contains both federal and state documents, you will need two prepaid labels: one for our Washington, D.C. office and one for our Irvine, California office.
Choose your destination country
Select the country where the apostille will be used. The list is searchable; start typing a name like "Spain" or "UAE." The portal then tells you one of two things:
- The country is a Hague Apostille Convention member. A U.S. apostille is sufficient and no embassy step is needed.
- The country is not a Hague member. A yellow notice explains that your documents need embassy or consulate legalization in addition to the U.S. authentication, with a button to + Add embassy legalization.
You can confirm a country's status on the official Hague Conference status table, or browse our Country Guide and Embassy Legalization Guides.
Embassy legalization (non-Hague countries)
Legalization costs $150 per document for our service, plus the embassy's own fee, which we pass through at cost. For many countries the portal auto-fills the latest published embassy fee; you can override it if you have been quoted a different amount. If no rate is on file, we quote the exact fee after your apostille is issued.
State documents going to a non-Hague country need one more step: after the Secretary of State certifies them, they must be authenticated by the U.S. Department of State before any embassy will accept them. That required federal step adds $120 per document, and the portal shows it in your total. In short, a state document is authenticated three times: by the state, by Washington, and by the consulate.
Certified or sworn translation
Tick "Add certified or sworn translation" to have your documents translated through the same order:
- Certified translation, $75 per page: includes the translator's signed statement of accuracy and is accepted by most countries.
- Sworn translation, $200 per page: produced by a government-authorized translator, and often required by countries such as Spain.
Enter the number of pages, the target language, and which document(s) and pages need translating. You can also tick "Also translate the apostille page" (+1 page at your chosen rate). Every translation is emailed as a digitally certified PDF at no extra charge. If you also want the signed original posted to you, choose "Post me the signed original," which adds a second return package, and decide whether the original should be notarized ($25). See our translation requirements page if you are unsure what your recipient needs.
Section 4: Review & Pay
The final section summarizes every document and your delivery choices. The Order summary beside it (or above it on a phone) updates live as you make changes, itemizing federal documents, state documents, surcharges, notarization, translation, scanning, expediting, legalization and shipping. A 4.5% card processing fee is added to the subtotal, and the summary shows your estimated completion date.
To submit:
- Enter your card details in the secure Square payment field.
- Read and tick the acknowledgement. It confirms that full payment is required at submission, documents must be clear and legible, the cancellation terms below, that we are not responsible for documents lost, stolen or damaged in transit, and that you accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
- Click Submit order & pay. The button shows your exact total.
If the button is greyed out, look just above it. A "Before you can submit, please" list names everything still missing, such as a file not attached or a destination not chosen, and each item links straight to the field that needs it.
Card not going through? This is usually caused by an ad or tracker blocker, a VPN, or a network that blocks Square. Turn off the blocker for this page and try again, or call (760) 469-2997 and we will take the payment over the phone.
After You Submit: Confirmation, Mailing and Tracking
As soon as payment goes through, you will see an "Order submitted" screen with your order number and estimated completion date, and a confirmation email is sent to the address you entered. A link to your Square receipt is included.
If you are mailing originals
The confirmation screen shows a mail-in panel for each office your documents go to, each with a Print cover sheet button. Print the cover sheet, place it in the envelope with your document, and send it to the address on that panel:
| Your document | Mail it to |
|---|---|
| Federal documents | Federal Apostille and Notary Processing 1050 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 500 Washington, DC 20036 |
| State documents (all states except New York) | Attention: Apostille Department 17875 Von Karman Ave., Suite 150 Irvine, CA 92614 |
| New York state documents | Attention: New York Apostille Department 136 Madison Ave., Suite 585 New York, NY 10016 |
Always use a trackable service, keep your tracking number, and include the cover sheet so we can match your envelope to your order on arrival. For CRBA and CRDA orders, include the notarized authorization form too.
Your order journey
Order Received
We confirm your submission and payment.
In Review
We verify each document and contact you if anything is missing.
Submission
Federal documents go to the U.S. Department of State; state documents go to the relevant Secretary of State.
Apostille Issued
The authority returns your authenticated documents to us. Non-Hague orders continue to embassy legalization.
Delivered to You
We ship the originals back, hold them for pickup, or email your scans.
You will receive a tracking update at each stage, and you can check status anytime on our order tracking page.
How long will it take?
| Order type | Estimated processing time |
|---|---|
| Standard federal or state apostille | 7 business days (excluding Fridays and federal holidays) |
| Expedited state apostille (uploaded, non-vital records) | 1–3 business days |
| Petition for Name Change, DOJ / ATF documents | Approximately 4–6 weeks |
| CRBA / CRDA | Approximately 4–8 weeks |
| Embassy legalization | 7 business days for the federal authentication stage, plus the consulate's own processing time |
Shipping time is not included in any estimate. If an order mixes expedited and standard items, the expedited items are prioritized but the order is returned together once the standard items are complete. State turnaround depends on each Secretary of State's current workload; our Processing Time Estimator gives a more detailed picture.
Three Worked Examples
These totals come straight from the portal's live pricing at the time of writing, with standard U.S. return shipping. Your own total will always appear in the order summary before you pay.
Example 1: FBI background check for a visa in Spain
- Section 1: Federal → FBI Identity History / Background Check → agency fills in as FBI → Upload digital file → attach the PDF from FBI eDO or your Channeler.
- Section 3: We Arrange Shipping (standard U.S.) → destination Spain, which the portal confirms is a Hague member.
- Total: $120 apostille + $25 shipping + $6.53 card processing = $151.53.
Spain generally expects a sworn translation; if you need one, tick the translation option in Section 3 and choose Sworn. Our FBI Background Check Apostille guide covers document requirements in detail.
Example 2: Certificate of Naturalization for Italian citizenship
- Section 1: Federal → Certificate of Naturalization (N-550 / N-570) → read and acknowledge the notice → submission method is locked to Mail in original → describe the certificate.
- Section 3: We Arrange Shipping → destination Italy.
- After paying: print the cover sheet and mail the original to our Washington, D.C. office.
- Total: $120 + $25 shipping + $6.53 card processing = $151.53.
Example 3: Texas birth certificate for use in the UAE
- Section 1: State → Birth Certificate (originally certified) → state of origin Texas (the portal adds the $100 vital-record surcharge) → Mail in original.
- Section 3: We Arrange Shipping → destination United Arab Emirates. The portal warns that the UAE is not a Hague member; click + Add embassy legalization and the embassy fee fills in automatically.
- Pricing: $120 state apostille + $100 Texas surcharge + $295 legalization ($150 service, $120 required U.S. Department of State authentication, and the embassy's published fee) + $75 shipping across three legs + $26.55 card processing = $616.55.
This is the three-stage chain in action: Texas Secretary of State, then the U.S. Department of State, then the UAE Embassy.
Complete Fee Reference
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Federal apostille / authentication | $120 per document |
| State apostille | $120 per document |
| Notarization (state documents) | $25 per document |
| NY, TX, NV vital-record surcharge | $100 per document |
| CRBA / CRDA fee | $30 per document (+$25 notary and $50 new-document fee if more than five years old) |
| DOJ fee (name change petitions, DOJ / ATF documents) | $50 per document |
| Expedited state apostille | $75 per document |
| High-resolution scan | $10 per document (first 10 pages), then $0.50 per page |
| Printing uploaded documents | First 10 pages free, then $0.50 per page |
| Embassy legalization | $150 per document + embassy fee at cost (+$120 U.S. Department of State step for state documents) |
| Certified / sworn translation | $75 / $200 per page (+$25 to notarize a posted original) |
| Return shipping | $25 U.S. standard; $125–$185 U.S. overnight; $140 international standard; $225 international expedited; $10 office pickup; $0 own label or scans only (charged per shipping leg) |
| Card processing | 4.5% of subtotal |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Choosing the wrong jurisdiction. An FBI check is always federal; a birth certificate is always state. If in doubt, use the instant quote or call us before you pay.
- Uploading extra files. Every file you attach is billed as a separate document. Combine multi-page documents into one PDF.
- Notarizing a federal document yourself. FBI reports and other federal documents must be submitted exactly as issued. Added stamps or notary certificates can cause rejection.
- Mailing to the wrong office. Federal documents go to Washington, D.C., New York documents go to New York, and other state documents go to Irvine. Use the address on your printed cover sheet.
- Skipping legalization for a non-Hague country. An apostille alone will not be accepted in countries like the UAE, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar or Thailand.
- Choosing scans only when the recipient wants originals. Confirm first; most consulates and courts require the physical document.
- Using an old document. Many countries only accept FBI checks and some certificates issued within the last 3–6 months. Check your destination's rules before ordering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I order apostilles for several different documents at once?
Yes. The portal is built as a cart, so you can add as many documents as you need, mixing federal and state, uploads and mail-ins, in a single order and a single payment. Use "Save & add another" to move quickly between documents.
Do I need to create an account to place an order?
No. There is no account or login. You enter your details once in Section 2, and your progress is saved automatically in your browser so you can resume an unfinished order later.
What file types can I upload?
PDF, DOC, DOCX, JPG, JPEG, PNG, TIF, TIFF, HEIC and HEIF files up to 25 MB each. A clear, full-color scan or phone photo with all edges visible works best.
Why do I have to mail in my birth certificate instead of uploading it?
Secretaries of State only apostille the original certified copy of a vital record, with its raised seal, signed by the issuing official. A photocopy or scan cannot be apostilled, so the portal requires the original for birth, marriage and death certificates and divorce decrees.
My document isn't in the list. What should I choose?
Choose "Other federal document" and select the issuing agency, or "Other state document," then describe it in the notes field. Every order is reviewed before submission, and we will contact you if anything needs to change. You can also call (760) 469-2997 at any time.
How do I know if my destination country needs embassy legalization?
Select the country in Section 3. The portal confirms if the country is a Hague Apostille Convention member, or shows a notice if it is not, with a one-click button to add legalization to your order.
Can I get my documents back faster?
Uploaded state documents that are not vital records can be expedited for $75 per document and returned in 1–3 business days. For the return trip, choose Overnight / Express Shipping in Section 3.
Can I place an order by phone instead?
Yes. Call (760) 469-2997, available 24/7, and we can place your order and take payment over the phone. This is also the fastest route if your card is being declined online.
How do I track my order after I pay?
You will receive an email with your order number right away, followed by an update at each stage of processing. You can also check status anytime on our order tracking page using your order number.
Can I cancel my order?
Yes, if we have not yet begun your submission. We refund the order less a $25 administrative fee. Once your document has been submitted to the issuing authority it can no longer be cancelled or refunded.
Ready to Place Your Order?
$120 flat rate per document. Federal and state apostilles, embassy legalization and certified translation, all in one secure order. Questions before you start? Our team answers 24/7.
Official resources: U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications · Hague Conference Apostille Section. Federal Apostille & Notary Processing is a private document preparation and processing service and is not a government agency. Prices and processing times reflect the order portal at the time of publication and are always confirmed in your order summary before payment.
