Apostille services for Americans living abroad
You don't need to fly home to get a U.S. document apostilled. Send it to our Washington DC office from anywhere in the world. We check it, file it with the right state or federal office, and ship it back to your door abroad with tracking.
The short answer
If you live outside the United States and need a U.S. document apostilled, you can do the whole process by mail. An apostille can only be issued by the U.S. authority that oversees the official who signed your document: a state Secretary of State for state-issued and state-notarized documents, or the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington DC for federal documents. Federal Apostille & Notary Processing works with both. You ship the original to us, we handle the filing, and we return the apostilled document internationally.
State apostille or federal apostille? It depends on who signed the document
This is the single most common mistake people make from abroad. Sending a document to the wrong office costs weeks and a second round of international shipping. We sort it out before anything is filed.
Federal apostille
Issued by the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications, Washington DC
- FBI Identity History Summary (background check)
- Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship (as a properly certified copy)
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)
- Documents notarized at a U.S. embassy or consulate
- SSA, VA, IRS (Form 6166), FDA and USDA letters and certificates
- Federal court documents and other federal agency records
State apostille
Issued by the Secretary of State of the state where the document was issued or notarized
- Birth, marriage and death certificates
- Divorce decrees and state court records
- Diplomas and transcripts (usually as notarized copies)
- Powers of attorney and affidavits notarized in a U.S. state
- Business formation documents and certificates of good standing
- State police background checks
We handle state apostilles for all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and federal apostilles through our Washington DC office.
How to get an apostille while living abroad
Five steps, and you only ship documents once in each direction.
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Send us a photo or scan first
Email submissions@federalapostille.org with a clear image of the document and the country where you'll use it. We confirm whether it needs a state or federal apostille, whether it's eligible as-is, and whether the destination country needs extra embassy legalization or a translation. This takes minutes and saves you from shipping the wrong thing.
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Get the right version of the document
Apostilles attach to originals or certified copies, not photocopies or printouts. If you need a new certified copy of a birth certificate, divorce decree or other record, you can usually order it online from the issuing office and have it shipped straight to our office. That skips an international leg entirely.
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Ship the original to our Washington DC office
Use a tracked international courier such as DHL, FedEx or UPS. Declare the contents as documents with no commercial value. Include our completed order form or a printed copy of your email confirmation so we can match your package on arrival.
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We file and follow up
We submit your document to the correct Secretary of State or to the U.S. Department of State, pay the government fee on your behalf, and track it until it's issued. You'll get email updates, so time zones don't matter.
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We ship it back to you abroad
Your apostilled document goes back by tracked international courier to any address you choose, whether that's your home, your employer, a lawyer or a government office in your new country.
What expats most often need apostilled
Common reasons Americans abroad contact us, and which route each document takes.
| Situation abroad | Document | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Residence permit or long-stay visa | FBI background check | Federal |
| Marrying abroad | Birth certificate, divorce decree, single-status affidavit | State (affidavit may be Federal if signed at a U.S. consulate) |
| Registering a child's birth or citizenship | Parents' birth and marriage certificates, CRBA | State / Federal |
| Teaching English or taking a job | Diploma, transcripts, FBI check | State + Federal |
| Applying for foreign citizenship or ancestry citizenship | Birth, marriage and naturalization records | State / Federal |
| Retiring abroad or claiming benefits | SSA benefit letter, VA letter, pension proof | Federal |
| Opening a foreign branch or bank account for a U.S. company | Articles, good standing, IRS Form 6166 | State / Federal |
| Settling an estate or selling property back home | Death certificate, power of attorney | State / Federal |
Need to sign or notarize something while you're overseas?
Where and how a document is notarized decides which apostille it can get, or whether a U.S. apostille is possible at all.
At a U.S. embassy or consulate
Documents notarized by a U.S. consular officer are authenticated by the U.S. Department of State. That's a federal apostille, and we process it through our DC office.
Remote online notarization
Some U.S. states let their commissioned notaries notarize for signers located outside the country by live video. The apostille then comes from the notary's commissioning state. Ask us before you book so we can confirm the destination country will accept it.
Before a foreign notary
A U.S. authority can't apostille a signature by a foreign official. A document notarized locally abroad has to be apostilled or legalized by that country instead, not in the United States.
Living in a country that doesn't accept apostilles?
Apostilles work in countries that belong to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. Some countries where many Americans live and work, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan, are not members. For those countries the document needs embassy legalization: a state or federal authentication certificate first, then legalization by that country's embassy or consulate in the United States.
We manage the full legalization chain from our Washington DC office, where most embassies are located, including state authentication, U.S. Department of State authentication, embassy legalization and, where required, a certified translation. Many foreign ministries then ask for a final attestation once the document arrives in-country, and we'll tell you if yours does.
Pricing
Flat service fees, quoted before you ship. International return shipping is quoted by destination, or you can send us a prepaid return label.
Flat rate. Ready in 7 business days, excluding Fridays and federal holidays.
Service fee plus the issuing state's government fee, quoted in writing before you ship.
For countries outside the Hague Convention. Embassy fees are passed through at cost.
Prepared by ATA-certified translators, for countries that require one.
Frequently asked questions from Americans abroad
Can I get a U.S. apostille without returning to the United States?
Yes. Neither state Secretary of State offices nor the U.S. Department of State require you to appear in person. You ship your original document to our Washington DC office, we submit it to the correct authority, and we ship the apostilled document back to you anywhere in the world.
How do I know if my document needs a state or federal apostille?
It depends on who signed or issued it. Documents issued by a state or county office, or notarized by a state-commissioned notary, get a state apostille from that state's Secretary of State. Documents signed by a federal official, such as an FBI background check, a naturalization certificate or anything notarized at a U.S. embassy, get a federal apostille from the U.S. Department of State. Email us a photo and we'll confirm the route before you ship.
Can you apostille a scan, photocopy or PDF I email you?
No. An apostille is attached to a physical original or an official certified copy. Scans and photocopies can't be apostilled. We do ask for a photo or scan first, but only so we can check eligibility before you ship the original.
How do I get a certified copy of my birth certificate while living abroad?
Order it from the vital records office of the state where you were born, which most states allow online. Have it shipped directly to our Washington DC office so it doesn't cross the ocean twice. Some destination countries only accept birth certificates issued within the last 3 to 6 months, so check before ordering, or ask us.
How do I get an FBI background check with an apostille from overseas?
Have your fingerprints taken on an FD-258 card by local police or an authorized fingerprinting service in your country. Submit them to the FBI directly or through an FBI-approved channeler, then send us the results. We submit the FBI Identity History Summary to the U.S. Department of State for a federal apostille. Our FBI channeler guide explains which options return results in a format eligible for apostille.
Can I notarize a U.S. document at a local notary in the country where I live?
You can, but a U.S. authority can't apostille it afterward, because the signature belongs to a foreign official. That document would need to be apostilled or legalized by the country where it was notarized. If you need a U.S. apostille, sign before a U.S. consular officer at an embassy or consulate, or use a U.S. remote online notary where the state allows it.
I had a document notarized at the U.S. embassy. Where does it get apostilled?
At the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington DC. Consular notarizations are federal acts, so they get a federal apostille, not a state one. We handle these through our DC office.
How should I ship my documents to you from another country?
Use a tracked international courier such as DHL, FedEx or UPS. Declare the contents as documents with no commercial value to avoid customs delays. Keep your tracking number and email it to us when you ship. We'll confirm when your package arrives.
How do you send the apostilled documents back to me?
By tracked international courier to any address you choose. We can quote the return shipping for your destination, or you can include a prepaid return label from the courier of your choice.
How long does the process take from abroad?
Our expedited federal apostille is ready in 7 business days after we receive your document, excluding Fridays and federal holidays. State apostille timing depends on the issuing state. Add international courier time in each direction, which is often 2 to 5 business days. We give you a timeline for your specific documents before you ship.
The country I live in isn't part of the Hague Convention. What do I need?
You need embassy legalization instead of an apostille. The document is authenticated by the state and/or the U.S. Department of State, then legalized by the destination country's embassy or consulate in the United States. We manage the entire chain from Washington DC and tell you if a translation or in-country attestation is also needed.
Do I need a translation along with the apostille?
Many countries require an official translation of the document, and sometimes of the apostille too. Some want it done by a sworn translator in their own country; others accept a certified translation from the United States. We offer certified translations by ATA-certified translators and will tell you which the destination country accepts.
I have documents from several different states. Can you handle all of them?
Yes. Send everything to our DC office in one package. We route each document to the correct Secretary of State or to the U.S. Department of State, then return them to you together in one shipment.
Can someone in the U.S. drop off my documents for me?
Yes. A family member, lawyer or employer can bring or mail your documents to one of our offices for you. We'll keep you updated by email and ship the finished documents to your address abroad.
How do I pay if I'm outside the United States?
We send a secure online payment link you can pay by card from anywhere. You'll know the full cost, including government fees and return shipping, before you ship your documents.
What if my document is rejected or not eligible?
That's why we review a photo or scan first. If something is wrong, such as an expired notary commission, a missing seal or an uncertified copy, we tell you exactly what to fix and how to get a replacement before you pay for international shipping.
Start from wherever you are
Email a photo of your document and tell us which country you'll use it in. We'll reply with the route, the total cost and the timeline, usually within one business day.
400 8th St NW
Washington, DC 20004, USA
