Apostille and notary services

Apostille and notary services are two complementary procedures that make your documents ready for use abroad. An apostille is an official certification confirming the authenticity of a signature, seal, and the authority of the official who signed your document. A notary certifies copies, signatures, and powers of attorney as their jurisdiction’s notary law permits, and may authenticate a translator’s signature or sworn declaration where allowed; this does not automatically establish the linguistic accuracy of a translation. Confirm the receiving authority’s requirements for a certified or sworn translation.

These services are needed by anyone submitting personal, educational, corporate, or court documents to foreign authorities: students applying to universities abroad, professionals seeking employment, families handling immigration paperwork, and businesses opening branches or signing international contracts. The process works like this: you identify which document needs legalization, determine whether a notarized copy or translation is required first, submit the original to the competent authority that issues apostilles in the country where the document was issued, and then — if necessary — have the apostilled document translated and notarized again for the destination country.

What is the difference between an apostille and notarization?

Although these two services are frequently confused, they serve different purposes.

An apostille is placed on original public documents (birth certificates, diplomas, court records, criminal record certificates) by a designated government authority. It confirms only one thing: that the signature and seal on the document are genuine. It does not confirm the content of the document.

Notarization is performed by a licensed notary. A notary can:

  • certify a copy of a document as a true copy of the original;
  • in some jurisdictions, certify or attest a translation — usually by verifying the translator’s identity and signature on a declaration, not by certifying the linguistic accuracy itself (this depends on the notary law of the specific jurisdiction);
  • witness and certify your signature on a statement, application, or power of attorney;
  • verify your identity.

In practice, many foreign institutions require both: for example, a notarized translation of a birth certificate that was first apostilled in its country of origin. That is why apostille and notary services are usually ordered together.

When do you need apostille and notary services?

You will typically need this combination of services in the following situations:

  • applying for a visa, residence permit, or citizenship;
  • enrolling in a foreign university or college;
  • employment abroad, especially in regulated professions;
  • marriage registration in another country;
  • submitting a police clearance certificate to foreign authorities — see our criminal record certificate service for details;
  • registering a company or executing contracts with foreign partners;
  • inheritance matters involving property or assets in another country.

Documents issued between countries where the Hague Apostille Convention is in force for that pair are authenticated with an apostille (and may be exempt in some cases, e.g. covered intra-EU documents). Where the Convention does not apply between the two countries, the receiving State sets the consular legalization procedure through the relevant embassy instead — a longer procedure that may also involve certified translations.

Step-by-step: how the process works

Step 1. Determine which documents require legalization

Start by clarifying with the receiving institution exactly which documents it needs and in what form. Requirements vary significantly between immigration offices, universities, and employers. Ask specifically:

  • Is an apostille on the original required, or is a notarized copy acceptable?
  • Is a certified translation into the destination country’s language needed?
  • Does the translation need to be notarized after the apostille?

Getting these answers before you start prevents wasted trips and duplicate fees.

Step 2. Prepare the originals

Collect the original documents. They must be in good condition, with legible text, undamaged lamination, and intact seals. If a document is worn out or contains errors, request a duplicate from the issuing authority first — an apostille cannot be placed on a damaged document.

Step 3. Notarize what needs notarizing

Depending on the requirements identified in step 1, a notary may need to:

  • certify copies of multi-page documents such as diplomas or corporate charters;
  • authenticate a translator’s signature or sworn declaration where the jurisdiction’s notarial rules permit — this does not establish the translation’s linguistic accuracy, which the receiving authority’s requirements govern;
  • notarize powers of attorney if someone will act on your behalf during submission.

Some authorities place the apostille directly on the original, while others accept only notarized copies. This is why the order of steps matters: notarization sometimes comes before the apostille, sometimes after.

Step 4. Submit the document to the competent authority

Each country designates specific authorities to issue apostilles depending on the document type. Typical examples include:

  • Ministry of Justice — for civil status documents, court documents, and notarial acts;
  • Ministry of Education — for diplomas and school certificates;
  • Secretaría de Estado / Ministry of Foreign Affairs — for administrative documents;
  • FBI or state-level authorities — for federal background checks in the United States;
  • Foreign Office — for certain UK public documents.

You submit the original (or the notarized copy), pay the applicable fee, and receive the document back with the apostille attached — either as a stamped certificate sewn to the document or as an all-in-one certificate page.

Step 5. Translate and notarize the final package

Once the apostille is in place, the document is translated into the language of the destination country if the receiving authority requires it. How the translation must be certified depends on that authority — some accept a sworn translator’s accreditation, others ask for certification of the translator’s signature (for example by a notary). Remember that the apostille itself also needs to be translated where the receiving institution requires it.

Step 6. Deliver the finished set

The completed package — original with apostille plus notarized translation — is ready for submission to the foreign institution. If you are handling everything remotely, use a courier service with tracking, and keep scans of every page before sending anything.

Common mistakes and reasons for rejection

Most refusals and delays come from a handful of predictable errors:

  • Wrong sequence. Placing the apostille on a document and then laminating it, or translating before the apostille when the institution requires the opposite order.
  • Apostilling a copy instead of the original when the receiving authority demands the original, or vice versa.
  • Damaged documents. Faded seals, torn pages, or corrected entries lead to refusal at the counter.
  • Missing apostille on the translation. Some institutions want the apostille on the source document; others additionally require certification of the translation itself. Confirm which applies.
  • Outdated documents. Many authorities refuse criminal record certificates or civil status documents older than a few months. Check freshness requirements before starting.
  • Ignoring the destination country’s rules. Where the Apostille Convention does not apply between the issuing and destination countries, apostilles are not the recognised route — those cases require the consular procedure the receiving authority sets.
  • Assuming one apostille covers everything. Each document in a set typically needs its own apostille. A marriage certificate and a birth certificate cannot share one stamp.

If any of these situations looks familiar, our team handles the full cycle — from checking the documents to delivering the finished set. You can also read our related guides on apostille for a criminal record certificate and notarized translation of documents.

FAQ

Can I get an apostille without visiting the issuing office myself?

In most cases, yes. You can act through a representative holding a notarized power of attorney, or entrust the entire procedure to a specialized agency that submits documents on your behalf.

Do I need a notarized translation before or after the apostille?

The required sequence is destination- and receiving-authority-specific — there is no universal rule. Spain, for example, requires the sworn translation itself (by a translator certified for Spain) without a blanket subsequent notarization step, while some other authorities additionally ask for certification of the translator’s signature. Confirm the required order with the receiving party before you start.

Which documents can be apostilled?

Public documents: birth, marriage, and death certificates, diplomas and school certificates, court decisions, criminal record certificates, notarial acts, and corporate registration documents. Private contracts and commercial invoices generally fall outside the apostille system and may require other forms of certification.

Is an apostille valid forever?

The apostille itself does not expire — it confirms facts about the signature and seal at the time of issuance. However, the underlying document may become outdated: many institutions refuse civil status documents or background checks older than a few months.

Can one agency handle both the apostille and the notarization?

Yes. Agencies offering combined apostille and notary services coordinate with notaries and the competent government bodies, so you submit your originals once and receive a document set prepared to the requirements we identify for your receiving authority.

What if my document was issued in another country?

The apostille must be obtained in the country where the document was issued. A birth certificate issued abroad cannot be apostilled locally — you would need to contact the issuing country’s authorities or its consulate.

Conclusion

Apostille and notary services solve two halves of the same problem: the apostille authenticates your document’s signature, seal and official, while notarization provides the additional certification of copies, translator declarations, or signatures that a specific destination’s rules may require. Handled in the order your receiving authority sets, the process is straightforward; handled carelessly, it leads to refusals and repeated submissions.

If you would rather not navigate government offices and notary requirements yourself, our criminal record and document legalization service takes over the full cycle — checking your documents, arranging notarization, obtaining apostilles, and preparing certified translations. Contact us for a consultation, and we will tell you exactly which steps apply to your case.