The short version
If a document was issued or notarized in the United States, the holder of that document — or anyone authorized by them — can apply for an apostille. There are no citizenship, residency, or age restrictions.
Who typically applies
- Individuals & families: Getting married abroad, applying for dual citizenship, enrolling kids in school overseas, or moving internationally.
- Students & graduates: Studying abroad, validating diplomas for foreign employers, or pursuing professional licensing in another country.
- Professionals: Teachers (TEFL/teaching abroad), doctors, nurses, and engineers applying for foreign licenses.
- Expats & dual nationals: Filing paperwork with foreign governments while living abroad.
- Adoptive parents: Completing international adoption documentation.
- Businesses: Registering subsidiaries overseas, signing international contracts, opening foreign bank accounts.
- Attorneys & agents: Acting on behalf of clients who can't manage the process themselves.
Requirements to apply
- The document must be issued in the United States (by a state, federal agency, court, or US notary).
- You must have a certified, original, or properly notarized copy of the document.
- You need a delivery address — anywhere in the world is fine.
- You need a payment method (we accept cards via Stripe).
No US presence required
Can someone apply on my behalf?
Yes. You can authorize a family member, attorney, employer, or service like ApplyApostille to handle the application for you. For most documents, no power of attorney is needed — you simply provide the document and shipping details.
For sensitive documents (like FBI background checks), the document holder typically needs to request the underlying record themselves first, then we can handle the apostille step.
Are there any restrictions?
- Document must be authentic: Forged or altered documents will be rejected by the Secretary of State.
- Some documents need to be recent: Many countries require birth certificates or background checks issued within the last 3–6 months.
- Federal vs. state routing matters: An FBI background check goes through the US Department of State, not your local Secretary of State. We handle this routing automatically.
- Non-Hague countries: If your destination isn't a Hague Convention member (e.g., UAE, China, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia), you need legalization instead of an apostille. We're rolling out that service soon.
Common questions
I'm not a US citizen. Can I still apply?
Yes. Citizenship is irrelevant. What matters is that the document was issued or notarized in the US.
I'm living abroad. Can you ship to me?
Absolutely. Pick "International shipping" on the delivery step and we'll send your apostilled document to any address worldwide with tracking.
Can I apply for someone else (e.g., my elderly parent)?
Yes. Just provide their document and the shipping address. Most apostille processes don't require the document holder to sign anything additional — though a few sensitive document types (like a fresh FBI check) need the holder to initiate the underlying request.
Is there a minimum age to apply?
No. Parents and guardians routinely apostille children's birth certificates, school records, and adoption paperwork.
Can a company apply?
Yes. Businesses regularly apostille incorporation documents, certificates of good standing, and commercial agreements. Just enter the company representative's contact details on the order.
Ready to apply?