Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

What is a Federal Apostille?

A Federal Apostille is a certificate issued exclusively by the US Department of State Office of Authentications, located in Washington, DC. It is required for documents that originate at the federal level — most commonly the FBI Identity History Summary (Background Check), IRS tax transcripts, federal court orders, and documents signed by a federal official such as a US Passport officer. The Hague Apostille Convention, which has been in force in the United States since October 15, 1981, created a standardized single-page certificate that replaced the multi-step legalization chains previously required by foreign governments. A Federal Apostille is the only path accepted by countries such as Germany, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina when the underlying document was issued by a federal authority. The US Department of State Office of Authentications processes tens of thousands of federal apostilles per year; standard turnaround is currently 8–12 weeks, with expedited processing available in approximately 5–9 weeks.

What is a State Apostille?

A State Apostille is issued by the Secretary of State of the US state in which the document was originally issued or notarized. Every US state is authorized under the Hague Apostille Convention to authenticate documents within its own jurisdiction — a California birth certificate is apostilled by the California Secretary of State, while a Texas divorce decree is apostilled by the Texas Secretary of State. Documents commonly processed as state apostilles include birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, divorce decrees, academic diplomas, university transcripts, notarized powers of attorney, and corporate records such as Certificates of Good Standing and Articles of Incorporation. Standard processing times vary by state but typically run 5–10 business days; many states also offer expedited service in 1–3 business days for an additional government fee. Countries such as France, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, and Japan accept state apostilles directly from each Secretary of State.

Do I need both a Federal and a State Apostille?

No — a single document receives one apostille, not both. The determining factor is where the document was issued, not where you live or where it will be used. If the document was issued by a US federal agency — such as the FBI, the IRS, the Department of Homeland Security, or the Department of Veterans Affairs — it must go through the US Department of State Office of Authentications for a federal apostille. If the document was issued or notarized at the state level — such as a birth certificate from the Ohio Department of Health or a diploma certified by a California notary — it goes through that state's Secretary of State for a state apostille. There is no situation where the same document requires both. If you are unsure which path applies to your document, submit a request through Sealward and our team will review your document, confirm the correct authority, and route it accordingly at no extra charge.

How long does an apostille take?

Processing time depends entirely on whether your document requires a state or federal apostille. State apostilles are generally issued by each Secretary of State in 5–10 business days under standard processing, and most states — including California, Texas, New York, and Florida — offer expedited service in 1–3 business days for an additional government fee. Federal apostilles, handled exclusively by the US Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington, DC, currently take 8–12 weeks under standard processing and approximately 5–9 weeks under the expedited track. These timelines are set by the issuing government authority and cannot be shortened by third-party services. FBI Background Check apostilles require an additional step: the FBI Identity History Summary itself must first be obtained, which typically takes 3–4 months via the FBI's own channel. When you submit a request through Sealward, we confirm the current government turnaround for your specific document and state before you pay.

Can I get a digital copy or a physical copy of my apostille?

Yes — you can receive a digital copy, a physical copy, or both, depending on what the destination country and the receiving institution require. An e-Apostille is a digitally signed electronic certificate issued under the Hague Convention's e-APP framework; as of 2026, countries including Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Colombia, Armenia, and several EU member states accept e-Apostilles as legally equivalent to the paper original. A physical apostille is a paper certificate affixed to or attached to your original document; it is accepted by all 125 Hague Convention member countries without exception. When in doubt, we recommend ordering a physical copy, since it is universally accepted and some foreign institutions — particularly in Germany, Japan, and the Gulf states — still require the wet-signature original. Sealward coordinates delivery of physical documents via tracked international courier. Contact us at contact@sealward.com if your destination country has specific requirements.

Which countries accept a US apostille?

As of 2026, the Hague Apostille Convention has 125 member countries that accept a US apostille in place of full embassy legalization — making it the single most recognized document authentication standard in the world. Members include all European Union countries, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Turkey. A US apostille is not accepted by countries that have not joined the Hague Convention, including China, Canada, Egypt, Pakistan, and the UAE; documents destined for those countries require embassy or consular legalization instead, which is a separate multi-step process. Some countries, such as France and Germany, additionally require a certified translation of the apostilled document once it arrives. Tell us your destination country when you submit your Sealward request and we will confirm exactly which authentication path applies and whether a translation will be needed.

What documents can be apostilled?

Sealward apostilles any US-issued document. Federal documents eligible for a US Department of State apostille include the FBI Identity History Summary (Background Check), IRS tax return transcripts, federal court orders, USCIS naturalization certificates, Social Security Administration letters, and documents signed or certified by a federal official. State-level documents eligible for a Secretary of State apostille include birth, marriage, and death certificates; divorce decrees; adoption records; academic diplomas and university transcripts; state court orders; notarized powers of attorney and affidavits; corporate documents such as Articles of Incorporation, Certificates of Formation, Certificates of Good Standing, and Operating Agreements; and documents notarized by a licensed state notary. If your document carries a government-issued seal from a US federal or state authority, it is almost certainly eligible for an apostille. Documents that are not eligible include privately issued letters, medical records from private providers, and contracts between private parties with no government seal.

Is Sealward secure and trustworthy?

Yes. Sealward has been processing US apostille requests since 2023 and has authenticated more than 500 documents for clients across 40+ countries. Every submission is handled with end-to-end document tracking, secure encrypted upload, and a clear chain of custody from the moment you send your document to the moment your apostilled original is returned. We process directly through the US Department of State Office of Authentications and each state's Secretary of State — we do not use secondary brokers or intermediaries that add delay and cost. Our pricing is fully transparent: you receive a detailed quote before you pay, itemized by government fees, courier fees, and our service fee, with no hidden charges. All client data is stored under current data protection practices and handled in compliance with applicable privacy laws. You can reach us at contact@sealward.com for questions, status updates, or to track your order.