Apostille and authentication

Birth, marriage, and other personal records for studying, working, marrying, or living abroad, or for dual nationality.

Documents your clients need recognized in another country. We follow your office's instructions and return the documents as you ask.

Business records and signed corporate documents for international partners, banks, and government offices.

Most countries accept an apostille from the North Carolina Secretary of State. The Hague Conference keeps the official, current list of member countries.

For countries outside the Hague Convention, the document usually needs an authentication certificate instead, often followed by a step with that country's embassy or consulate. Ask the office receiving your document what it requires; we'll explain the steps.

A certified copy issued in North Carolina by the county Register of Deeds or North Carolina Vital Records. Photocopies can't be apostilled.

For example, a divorce decree or name change order: a certified copy from the clerk of the court that issued it.

Usually a school official signs a statement about the document in front of a notary first. Ask your school's registrar; we can notarize the official's signature.

Certificates and certified filings from the North Carolina Secretary of State can be apostilled as issued. Other company documents, such as resolutions, are usually signed in front of a notary first.

Affidavits, powers of attorney, single status statements, and permission for a minor to travel: signed in front of a North Carolina notary first, then apostilled.

FBI background checks, naturalization certificates, and other federal records are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State, not North Carolina. We can help you send them.

We prepare the request to the Secretary of State with you, so nothing is missing.

We print what needs signing and scan the finished documents for your records.

We can send documents by overnight shipping or deliver them by hand, including to the Secretary of State's office in Raleigh.

Public documents from North Carolina, such as certified birth, marriage, and death certificates, court documents, and documents notarized by a North Carolina notary. Documents from other states go to that state; federal documents go to the U.S. Department of State.

The North Carolina Secretary of State sets its own processing times. We'll tell you what to expect when you send your request.

The country or office that will receive it decides. Ask them before you start, so everything is ready at once.

Apostille handling is a non-notarial service, quoted before we start. The state's fee is separate.