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Which kind of apostille and authentication service should I choose?

Updated: Apr 28

Many of our clients have questions about the service type they should choose. To determine which kind of apostille and authentication service you need to order online, it is essential to have a clear understanding of your document type and the country in which the document will be used.


Usually, if the document is issued in the U.S. or by the U.S. authorities, and will be used in another country, a certification process will be required before its use. The certification process may be called an Apostille, Authentication (Great Seal), and Legalization.


Depending on the document type and the destination country, one or more of the above processes could be required.


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1. Documents issued by a state, local agency, or a local notary public.

Examples of state/local documents and documents notarized by a notary public include:

  • Birth Certificates

  • Marriage Certificates

  • Death Certificates

  • Divorce Certificates/Decrees

  • Probate Wills

  • Judgments

  • Local Court Documents

  • Powers-of-Attorney

  • Single Status Affidavit

  • Affidavit of One and The Same Person

  • Gift Affidavit

  • Other Affidavits

  • Waiver of Inheritance

  • Petition for Name Change at a local court

  • Copy of a U.S. Passport (identification page only)

  • Deeds of Assignment

  • Diplomas

  • Transcripts

  • Home Study

  • Income Verification

  • Background Check by a local police department

  • Agreements

  • Articles of Incorporation

  • Bylaws

  • Board Resolution

  • Shareholder's Resolution

  • Commercial Invoices

  • Other business documents

The above is a non-exhaustive list.

1.1 State/local documents used in a Hague Apostille Country

1.2 State/local documents used in a Non-Hague Apostille Country

2. Documents issued by a federal agency or notarized by a U.S. Consular Officer.

Examples of federally-issued documents and documents notarized by a U.S. Consular Officer include:

  • Animal/Plant Certifications (issued by U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA)

  • Animal Health certifications (issued by USDA)

  • FBI – Background check (issued by U.S. Department of Justice, or DoJ)

  • U.S. Federal Court Documents check (issued by DoJ)

  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court check (issued by DoJ)

  • Immigration Certifications (issued by U.S. Department of Homeland Security)

  • Certificate of Foreign Governments (issued by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS)

  • Certificate of Pharmaceutical/Export (issued by HHS)

  • Trademark (issued by U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)

  • Other documents issued by Environmental Protection Agency, Social Security Administration, or Office of Personnel Management

  • Petition for Name Change (issued by the U.S. District Court, the Federal Court)

  • Certificate of Naturalization (issued by the USCIS)

  • Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) (issued by the U.S. Department of State)

  • Any documents notarized by a U.S. Consular Officer

The above is a non-exhaustive list.

2.1 Federally-issued documents used in a Hague Apostille Country

2.2 Federally-issued documents used in a Non-Hague Apostille Country


If you have any questions and do not know which service to order, please contact us by describing ① the type of the document, ② which state the doc is from, and ③ in which country the doc will be used, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.




American Notary Service Center Inc. provides fair, fast, confidential, and professional document notarization and certification services for our clients. We also provide various assistance services to small businesses led by socially and economically disadvantaged groups. Our service helps small businesses obtain federal government contracts, gain a foothold in the market, and boost their sales. For more information, please visit our website at www.usnotarycenter.com, and contact us by calling 202-599-0777 or by email at info@usnotarycenter.com.

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