SBK Notary & Document Services
Apostille & Authentication Services
Nationwide coordination for state, territorial, and federal documents intended for use abroad.
What Is an Apostille?
An apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document for use in another country. It verifies the signature, the signer’s official capacity, and, when applicable, the seal or stamp on the document. It does not certify the document’s contents or determine whether the receiving authority will accept it.
Hague Convention Countries
Documents used in a country participating in the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention generally receive an apostille from the appropriate authority in the place where the document originated.
Non-Hague Countries
Documents used in a country outside the Convention generally require an authentication certificate and may also require embassy or consular legalization. Requirements vary by destination and document type.
Nationwide Apostille Coordination
SBK Notary assists with apostille and authentication requests across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Whether your document originated in Texas, California, Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, Guam, or another U.S. jurisdiction, we coordinate with the appropriate commissioning, records, state, territorial, or federal authority.
The issuing location—not the client’s current location—usually determines where the document must be processed.
State & Territorial Documents
Common examples include certified birth, death, and marriage records; court and adoption records; notarized powers of attorney and affidavits; diplomas and transcripts; and eligible state or territorial business records.
Federal Documents
Common examples include FBI identity-history summaries, federal court records, documents issued by federal agencies, documents signed by eligible federal officials, and certain military or consular documents. Federal documents are generally processed through the U.S. Department of State rather than a state office.
How the Process Works
- Document review: We identify where the document originated, its destination country, and whether an apostille or authentication process is appropriate.
- Preparation: We explain required originals, certified copies, notarization, supporting forms, fees, and shipping.
- Coordination: We submit or coordinate submission with the appropriate state, territorial, or federal authority and applicable third parties.
- Status and return: We monitor available updates, communicate estimated timing, and coordinate return delivery.
Processing Times & Agency Delays
Government processing times are estimates and may change without notice. SBK Notary does not control state, territorial, federal, embassy, consular, courier, or receiving-agency timelines. We review currently published guidance and recent conditions to provide a reasonable estimated completion or return date, but no processing or delivery date is guaranteed.
Federal processing may take several weeks. Expedited availability, appointment access, mailing time, document corrections, holidays, agency backlogs, destination-country requirements, and return shipping can affect the final timeline.
Before You Submit a Request
- Know the country where the document will be used.
- Confirm the state, territory, federal agency, court, or authority that issued the document.
- Do not alter, detach, laminate, or remove staples, seals, ribbons, certificates, or supporting pages.
- Do not notarize a vital record unless the responsible authority specifically requires an eligible notarized statement.
- Ask the receiving organization whether translation, embassy legalization, certified copies, or additional supporting documents are required.
SBK Notary provides document coordination and notarial services and does not provide legal advice or guarantee acceptance by a government, embassy, consulate, school, employer, court, or other receiving organization.
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Ready to Authenticate Your Documents?
Tell us where your document originated and where it will be used. We will help identify the appropriate next steps.