State Apostille

Happy Holidays 2023

December 21, 2023 by admin

As the year draws to a close, we wanted to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for your continued support and trust in our services. It has been a pleasure serving you, and we truly appreciate the opportunity to be a part of your journey.

This holiday season, we want to extend our warmest wishes to you and your loved ones. May your days be filled with joy, laughter, and the warmth of cherished moments. We hope this festive season brings you peace, happiness, and the company of those who matter most.

Thank you for being a valued part of our community. Your satisfaction and success drive us to continually improve and strive for excellence. We look forward to serving you in the coming year and beyond.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a prosperous New Year!

We will be closed the following days:

December 25, 2023, December 26, 2023, January 1, 2024, and January 2, 2024.

How to Apostille Your FBI Background Check

December 14, 2023 by admin

How to Apostille Your FBI Background Check

One of the easiest ways to apostille your FBI background check is to contact an FBI Channeler and submit your fingerprints at a local live scan (fingerprint) location. Results are typically provided within 1-2 business days and can be sent to you by email in PDF format or by regular mail. The only downside to the FBI background check is the lengthy processing time at the US Department of State in Washington DC.

Yes, after almost four years since the pandemic started, the US Department of State is still taking up to twelve weeks to complete most US federal documents. For the FBI background check, it’s currently about six weeks but it can take longer depending on how busy they get!

So in once sense it’s easy to obtain the FBI background check (even if you’re in an foreign country) but on the other hand you have to wait quite a bit of time for the FBI background check to receive the apostille through the Department of State in DC. As of this article, the estimated processing time is six weeks. We have seen it done sooner than six weeks as as long as 12 weeks. Prior to the pandemic, the processing time was only four business days. Next March, and four years later after the start of the pandemic, the US Department of State is still struggling to catch up to a reasonable processing time and there is no time-frame on when they plan to open their counter desk for walk in service (even after making promises to do so over and over again). Therefore, we expect delays to continue into 2024.

If you plan to mail in your FBI background check directly to the U.S. Department of State, please note that they no longer answer their phone nor respond to emails anymore. Don’t bother completing their online form – they don’t respond. In fact, they removed their support line from their website mid-2023 during the busiest time of the year. We experienced this first hand when they stopped responding to our emails in mid-2023. Also, countless customers have expressed their concerns in reaching a live person since mid-2023. If you do mail in your documents to the Department of State, please note that they can take up to twelve weeks. As their saying goes, “you’ll know your documents are done when you receive them”.

Countries like Spain, Portugal, Ukraine, Israel, and China will ask for you to obtain a background check from the FBI. Some countries might make an exception and accept a background check from the local Police, Sheriff, State, etc.. More details here: Background Check Apostille. Please note that an FBI background check does not expire. Most countries will accept an FBI background check with the apostille if received within six months of issue. Please double check!

We recommend that you first check with your contact in the foreign country to find out what is acceptable before you get started. When ready, contact our office for the most up-to-date estimated processing time and cost.

Office Hours: Monday – Saturday 9am – 6pm
Toll-Free: 1-800-903-2470
Int’l Callers: 1-771-888-1448
support@nationalapostille.com

Obtaining an apostille on your background check can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the apostille process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

Our staff is available Monday-Saturday from 9am to 6pm to answer your questions and provide you easy to follow-step-by-step instructions. Please call us at 1-800-903-2470.

Click on the download image to your left to get started. Our apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

China Apostille

November 6, 2023 by admin

China will join the Hague Apostille Convention on November 7, 2023.

If you need to apostille your documents for China, you will only need the state apostille starting November 7, 2023. For Federal documents, the apostille issued by the US Department of State will be sufficient for China. You will no longer need China Embassy or Consulate legalization services.

On March 8, 2022, China officially acceded to the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, also known as the “Apostille Convention”. This will save time and costs for companies and individuals, as foreign documents for use in China will no longer need to undergo multiple rounds of authentication by different authorities (AKA Legalization Process).

An Apostille is simply the name for a specialized certificate, issued by the Secretary of State. The Apostille is attached to your original document to verify it is legitimate and authentic so it will be accepted in one of the countries who are members of the Hague Apostille Convention (see below).

In the United States, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Federal Government (US Department of State – Office of Authentication) can issue an Apostille. In total, the United States can issue 52 different apostilles.

Starting November 7, 2023, China will be a member of the Hague Apostille Convention and any official document destined for this country requires an apostille from the Secretary of State’s office. We can process documents issued from all 50 U.S. states, District of Columbia, and the U.S. Federal Government for the country of China.

The purpose of the Hague Apostille Convention is to create a simplified method of “authenticating” documents for universal recognition. An apostille certifies the official who signed your documents (Example: State official, County Clerk, Notary Public, Superior Court, FBI, U.S. Federal District Court, etc…)

Office Hours: 8am – 7pm Monday – Saturday
Customer Support: 1-800-903-2470
Email: China@nationalapostille.com

Obtaining an apostille for China can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the apostille process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

Our staff is available Monday-Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and provide you easy to follow-step-by-step instructions. Please call us at 1-800-903-2470.

Click the PDF download image to get started. Our apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

Driver’s License Apostille

July 29, 2023 by admin

Do you need to apostille a driver’s license? Are you looking for information on how to apostille a driver’s license?

The most popular countries we apostille a driver’s license for are South Korea, Portugal, Costa Rica, and India. For South Korea and Portugal, you may be able to swap out your license for a foreign driver’s license which may save you time and money.

For most people who need to apostille a color copy of their license, the purpose is to prove residency in the United States. For example, the country of India may ask for you to apostille a color copy of your driver’s license to prove that you are a resident of the United States.

We can apostille a driver’s license issued from all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For countries who are non-members of the Hague Apostille Convention, we can also process your driver’s license through the U.S. Department of State and the Embassy or Consulate office (legalization process).

Step 1: The first step is to find a notary near you who will be able to assist in notarizing a color copy of your driver’s license. In order for the notary to notarize your signature, you will need to write the following statement on the color copy: “I certify that this true copy of my driver license”. Please sign under your statement, print your name, and date the document. The notary will then include the notarial wording, signature, and notary seal/stamp. In some states, a notary may also certify the copy without your signature.

Please note that a driver’s license issued from the State of California must also be notarized in California and receive the California apostille. Please be sure to notarize your driver license in the state of issue.

Step 2: Mail in the original notarized color copy of your driver’s license with our order forms for processing.

Obtaining an apostille on a notarized color copy of a driver’s license can be complicated and time-consuming. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the apostille process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

Our staff is available Monday-Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and provide you easy to follow-step-by-step instructions. Please call us at 1-800-903-2470.

Click the PDF download image to get started. Our apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

Travel Consent Apostille

July 26, 2023 by admin

Are you looking to apostille a Travel Consent Letter?

National Apostille streamlines the process of obtaining an apostille for your notarized travel consent letter in all 50 states and Washington DC.

The purpose of signing a travel consent letter is to allow your minor child to travel outside of the country with another person (Example: Father, Mother, Grandparents, Aunt, Uncle, etc..). You can obtain a travel consent letter from the airline, travel agency, or you can find a sample online.

The letter will need to state that you are giving permission to one or more people to take your child outside of the country. The letter should include travel dates, your name, the name of the child, the person the child will travel with, the country the child will travel too, passport numbers, and the return date. You will want to put as much information as possible include airline information.

The travel consent letter will need to be signed and notarized by the person giving permission. Once the document has been notarized, it can then be mailed in to our office for processing.

Frequently Asked Questions for a travel consent letter:

Q: Do you have a sample of a travel consent letter?

A: Airlines and cruise ships can provide samples, or you can find one online.

Q: Why do I need to apostille the travel consent letter?

A: It’s a requirement for allowing your child to travel abroad. Both parents may need to provide permission based on the travel arrangement.

Q: Can I apostille a travel consent letter notarized in a different state?

A: No, you can only apostille the letter in the state where it was signed and notarized. If multiple states are involved, each requires its own apostille.

Obtaining an apostille can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the apostille process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

Our staff is available Monday-Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and provide you easy to follow-step-by-step instructions. Please call us at 1-800-903-2470.

Click the PDF download image to get started. Our apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.