Frequently asked questions

An Apostille is a certificate issued by a country's government verifying the authenticity of a government official's signature and seal on a document. Apostilles are used in foreign countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty. An apostille certificate is attached to an original document to validate that it is legitimate and authentic.

For countries not members of the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty, an  Authentication is a certificate issued by their government verifying the authenticity of the government official's signature and seal for use in a foreign country. Documents requested by these countries require several steps to complete that may include state, federal, and embassy attestation/legalization.

• For apostille services, we can receive your original document at our Lanham, MD office (by appointment only, no walk-ins) or mail it in with our convenient next-day prepaid shipping label. 
• For notary services, we provide in-office and mobile notary* appointments. Our remote online notary appointments provide you with the ultimate convenience in the comfort of your home, office, or car--using your mobile phone or laptop! 

*Location restrictions apply for mobile services.

We offer standard and expedited processing times ranging from 1-7 business days for Maryland state apostilles. Out-of-state apostilles, federal apostilles, and authentications may take longer. Call us for the most up-to-date estimated processing times*. 

Current Processing Times

Apostille Services in Maryland:

• Expedited: 1-3 Business Days 
• Standard: 5-7 Business Days

Apostille Services Outside of Maryland:

• Processing times vary; please contact us for your specific state

Federal Services:

• Expedited: 7 Business Days 
• Standard: 5 Weeks

Authentication Services for Non-Hague Countries:

• Expedited: as fast as 7 Business Days
• Standard: 5 Weeks

Submit your apostille order (En español) today! 

*Document processing starts the day after documents are received in our office, assuming no document deficiencies. Document deficiencies include outdated records, invalid signatures, incorrect notarizations, photocopies, etc.

Depending on the service level, our processing fees range from $250 to $425 for the first document and $95-$125 for each additional document. We also offer document translation and international shipping services for an additional fee. To determine the cost of your specific apostille request, please give us a call at (301) 744-0240 or request a Free Apostille Quote and we will provide you with customized pricing!

We apostille documents for business, marriage, real estate transactions, power of attorney, foreign citizenship, passports, burials, school enrollment, employment, and much more! 

Here are some of our most frequently requested documents:

• Power of Attorney (General and Special)
• Birth Certificate
• Marriage Certificate
• Death Certificate
• FBI Background Check
• Divorce Decree
• Articles of Incorporation
• State Police Record/Background Check
• Trusts, Wills, Estate Plans
• Travel Authorization/Minor Consent Letter
• School Documents (Diploma, School Transcript, and Enrollment Verification Letter)
• Affidavit

No. Only ORIGINAL documents are accepted for apostille certifications. We can help you obtain notarizations and order new certified copies of birth certificates,  marriage certificates, FBI background checks, etc. For a preliminary review, upload images of your documents on our Free Apostille Quote.

We offer document mail-in using a prepaid shipping label we provide or in-person drop-off at our office. Mail-in requests are shipped using a 100% insured and tracked prepaid shipping label provided to you. Domestic return shipping is included with all apostille services!

Document requirements vary depending on the government entity:

MARYLAND STATE DOCUMENTS:

Notarized documents can be written in another language, but the notarial wording must be in English. Signers' full names must match their government-issued identification.

OUT-OF-STATE DOCUMENTS: 

Requirements vary for documents issued in other states. Please give us a call for specific state requirements.

FEDERAL AND NON-HAGUE DOCUMENTS: 

For documents issued by a federal agency or documents going to a country that is a member of the 1961 Hague Convention, a notarized English translation of the document must accompany the original document. This is a requirement for all documents being processed with the US Department of State. 

Payment is required before services are rendered. Maryland Prime Notary & Apostille accepts credit and debit card payments. 

Countries that are members of the Hague Convention require an apostille. 

HAGUE APOSTILLE MEMBER COUNTRIES*:

Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,  Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi,  Cambodia,  Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niue, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela.

*This list is subject to change. 

Countries that are not members of the Hague Convention require authentication services. Documents requested by these countries require several steps to complete. 

NON-HAGUE COUNTRIES:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burma Myanmar, Cambodia, Cameroon, Congo Republic, Congo Democratic, Ivory Coast, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar Burma, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Palestine, Qatar, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Togo, Thailand, Turkmenistan, UAE (United Arab Emirates), Uganda, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe. 

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