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JPJamina PachecoNotary Public

Apostilles

The apostille is issued by the Florida Department of State. My job is to prepare the document so it isn't sent back.

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An apostille certifies that the signature of the notary or public official on a document is genuine. Countries party to the Hague Convention accept it as sufficient to recognize a foreign document.

The most common failure is a badly notarized source document: an incomplete notarial certificate, a notary name that doesn't match the commission, or a copy the state can't certify. Any of those gets the request returned and costs you weeks.

I prepare and notarize the document in the format the Department of State requires, and walk you through how to submit it, what it costs and how long it usually takes.

How the process works

  1. 1

    We identify the document type

    A private document (power of attorney, affidavit) follows a different path than a public one (birth certificate, university diploma).

  2. 2

    I prepare the notarization

    I use the notarial certificate the state recognizes and verify that every detail matches.

  3. 3

    Submit to the Department of State

    I hand you a ready package with the form, the address and the correct payment.

  4. 4

    You receive the apostille

    The state returns the document with the apostille attached, ready to use in the destination country.

Questions about this service

Do you issue the apostille?

No. The Florida Department of State issues it. I notarize and prepare the document so the request isn't rejected, and explain exactly how to submit it.

Can I apostille a birth certificate from another country?

Not through Florida. The apostille is issued by the country that issued the document. Florida only apostilles documents issued or notarized in Florida.

How long does it take?

Department of State turnaround varies by season and submission method. I'll give you the current estimate when we prepare your document.

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