Apostille and Embassy legalization services in the State of New York and nationwide, for documents intended for international use.
Highest standards, timely, secure and confidential manner.
Document retrieval, including certified copies with Hague apostilles of marriage certificates, divorce records, corporate registration documents, certificates of good standing, etc.
In the State of New York, as in all U.S. states, an apostille is a separate page attached to the document by an eyelet. It is signed by a Deputy Secretary of State (facsimile signature) and has a blue Seal of the Department of State of the State of New York.
New York apostille: $175
Processing time: app. 1-1,5 weeks + mail
Please complete the Order Form and mail it with your original document(s) to
If you are sending your document(s) from a foreign country, please use FedEx, DHL, UPS or TNT, and email the tracking number so that we can watch for your package.
No hidden fees.
Our guarantee: If we are unable to get your documents apostilled or legalized, we will issue a 100% refund, we do not keep any service fees.
Free document evaluation
Want to double check before shipping your document? Email a copy for a free evaluation.
New York apostille guidelines and tips (personal documents)
Birth certificates (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island):
- must be issued by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
- must be signed by one of the following City Registrars: STEVEN P. SCHWARTZ * IRENE A. SCANLON * EARLENE PRICE * IRWING MELLON * GRETCHEN VAN WYE, PhD
- Borth short and long form birth certificates are acceptable for apostilles
- Old birth certificates are acceptable if they are signed by one of the above listed City Registrars
- No letter of exemplification is required.
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Death certificates (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island):
- must be issued by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
- must be signed by one of the following City Registrars: STEVEN P. SCHWARTZ * IRENE A. SCANLON * EARLENE PRICE * IRWING MELLON * GRETCHEN VAN WYE, PhD
- Old death certificates are acceptable if they are signed by one of the above listed City Registrars
- No letter of exemplification is required.
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Marriage certificates (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island):
- must be issued by the NYC Marriage Bureau
- must be signed by one of the following City Clerks: Michael McSweeney (City Clerk) * Carlos Cuevas (City Clerk) * David N. Dinkins (City Clerk) * Victor L Robles (City Clerk)
- Both short and long (extended) form marriage certificates are eligible for apostilles.
- Read more about apostille requirements for NYC marriage certificates....
- Order a NYC marriage certificate with an apostille online...
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Birth, marriage and death certificates (from outside the five boroughs of New York City) should be issued
- either by the New York State Department of Health or
- by City or Town Registrar.
The apostille requirements for locally issued certificates vary greatly. Please email a copy for a free evaluation.
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Divorce records should be certified copies issued by the court in the county where the divorce was registered.
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Notarized documents (powers of attorney, affidavits, consent letters, etc) should be properly notarized. The notary should use the acknowledgment or jurat basically of the following form:
Criminal record checks issued by the NYS Office of Court Administration:
- should be accompanied by an original letter signed by the OCA Court Analyst
- These documents do not need to be notarized.
- Read more about the state issued criminal background checks...
- Order a NYS background check with an apostille online...
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School transcripts and diplomas:
- should be certified by the school official (principal, regeistrar, etc.)
- the signature of the school official should be properly notarized by a New York notary public
Read more about the preparation of New York transcripts and diplomas for foreign use...
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NYS Abstracts of Driving Record:
- must be issued by the State of New York Department of Motor Vehicles in Albany
- signed by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.
- Both original documents and copies qualify for New York apostilles
- Abstracts of Driving Record do not need to be notarized or certified in any way.
Read more about obtaining and legalizing NYS Abstracts of Driving Record...
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Copies of passports and IDs:
How to prepare a copy of your passport, ID for an apostille or embassy legalization?
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Certified copies of documents issued by the Civil Court of New York county (e.g. Name Change Petitions) should have an original signature of the Court official. It requires extra time (app. 1-2 additional weeks)
Can a New York apostille be verified?
Yes. We offer New York free apostille verification service. You will need to provide the apostille number and the date of issue. We will check if the apostille was in fact issued by the New York Secretary of State.
Can a New York apostille be rejected by a foreign country because it is a separate page, and not a stamp?
No. According to the Brochure called ABCs of Apostilles issued by the Hague Apostille Conference,
Apostilles may be affixed by various means, including rubber stamps, self-adhesive stickers, impressed seals, etc.
If an Apostille is placed on an allonge (which means a "separate page'), this page can be attached to the underlying public document by a variety of means, including glue, grommets, staples, ribbons, wax seals, etc.
Failure to affix an Apostille in a particular manner is not a basis for refusing the Apostille.
Can a New York apostille be issued for a document in a language other than English?
Yes, the document may be in a foreign language, however (IMPORTANT!) the notarial statement must be in English.
How are apostilles affixed to documents in the State of New York?
The State of New York uses metal eyelets to attach apostilles to documents. An eyelet can be placed in the upper left corner or in the upper right corner of an apostille. There is no other means to attach apostilles to documents in the State of New York. Your document cannot be rejected because foreign authorities expect an apostille to look different or to be attached to a document in a different manner, e.g. to be ribboned or glued to the document.
What is "proper notarization" in the State of New York?
In the State of New York, before a notarized document is submitted for an apostille, it needs to be authenticated by the county clerk's office. Basically the county clerk confirms the signature of the notary public who notarized the document.
There are a number reasons why a notarized document can be rejected by the county clerk's office. Here are the three most common reasons why your document can be rejected:
(1) The notarization is missing the venue
State of New York )
) ss.:
County of . . . . . . . )
(2) The notarization is missing acknowledgment or jurat. Below are sample New York State acknowledgment and jurat.
Sample Certificate of Acknowledgment:
State of New York )
) ss.:
County of . . . . . . . )
On the . . . . . . day of . . . . . . in the year 20 . . . . before me, the undersigned, personally appeared . . . . . ., personally known to me or proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the individual(s) whose name(s) is (are) subscribed to the within instrument and acknowledged to me that he/she/they executed the same in his/her/their capacity(ies),
_______________ [Notary stamp]
Notary Signature
[Notary's name] Date:
Notary Public, State of New York
Registration.....
Qualified in ....... County
My commission expires ...
Sample Jurat
State of New York )
) ss.:
County of . . . . . . . )
Subscribed and sworn to before me this ........ day of ........, 20 ......
_______________ [Notary stamp]
Notary Signature
[Notary's name] Date:
Notary Public, State of New York
Registration.....
Qualified in ....... County
My commission expires ...
(3) The signature of the notary is different as compared to the sample signature filed with the county clerk's office. Please tell the notary that your document is intended for a New York apostille, and will be taken to the county clerk's office.
Notaries public are commissioned in their counties of residence. The county clerk maintains a record of the commission and sample signature. The public may then access this record and verify the “official” signature of the notary at the county clerk’s office. However, the signature of the notary can be verified only if it looks the same as the sample signature. The county clerk actually compares the signatures. In some counties the image of the signature is in the computer (Kings county), other counties (including NYC, Nassau and many others) still use the old fashioned card system.
The above three reasons for failure to complete the first step of the apostille procedure are not all-inclusive. There are many more. Please email your document for a free evaluation, and we will tell you if your document is properly notarized and qualifies for a New York apostille or embassy legalization.
