Frequently Asked Questions:

Apostille is a French word which literally means "to certify."  The term is used to refer to the legalization of a document for international use under the terms of the 1961 Hague Convention abolishing the requirement of legalization separately, of each single nation for Foreign Public Documents.  All countries which adhere to the treaty have agreed to recognize the legalized documents from the locality from which it is being submitted.

In most circumstances, an Apostille is needed for any legal transactions wherein a document from one county must be presented in an another, as part of the legal process.  Often, these involve business transactions but are regularly becoming more common for documents related to property dealings and estates of deceased individuals with assets overseas.  Some of the most common documents requiring an Apostille are Power of Attorneys, Official Records (i.e. birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc), and passports.  The requirement of an Apostille is a benefit to you in that you are verified as the signer of the document by state certified Notary Public thus detering fraud or you being defrauded.

Why Should I Choose Your Service?

A-1 Apostille has been assisting Californians with the process of obtaining Apostilles since 2009.  We have processed litterally thousands of documents for clients over the years.  We also guarantee the best rates and fastest service to our clients compared to our competitors with a 100% money back guarantee.  By using our service, you save time and money.  If you were to mail the documents yourself to the Secretary of State, they are currently running 4 - 6 weeks processing time versus our processing time of 5 to 6 business days.

Why are your rates so low compared to your competitors?

We deal in volume, therefore, we can pass along these discounted rates to our customers.  If you find a rate lower than our advertised price per document, with comparable service, let us know and we will refund you the difference.

Are my documents safe to mail in?

Yes, they are.  We would highly suggest using a trackable service such as USPS Priority Mail, UPS or FedEX to mail in your documents so we can track their location.  All documents are returned to you using Priority Mail or FedEX, depending on the service option you choose.

Is your online order form same in protecting my information?

Yes, our online order for is SSL encrypted to protect your information so you can rest assured that your information is safe and will not be shared with any other parties.

What documents are acceptable for an Apostille?

We can only accept documents which originated in California. These include California-issued Birth, Marriage, Death and Divorce documents, as well as any other documents which have been notarized by a California Notary Public. If your document is from another state or country, we cannot process it through the California Secretary of State’s Office.  The California Secretary of State will only authenticate signatures on documents issued in the State of California signed by a California notary public or the following public officials and their deputies:

• County Clerks or Recorders
• Court Administrators of the Superior Court
• Executive Clerks of the Superior Court
• Officers whose authority is not limited to any particular county
• Executive Officers of the Superior Court
• Judges of the Superior Court
• State Officials

With vital records such as Birth, Death or Marriage Certificates, they have to be Certified Copies issued by the appropriate county clerks office and cannot be more than 20 years old in order for an Apostille to be issued.

How long does it take for you to process the Apostille?

Standard processing orders are returned within 5 to 6 business days of receipt (excluding weekends and holidays). Express processing orders are returned within one business day of receipt (excluding weekends and holidays). (Currently Unavailable due to COVID-19 slowdowns)

Are "Information Only" Cerified Copies of Vital Records acceptable for Apostille certification?

Yes, even if the California Vital Record is an 'Informational Copy" only, it may still be submitted for an Apostille if it is an original issued by the appropriate county clerk or registrar.

Are photocopies of notarized Vital Records documents accepted by the Secretary of State for Apostille?

Photocopies are not acceptable.  The Vital Document must be an original issued by either the appropriate State or County office or must have an original notarization certificate attached by a licensed California Notary Public.

How long is an Apostille valid for?

There is no expiration on an Apostille issued by the State of California.

Can you ship documents overseas for me?

Yes, we can ship your Apostilled documents overseas for you if you wish however, you would be responsible for these shipping charges as our fees only cover domestic shipping within the United States.  To determine how much the shipping charges may be, you can check via:

FedEx.com

USPS.com

Can you order copies of Vital Records for us such as Birth Certificates so we can get the Apostille?

Yes, we can order Certified Copies of Vital Records from all California counties on your behalf for an additional fee of $69.00 per document requested.  Please contact us directly for additional information.  If we order the records for you, they will be shipped directly to us for the processing of the Apostille Certification and, upon completion, shipped back to you.

What are the most popular countries for requesting an Apostille

The 10 most popular countries Apostilles are requested for are:  Mexico, Armenia, Israel, Venezuala, Argentina, Costa Rica, Russia, Bulgaria, United Kingdom, and El Salvador.

• Albania
• Andorra
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina
• Armenia
• Australia
• Austria
• Azerbajian
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Belize
• Bosnia and Herzogovina
• Botswana
• Brazil
• Brunei
• Bulgaria
• China (Hong Kong)
• China (Macau)
• Columbia
• Cook Islands
• Costa Rica
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• Estonia
• Fiji
• Finland 
• France
• Georgia
• Germany 
• Greece
• Grenada
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Hungary
• Iceland
• India
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Japan
• Kazakhstan
• Latvia
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Lichtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxumbourg
• Macedonia
• Malta 
• Malawi
• Marshall Islands
• Mauritius
• Mexico
• Moldova
• Monaco
• Montenegro
• Namibia
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Niue
• Norway
• Oman
• Panama
• Peru
• Philippines
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Russian Federation
• St. Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Samoa
• San Marino
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Serbia
• Seychelles
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Spain
• Suriname
• Swaziland
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Tonga
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Turkey
• Ukraine
• United Kingdom (Great Britain)
• Uruguay
• Vanuatu
• Venezuela