What Is an Apostille?
A government-issued certificate that proves your U.S. document is genuine — so it’s accepted in another country.
An apostille certifies that the signature, seal, or stamp on a U.S. public document is real. It’s issued under the 1961 Hague Convention, and any country that joined the Convention agrees to accept apostilled U.S. documents without further legalization.
Apostille vs. Authentication — Which Do You Need?
The destination country determines which one you need.
Apostille
For Hague Convention countries:
Mexico · Germany · France · UK · Italy · Brazil · South Korea · Japan · Spain · Netherlands · Australia · Argentina · Colombia · India (joined 2023) · Philippines · and more.
Authentication + Legalization
For Non-Hague countries:
China · UAE · Saudi Arabia · Qatar · Kuwait · Egypt · Vietnam · Pakistan · most of sub-Saharan Africa.
Not sure which list your country is on? Call us — we check before you pay.
Who Issues the Apostille
State-Issued Documents
Birth certificates, marriage certificates, diplomas, Articles of Incorporation. Apostilled by that state’s Secretary of State. Kansas docs go through the Kansas SOS in Topeka.
Federal Documents
FBI background checks, federal court records, U.S. passport copies. Apostilled by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.
County Documents
Some court records and vital records. Often need state-level certification first before apostille.
Do NOT Notarize Federal Documents Before Apostille
FBI background checks and other federal documents should not be notarized before being submitted for apostille. Notarizing first can invalidate the submission and force you to start over. If a notary already stamped your FBI report, call us at 316-265-9930 before sending anything to D.C.
How Long an Apostille Takes
APB Notary tracks every submission. We’ll give you a realistic timeline before you commit.
How APB Notary Handles It
Free document review
Send us photos or scans. We confirm everything meets requirements before you pay.
Fees disclosed separately
Kansas charges $10/doc. Other states vary. Federal fees vary. Always quoted separately from our service fee.
Three service tiers
Standard, Rush, or Expedited — to match how fast you need it.
End-to-end handling
We prepare, submit, track, and return the apostilled documents to you.
Free Document Review — Before You Pay
Send us photos or scans. We confirm everything meets requirements and quote total cost (government fees disclosed separately) before you commit a dollar.
Related: Apostille & Authentication services · How to Apostille · Step-by-step KS guide
Contact APB Notary
📍 1901 E. 21st Street North, Wichita, KS 67214