Sachin
Michelle helped me to file an application for Schengen visa and she was careful and thorough.
2026-10-15
Apostille & embassy legalization service without the hassle
Apostille, authentication and embassy legalization — handled end-to-end in a single order.
1M+ travelers served Your documents are in safe hands 20+ years of expertise Hague Apostille & non-Hague legalization
Customer reviews — independently verified by Reviews.io
EXCELLENTSteven D
Fast. Efficient . Thorough. Very helpful. Great price. Excellent human customer service. I highly recommend this company. I received my visa quickly.
2026-10-15
Aishling
Michelle was absolutely fantastic! She helped me with two expedited passports and made what could have been a stressful process feel seamless from start to finish. She wa…
2026-10-13
Max
I have to admit, support i received from judelyn.zapico of VisaHQ was above and beyond . Due to complicity of the visa process of this country (for American passport hold…
2026-10-13
Anonymous
Professional, knowledgeable, quick to respond to my questions or concerns. Patience when I am impatient re: consulates and their processes. Five stars!
2026-10-08
Jesus
Easy to follow directions
2026-10-07
Henry Z
Communication is very good up dates on every steps
2026-10-05
Anonymous
I cannot thank Brigete Gravino enough for her absolutely incredible work! I was in a complete panic with an expired passport and a trip to Europe hanging in the balance.…
2026-10-02
Kholekile K
I received top notch experience from a lady called Jennelyn. She: - was very informative - responded promptly - was very polite - was vey patient with me Thank you Jenn
2026-09-30
Anonymous
visaHQ agent is very responsive and effective in handling my case and is key to the reason that I can successfully get an interview appointment and finally get the visa I…
2026-09-24
Edmar
Fast and Excellent! I used this service twice , Russia and now China, with ease no problem
2026-09-20
Anonymous
Michelle Rovan was super helpful and efficient; the process could not have gone any smoother. I really appreciate the support and timeliness and look forward to working w…
2026-09-18
Moses A
VisaHQ was so helpful to getting my Australia visa done. There support was timely. i was particularly impressed by them working through the weekend making sure the visa i…
2026-09-15
Friedrich R
I had seval problems when trying to apply for an eTA for Kenia. in the mid of the application process the system did not accept my flight number so that I couId not conti…
2026-09-14
Anonymous
I recently got a visa to Pakistan, the team helped me so much. I was very thankful. It helped by being able to speak to them on what's app during my buy life. Thank you v…
2026-09-08
Anonymous
I had several "issues" with which I needed assistance, today. Rhea was able to uncover the cause of the issues, resolve the issues, and guide me through my next steps wit…
2026-08-26
Anonymous
Quick and efficient service! Amazing!
2026-08-24
Donald K
The service that Jenny provided was invaluable. If it wasn’t for her we would not have received the visa for travel. She is a true professional and extremely knowledgeabl…
2026-08-22
Hadin M
The staff that assisted me Judelyn was very helpful and clear and concise with the instructions and answered all of my questions.
2026-08-22
Shahid
This is a very user friendly , efficient on line service. as soon as i had registered , i was contacted almost within the hour by a very friendly , knowledgable and more…
2026-08-21
Soorya
Worked with Michelle Rovan from VisaHQ twice and her services were immensely helpful in getting my business visa within a few days. Her diligence to details and communica…
2026-08-21
Meriem
Good service
2026-08-10
Abhinava
Excellent support by Menna, thinks out of the box and made things happen.
2026-08-06
Klodian
Salve e la seconda volta che usufruisco del loro servizio e sono molto contento con loro ho trovato l'efficienza, rapidità e veramente sono dei professionisti grazie
2026-08-06
Afua
Jaymar provided an in-depth explanation into the various types, duration and documents needed for a visa application effortlessly and passionately. I will definitely reco…
2026-08-05
Soumia
I am always contented w the support i am getting. the team is very knowledgable & reachable
2026-08-03
Joel D
VisaHQ takes the stress out of the process so you can focus on the only thing that matters: acing your interview They handled a last-minute change to my application and s…
2026-07-30
Raphael
Brigete was an awesome key-part of my visa renewal process. She took care of everything from day-1 and watched through the whole process and made it seamlessly. I cannot…
2026-07-28
Anonymous
Inovatif yang luar biasa relevan
2026-07-24
Irene W
We first did our homework and searched a visa provider with some good reviews! We tried two others but VisaHQ responded promptly and efficiently. They answered quickly th…
2026-07-17
Simple 3-step process
How document apostille works — from notarized paperwork to embassy-ready
Skip the government phone trees and shipping runs. We orchestrate every authority involved and ship your legalized documents back to you.
1
Place your order
Use our guided wizard to tell us where your document was notarized and where it's headed. We instantly show the exact chain of authentications required.
2
Forward documents
Mail us your notarized originals with a prepaid label. We handle all state offices, the U.S. Department of State, and the destination country's embassy.
3
Receive legalized docs
Get your fully apostilled or legalized documents back, tracked and ready for official use abroad. Real-time status updates every step of the way.
Why AuthenticationHQ
Why choose our apostille service
Two decades of relationships with state offices, federal agencies, and embassies — translated into speed you can actually see.
Expedited turnaround
Priority handling on every major government channel. Rush service available for urgent deadlines.
Secure chain of custody
Tracked shipping, insured transit, and audit-logged handoffs between every government authority.
Dedicated experts
Call center, live chat, and a personal advisor who actually knows your destination country's quirks.
Itemized, transparent pricing
Every government fee, shipping cost and service charge itemized up-front. No surprises between quote and delivery.
What is legalization?
What is document legalization?
Document legalization is a form of authentication that foreign governments require in order for your paperwork to be accepted across their borders.
Depending on the destination, this could mean a single Hague apostille — or a full multi-step chain through the U.S. Department of State and the destination country's embassy.
Every country has its own requirements, and they change often. Our wizard figures out the exact path for you, so there's no guesswork, no rejected documents, and no second trip to the notary. Contact VisaHQ.
Hague Apostille Embassy legalization Authentication & translation
Documents we frequently legalize 9 common types
- Academic documents, such as degrees and diplomas
- Birth and marriage certificates
- Divorce decrees
- Business contracts
- Certificates of Incorporation
- Certificates of No Impediment
- Documents issued by British Overseas Territories
- Export certificates
- Religious documents, such as baptism certificates
Behind the scenes
Behind embassy legalization: 3 authorities, one provider
Document legalization for non-Hague countries frequently involves your state government, the federal government, and the destination country's embassy. Each has its own forms, fees, and turnaround. We shuttle your paperwork between every step.
State government
State-level authentication from the Secretary of State in the jurisdiction where your document was notarized or issued.
Federal government
U.S. Department of State authentication for documents that require federal-level verification before going abroad. Federal-issued documents, such as FBI or FDA certificates, start at this step.
Embassy legalization
Final legalization by the destination country's embassy or consulate to make the document officially valid there.
Common questions
Apostille FAQ — straight answers, no fine print
The most common questions we get about apostilles, authentication and embassy legalization.
How much does apostille or embassy legalization cost?
The fee depends on the document, the issuing state and the destination country. You see a complete, itemized quote — government fees, our service fee and shipping — before you commit.
What’s the difference between an apostille and embassy legalization?
An apostille is a single certificate that’s accepted by all 120+ Hague Convention countries. Embassy legalization is required by countries outside the Hague Convention — it adds a federal-level authentication and a stamp from the destination country’s embassy. Tell us where the document is going and we’ll tell you which path applies.
How long does apostille or embassy legalization take?
Apostilles typically take 5–10 business days; embassy legalization runs 2–4 weeks depending on the country. Expedited options are available in most states and at the U.S. Department of State. You’ll see a firm timeline before you commit.
Do I need to send the original document, or is a copy allowed?
You need to send either the original notarized document or a Certified Copy — a copy made and notarized by a local notary, which is then accepted by your state’s Secretary of State or at VisaHQ offices. Plain scans or photocopies without notarization are not accepted. If you don’t have an original, we can help you obtain one.
Is my document safe with AuthenticationHQ?
Every document is tracked from the moment it leaves your hands until it’s back in them. We ship via insured couriers, log each hand-off and never leave documents unattended. VisaHQ has handled millions of originals since 2003 without incident.
Do you work with corporate clients on bulk apostille?
Yes. Our business team handles bulk corporate authentication — export certificates, Powers of Attorney, Certificates of Incorporation, FDA certificates — with dedicated account managers, invoicing and custom SLAs. VisaHQ for Business ›
What is an apostille?
Apostille (French for “Certification”) is an internationally recognized verification mechanism. Apostilles certify a document for all 110+ nations who have ratified the Hague Convention, the same way that notarization certifies a document for all 50 US states. It provides a standardized, global framework for authenticating documents across national governments.
So what does “apostille” mean?
Apostille — a stamp or printed form consisting of ten standard numbered fields:
- Country
- This public document has been signed by
- Acting in the capacity of
- Bears the seal/stamp of
- Certified at
- Date
- Number
- Seal/stamp
- Signature
Is notarization of the document necessary for apostille?
Yes — the document will need to be notarized before being sent to your state’s Secretary of State for the apostille, or to any of our VisaHQ locations.
Will a translation of the documents be needed (if being sent to a non-English speaking location)?
Yes in certain instances. Some countries require translations of the document from the local language to English, others might not. Please refer to the listed requirements for the country you will be using the documents in for more information.
What kinds of documents can be apostilled?
The most common types are contracts and licenses — business contracts, export licenses, birth/death certificates, and marriage licenses. Records such as birth certificates, university transcripts, deed pools, name changes, and passports are also commonly apostilled.
Can apostilled documents expire?
No, the apostille itself does not expire. However, many countries will only accept documents that have been apostilled within a certain timeframe, so check the destination country’s requirements before ordering.
Our office
AuthenticationHQ in United States
Our Washington, DC headquarters sits minutes from the U.S. Department of State and every major embassy. Drop off documents in person, ship them to us, or reach the team through whichever channel is easiest.
Washington, DC
VisaHQ headquarters · United States
Office hours Monday — Friday 9:00 am - 5:30 pm ET
Call center Monday — Friday 9:00 am - 8:30 pm ET
Start your apostille or legalization today
Traveling, relocating, or doing business across borders is confusing enough.
If you need a document authenticated, apostilled, or legalized — our team will get it where it needs to go.