Apostille Services · Virginia
Your documents, accepted abroad. We handle Richmond.
When a document from Suffolk or anywhere in Virginia has to be used in another country, it usually needs an apostille, a state certificate proving the document is genuine. Getting one means forms, fees, and a trip through the Secretary of the Commonwealth in Richmond. We do that part for you.
Plain English first
What an apostille actually is.
Think of it as a passport for your paperwork. A foreign government will not take your Virginia birth certificate or power of attorney at face value. The apostille is Virginia officially vouching for the document, in a format most countries have agreed to accept.
You may also hear this called "document authentication" or "legalization." For most countries it is the same certificate, issued in Virginia by 1 office only: the Secretary of the Commonwealth in Richmond. Want the do-it-yourself version first? We wrote the full walkthrough: how to get an apostille in Virginia in 5 steps.
Documents we handle
The usual suspects.
- Birth, marriage, and death certificates
- Diplomas and transcripts
- Powers of attorney for property or family abroad
- Single status affidavits for a marriage overseas
- Adoption and immigration paperwork
- Business documents headed overseas
How it works
You hand us the document. We hand you back the world.
We check what your document needs
Some documents need a fresh notarization first, some need a certified copy from the state, and some are ready as they are. We sort that out before anything gets mailed, so nothing bounces.
We file it in Richmond
Your paperwork goes to the Secretary of the Commonwealth with the right forms and fees, tracked both directions. You get the realistic timeline up front, set by Richmond's current workload.
It comes back ready to use
The finished apostille returns to your door with tracking, attached and ready for the country that asked for it. No second trips, no guessing.
One honest warning: a notary cannot tell you which document your situation legally requires. That is advice only an attorney, or the foreign office asking for the document, can give. What we do is make sure the document you bring us gets notarized correctly and comes back from Richmond with the certificate attached.
Quick answers
The 3 questions everyone asks first.
What is an apostille?
An apostille is a certificate from the state that proves your document is genuine, so another country will accept it. Virginia apostilles come from the Secretary of the Commonwealth in Richmond.
What documents can get a Virginia apostille?
Common ones are birth, marriage, and death certificates, diplomas and transcripts, powers of attorney, single status affidavits, and business documents. The document must be a Virginia document or notarized by a Virginia notary.
How long does an apostille take in Virginia?
The turnaround is set by the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office in Richmond and changes with their workload. We give you a realistic timeline when you book and track your documents the entire way.
Deadlines abroad do not wait
Start your Virginia apostille today.
Tell us the document and the country it is going to. We reply with the exact steps, the timeline, and 1 written quote.
Start my apostille