Question 1

What is an apostille?

Accepted Answer

An apostille is a certificate issued by a designated authority, such as a state Secretary of State, that confirms a U.S. public document is genuine for use in a country that belongs to the Hague Apostille Convention.

Question 2

What is the difference between an apostille and embassy legalization?

Accepted Answer

An apostille is a single certificate used for countries that belong to the Hague Apostille Convention. Embassy legalization is used for countries that do not. It is a multi-step process: the document is authenticated by the U.S. issuing authority, then legalized by the destination country's embassy or consulate.

Question 3

How long does the process take?

Accepted Answer

Timing depends on the issuing authority, the type of document, and the destination country's requirements. Expedited filings are hand-delivered in Washington, DC. Contact Elite Documents for the timeline that applies to your documents.

Question 4

Does Elite Documents issue apostilles?

Accepted Answer

No. Elite Documents is a facilitator, not an issuing agency. We file documents with the issuing authority and return them to the client. Expedited filings are hand-delivered in Washington, DC.

Resources

Apostille by State

Our Services

Apostille Services

Embassy and Consulate Legalization

Document Retrieval

Notary Services

Country Guides

Spain Document Requirements

Kuwait Document Requirements

United Arab Emirates Document Requirements

Vietnam Document Requirements

Taiwan Document Requirements

Thailand Document Requirements

Ecuador Document Requirements

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