Secretary of State in the state where the court is located.
What You Need Before Submitting for Apostille
A clerk-certified copy from the court that issued the order. The clerk must affix the court's seal and sign the certification. Self-prepared copies, attorney copies, or uncertified prints from online court portals are not sufficient for apostille.
Step-by-Step Process
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1
Obtain the Correct Document Version
See the preparation requirements above. The most common reason apostille requests fail at step one is submitting the wrong version of the document. When in doubt, contact the issuing authority (vital records office, court clerk, school) and confirm you have the right certified copy before proceeding.
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2
Identify Your State's Apostille Office
The apostille is issued by the state where the document was issued or notarized — not where you live now. Use our state directory to find the correct office, current fee, and mailing address for your state.
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3
Prepare Your Submission Package
Include: the original certified document, a cover letter (your name, return address, destination country, document count), payment (check or money order to the state authority for the per-document fee), and a pre-addressed return envelope with tracking.
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4
Submit and Wait
Mail to the address on your state's official website (always verify — addresses change). Use a tracked mailing method. Standard processing: 5–15 business days depending on state. See the state table for your state's specific timeline.
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5
Receive and Submit to Destination
Verify the apostille is securely attached. Do not separate it from the original. If a translation is required, send the complete apostilled document to a certified translator. Then submit the full package to your foreign authority.
Common Uses: Apostilling a Court Order
| Use Case | Notes |
|---|---|
| International child custody enforcement | The Hague Convention on Parental Child Abduction requires apostilled court orders. |
| International adoption | Final adoption decrees are frequently required to be apostilled for the child's immigration documents. |
| Foreign legal proceedings | Court orders from U.S. proceedings may be required in related foreign cases. |
| Asset enforcement abroad | Enforcing a U.S. court judgment against assets in a foreign country. |
| Immigration documents for adopted children | USCIS and foreign embassies may require apostilled adoption orders. |
If your court order involves a child (adoption, custody), many countries have specific requirements about the age and completeness of the document. Get the certified copy and apostille as early as possible — don't wait until you have a deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Generally no — online portal printouts do not carry the clerk's physical seal and wet-ink signature that state apostille offices require. You typically need to contact the court clerk's office directly to request a certified paper copy.
Sealed court records cannot be certified for public use, which means they cannot typically be apostilled. If you have a legitimate need for an apostille on a sealed record, you would need a court order unsealing the record first.
Federal court orders (from U.S. District Courts, Courts of Appeal, or the Supreme Court) are federal documents and require the U.S. Department of State apostille — not a state Secretary of State.
Age doesn't matter — the clerk of the court where the case was filed can issue a new certified copy of an old order at any time. Contact the court's records office with the case number and request a current certified copy, then proceed with the standard apostille process.