Massachusetts Secretary of State Apostille — Boston MA

Jeff Thomas
4 min readNov 28, 2022

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A Massachusetts Apostille is a stamp or signature that authenticates a document. You will need either an original document or a certified copy of it in order to get it authenticated. The US Department of State in Washington DC is responsible for issuing two types of international certificates — the Apostille and the Certification. You can get an apostille for your documents by visiting the Secretary of Commonwealth of Massachusetts office or by mailing them to the Secretary of State office.

Documents that require an apostille

The Massachusetts secretary of state’s apostille service provides authentications for documents that are needed in other countries. The state issues two kinds of authentications: apostilles and certifications. The apostilles are used in countries that are members of the Hague Convention, while the certifications are used by non-Hague Convention countries. To get your documents authenticated in Massachusetts, you can submit a request by mail or in person. You will need to provide an original document and contact information. You will also need to specify the foreign country you are using the document for. The fee for this service is six dollars per authentication.

To qualify for an apostille in Massachusetts, your documents must be issued by the state. For example, a birth certificate issued by a Massachusetts court must be affixed with an apostille, while a death certificate must be notarized by a state department. Moreover, birth and death certificates must be signed by a current state registrar of vital statistics.

Documents that can be authenticated

If you are moving to another country and need a document authenticated, you should contact the Secretary of State in Massachusetts for an apostille service. You can send your document to this office by mail or in person. Make sure to provide the original document, your contact information, and the country in which you will be using it. You will also have to pay a small fee for the service.

The apostille process is a simple process that will provide you with authenticated documents. An organization with government authorization issues apostilles. Generally, these documents are valid for use in countries that are members of the Hague Convention. However, if you are traveling to a country that isn’t a member of the convention, you’ll need to obtain a certified copy.

A public official’s signature is required on birth and death certificates. The requester does not need to be related to the person whose name appears on the document. If you’re unable to appear in person, you can send your document through a drop box. The office will then process your request. Once your documents have been authenticated, you will receive a receipt and a pick-up date. It is important to return by the cited date to pick up your document.

Cost Of Apostille In MA

You can order an Apostille service for a document from the Massachusetts secretary of state. Normally, the fee is $149.95 per document and can be paid with a money order, Fed Ex account number, or by credit card. You can also request expedited counter service. The normal processing time is 10 business days, but you should allow for additional time if you plan on mailing your document. You will receive a prepaid return envelope in the mail, along with the Apostille Certificate. You can also order a certified copy of the document from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at the same time, but it is not included in the cost of the service.

The Massachusetts Secretary of State issues two types of authentications: apostilles and certifications. Apostilles are accepted by countries that are part of the Hague Convention, while certifications are recognized in non-member countries. You can send your document for apostille service by mail, or you can visit their offices in person. When requesting an apostille, you should submit the original document, as well as your contact information and the foreign country where you plan to use the document. You should also include the cost of the authentication in the document.

Documents that are not authenticated

You must have a foreign country's document authenticated if you intend to use it to enter the United States. The Secretary of State of Massachusetts issues apostille certificates, which verify the signature, capacity, and stamp or seal on a document. Apostilles are valid only for countries that adhere to the Hague Convention of 1961. Apostilles are required for many different types of documents. These include business and legal papers, diplomas, transcripts, letters of marriage and divorce, and job certifications. The Office of the Secretary of State also has general information about the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961 and how to apostille documents.

Originally published at https://massachusettsapostilleservices.com on November 28, 2022.

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