Frequently Asked Questions about Massachusetts Apostille services
- How can I obtain an apostille on a vital record certificate issued in Massachusetts?
- How can I authenticate Massachusetts university degree certificates for use abroad?
- How can I authenticate notarized documents in Massachusetts for use abroad?
- How long does it take to obtain an apostille from Massachusetts?
- What documents can be certified in Massachusetts with an Apostille Stamp?
- Will an apostille stamp from Massachusetts be accepted abroad?
- Where can I find more information about certifying Massachusetts documents?
- How can I obtain a new certified copy of a Massachusetts birth, death or marriage certificate suitable for an Apostille?
- Where can I see reviews of Isarey's Massachusetts Attestation and Apostille Services?
How can I obtain an apostille on a vital record certificate issued in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts birth, death and marriage certificates can be submitted to the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office when they have been signed by the Massachusetts Registrar of Vital Records, City Clerk, Town Clerk or assistant. Divorce decrees requiring an Apostille should be signed by the district court clerk.
For further information about obtaining apostille stamps on Massachusetts vital records, see:
Apostille Massachusetts Vital Records
How can I authenticate Massachusetts university degree certificates for use abroad?
Massachusetts school transcripts and diplomas should be certified by the school registrar in the presence of a Massachusetts Notary public. They can then be submitted to the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office for authentication.
Massachusetts university degree certificates, course transcripts and high school diplomas can also be authenticated as notarized copies. A true copy is certified by a notary (this can often be done from a scan without having to submit the original) and then authenticated with an Apostille Stamp from the Washington DC Secretary of State. Authenticated documents can also be attested by the embassies of Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates.
For further information, see:
University Degrees and School Records
How can I authenticate notarized documents in Massachusetts for use abroad?
Documents certified by a Massachusetts notary public can be submitted to the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office for a Hague Apostille. The notary must include the correct notarial certificate according to the type of notarial act being performed and affix their seal. To confirm that a document has been properly notarized for a Massachusetts, please Visa Assistance for a free document pre-check.
How long does it take to obtain an apostille from Massachusetts?
Because we submit Massachusetts documents physically to the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office, Apostilles are processed in 1 - 2 business days
What documents can be certified in Massachusetts with an Apostille Stamp?
Massachusetts Apostilles and Authentications can be issued to certify documents signed by:
- Massachusetts Registrar of Vital Records
- Massachusetts City Clerk, Town Clerk or assistant
- Justice of the Peace
- Massachusetts Court clerk or assistant
- Massachusetts Notary Public
Will an apostille stamp from Massachusetts be accepted abroad?
If documents are required for submission to the authorities or consulate of a signatory country of the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille stamp affixed by the Secretary of State of Massachusetts will generally be recognized directly as confirming authenticity, although a certified translation may also be required if presenting to a country that does not have English as an official language.
If documents are required for presentation in a country that is not a signatory to the apostille convention (e.g. United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Taiwan, Vietnam), then an apostille stamp is not valid. Documents will need to be authenticated at State level in Massachusetts, then by the State Department Authentication Division, and finally by the embassy or consulate of the destination country in the United States. A Certified Translation may also be required.
Where can I find more information about certifying Massachusetts documents?
For further information about Massachusetts Apostilles and authentications see:
Apostilles and Certificates of Appointment (PDF)
To obtain a quote for assistance submitting your documents, with free eligibility pre-check, international collection and delivery by courier, please contact us or send us your documents using our Online Quotation Form.
How can I obtain a new certified copy of a Massachusetts birth, death or marriage certificate suitable for an Apostille?
Massachusetts vital records can be ordered online through VitalChek or from the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. Certificates can also be obtained from the town or city clerk where the birth death or marriage took place.
Where can I see reviews of Isarey's Massachusetts Attestation and Apostille Services?
You can see reviews from past clients who have used our attestation and apostille services:
How can I get a quote to certify my documents?
To receive a quote, you can upload your documents using our online quotation form or send us your documents by email. After reviewing your documents and requirements, we will get back to you with a quotation:
If you don’t have the documents available, just describe the documents you need to certify, and we will get back to you with an estimation of cost and delivery times.
Using our quotation form, your documents will be uploaded over a secure connection and immediately encrypted on our server. For added protection, you can upload password-protected files (PDF, Office Documents, RAR folders) and provide us with the passwords separately.
PERSONAL DATA: If your documents contain personal data belonging to people outside your household, please ensure that you are authorised to share this data before uploading your documents. If your documents contain sensitive personal data, such as biometric data, medical data or data on criminal convictions, please ensure that you indicate this when prompted, upon submitting your documents. For further information on our processing of personal data contained in uploaded documents, please see:
Privacy Policy (Customer Inquiries)
For further information on confidentiality in our handling of document content please see:
Confidentiality (Client Content)