USA Notary and Apostille Service

Notarize US documents remotely and authenticate them for use abroad.

Private US documents, and many unsigned Federal and State Documents, requiring an Apostille Stamp for official use abroad must first be certified by a US notary. We can assist with arranging notarization and apostille authentication for clients based overseas as well as in the US. In many cases, documents can be notarized based on scans or via an online session with a notary.

We work with notaries across the United States to provide physical and remote notarization, as well as US apostille and authentication services for notarized documents, ensuring that all documents are processed securely and efficiently. We will select the most appropriate solution for each case, arranging notarization in the USA and submitting your documents to the respective Secretary of State for Apostille or Authentication, and delivering worldwide by courier.

Depending on the state, the Secretary of State, the notarial declaration or acknowledgement may need to meet specific requirements - not all notaries are aware of these requirements. Please contact us to check that your documents have been correctly notarized for an Apostille stamp.

Does my document need to be notarized to obtain an apostille?

Unless your document is signed by a recognised State or Federal official, it will normally need to be notarized in order to obtain a U.S. apostille stamp (Officially signed documents, such as Birth and marriage certificates, FBI certificates, Certified Company Certificates and court documents such as divorce judgements do not require notarization).

Documents are notarized in different ways according to the type of document. While it is generally possible to notarize most documents as true copies, without confirming the signature of the person who signed the document, it is up to the authority or party receiving the documents whether they will accept this form of notarization. In many circumstances, the recipient authority will want the notarization to acknowledge and certify the signature of the person who signed the document (which is not achieved through a true copy).

Notarization of true copies

Passport and identity documents, University Degrees and School Records and a range of other documents, can be certified as true copies, where a notary makes a copy of the documents from the original (often from a scan) and certifies it as a true copy of the original document. The notary's certification can then be authenticated by an Apostille Stamp.

Acknowledgment of Signature

When it is necessary to prove that a document has been genuinely signed by a specific person, then the notary needs to certify the authenticity of the signature of the document and confirm the identity of the signer. This is generally required in the case of Powers of Attorney, Contracts and Affidavits, but may also be required for other documents such as Medical Certificates where it is important to certify the signer's identity and status. In such cases, the document normally needs to be signed in front of the notary, either physically or via a remote online session.

US Academic documents

Academic documents such as university and high school diplomas can normally be notarized as true copies, and often the notary will only require a good scan. However, not all overseas authorities will accept this form of notarization and will require certification of the signature of the school official on the diplomas. In such cases, it is normally necessary to arrange for a notary to visit the school or university to witness the signature of the registrar or school principal (although some US universities provide notarized copies on demand or have internal notaries). If you are unsure, whether a true copy (generally faster and cheaper) will be accepted, it's best to confirm with the authority that you are submitting the documents to.

For further information about obtaining apostilles on US academic certificates, please see:
University Degrees and School Records

Certified Translations

A certified translation done in the United States must be notarized in order to obtain an apostille stamp for use abroad - to notarize a translation, the translator must normally appear before the notary to attest to the translation's accuracy. Note that an apostille on a translation does not certify the authenticity of the original document, so it is normally necessary to obtain an apostille stamp on the original document before proceeding with a certified translation.

Isarey works with selected remote notaries commissioned in different states across the USA. We will advise on the best solution depending on the parties who will be signing the documents, the type of document and whether an Apostille is required from a particular State. We will arrange a remote notarization session at your convenience, then obtain Apostille certification or authentication of the notarized documents so that they are valid for presentation abroad.

Powers of Attorney, Affidavits and other documents can be signed remotely and US apostille stamps can be obtained using our expedited service in as little as 1-2 working days with international delivery by courier. For further information or a quote, please contact us or upload the document you need to notarize using our secure Online Quotation Form.

Isarey can assist with notarizing documents and certified copies across the United States, including Washington DC, Florida, California, Nevada, New York,, Illinois, so that we can offer the fastest, best-value and most appropriate solution, depending on your documents and requirements.

Notarization by a US Embassy or Consulate

US embassies and Consulates will notarize documents for US and foreign citizens by appointment. Documents notarized by consular officers can then be authenticated by the US State Department in Washington DC with an Apostille or Authentication Certificate, so that they can be used abroad. Depending on the embassy, appointments may be limited.

For further information, see:
Notarial Services (U.S. Consulates)
Find U.S. Embassies & Consulates

Once your document have been notarized by the embassy, Isarey can assist in obtaining an Apostille Stamp or Authentication from the U.S. State Department in Washington DC. We can also submit your documents for additional legalization at the recipient country's embassy in the United States.