A Pennsylvania notarization is recognised across the United States. Send that same document to a government office in Mexico, Colombia, Italy or the Dominican Republic, and it may well be handed back — because nobody there has any way of knowing that the stamp on it is genuine.
An apostille is the step that solves it.
What an apostille actually certifies
This is the part that trips people up. An apostille says nothing about the content of your document. It certifies the official.
Specifically, it confirms that the person who signed and sealed the document — a notary public, a county clerk, a state registrar — is a genuine elected or appointed Pennsylvania public official whose signature and seal are on record.
| Step | What it confirms | Who does it |
|---|---|---|
| Notarization | Who signed, and that they signed willingly | A Pennsylvania notary |
| Apostille | That the notary is a genuine PA official | PA Department of State |
| Foreign acceptance | That the document may be relied on abroad | The receiving authority |
The order matters
These steps are sequential and cannot be reordered. The document is notarized first. The apostille certifies that notarization afterwards.
Which means a document sent to Harrisburg without a proper notarization comes back unapostilled, and a document that was apostilled before a later amendment has to go round again.
Check the deadline before you start. Notarization takes ten minutes. The apostille takes two to three weeks by mail, plus transit in both directions, plus whatever the receiving country needs afterwards. Families discovering this a week before a court date abroad have no good options.
Documents that commonly need one
| Document | Common purpose |
|---|---|
| Power of attorney | Managing property or affairs in another country |
| Affidavit of single status | Marrying abroad |
| Birth or marriage certificate | Citizenship, residency, school enrolment |
| Adoption paperwork | International adoption |
| Parental travel consent | A child travelling internationally |
| Academic transcripts and diplomas | Study or employment overseas |
| Corporate and business filings | Trading or registering abroad |
Vital records work differently
This is where a notary genuinely cannot help, and it disappoints people regularly.
A notary cannot certify a copy of a birth certificate, death certificate or marriage certificate. Those are vital records, and a certified copy has to come from the agency that issued it — for Pennsylvania records, the Division of Vital Records.
Once you hold a properly issued certified copy bearing the registrar’s signature and seal, that is what goes to the Department of State for the apostille. The notary is not part of that chain at all. The wider limits on copy certification are covered in what a notary can and cannot do.
The documents people most often bring us first
Two categories account for the majority of apostille work in the Lehigh Valley, and both start with a notarization.
Powers of attorney for property abroad. Someone inheriting a house in another country, or selling one, needs an agent there who can act for them. The power of attorney is executed here, apostilled, and sent on.
Pennsylvania has strict execution requirements for these — two witnesses, neither of whom may be the agent or the notary — set out in getting a power of attorney notarized. A defective one fails abroad, weeks later, when it is hardest to fix.
Affidavits of single status for marrying abroad. A sworn statement that you are free to marry, handled as a verification on oath, then apostilled. Requirements vary considerably by country, so confirm the wording with the authority conducting the marriage before you swear to anything.
Travel consent letters for children sometimes need one too, particularly for longer stays — the underlying letter is covered in notarized consent letters for child travel.
What it costs and how long it takes
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fee | $15.00 per document |
| Issued by | Secretary of the Commonwealth |
| Processing time by mail | Roughly two to three weeks |
| Mailing time | Additional, in both directions |
| Document condition | Originals only, not photocopies |
| Requirement | Signed by the proper official, bearing their seal |
Pennsylvania has moved to a universal apostille format that works for countries both inside and outside the Hague Convention, with Spanish and French translations built into each section — which removes a distinction that used to confuse people considerably.
A realistic sequence
- Ask the receiving authority precisely what they need. Requirements vary by country and by institution, and guessing is expensive.
- Obtain the underlying document. For vital records, order a certified copy from the issuing agency.
- Have it notarized, if it is a document requiring a signature — a power of attorney or an affidavit.
- Submit it to the Department of State with the request form and the $15 fee.
- Allow two to three weeks, plus post.
- Check whether the destination requires further legalisation at a consulate.
Where we fit
We handle step three. We are a notary public, not the Department of State, so we do not issue apostilles and cannot expedite one.
What we can do is make sure the notarization underneath it is correct — the right notarial act, the certificate wording complete, identification properly verified — so the document does not come back from Harrisburg for a fault that could have been avoided at the counter. Powers of attorney in particular have specific Pennsylvania execution requirements that catch out documents drafted elsewhere.
The Department of State sets out the process and the request form at Get Document Certifications and Apostilles.
Frequently asked questions
What is an apostille?
It is a certificate confirming that the official who signed and sealed a document — a notary, a county clerk, a state registrar — is a genuine Pennsylvania public official. It allows the document to be accepted by authorities in another country.
How much does a Pennsylvania apostille cost?
Apostilles, certifications and other verifications are prepared by the Secretary of the Commonwealth for a $15.00 fee per document.
How long does it take?
For requests submitted by mail, allow roughly two to three weeks for processing, and that does not include mailing time in either direction. Start well before any deadline.
Can my notary issue the apostille?
No. Only the Department of State issues apostilles and certifications. A notary performs the notarization, which is the step that comes first — the apostille then certifies that the notary’s commission is genuine.
Can I send a photocopy?
No. Documents must be originals rather than photocopies, and must be signed by the proper Pennsylvania official and bear their official seal.
What is the difference between an apostille and a certification?
Historically an apostille was used for countries party to the Hague Convention and a certification for others. Pennsylvania has moved to a universal apostille format usable for both, with Spanish and French translations included.
Sending a document abroad?
Bring it in and we will make sure the notarization is right before it goes to Harrisburg. Tell us the destination country — it changes what they will accept. Hablamos Español.