“Do I need this notarized or apostilled?” is one of the most common questions we get — and the honest answer is usually “both, in that order.” These two processes solve different problems, and understanding how they connect can save you a trip, a delay, and sometimes a rejected document at a foreign embassy or consulate.
Notarization: proving a signature is real
A notary public is a state-authorized official who acts as an impartial witness to a document signing. The notary checks your ID, confirms you’re signing willingly, and applies their signature and seal — which makes the document legally recognized within the United States.
Apostille: proving a document is real to another country
An apostille is a certificate that authenticates a document for use in a foreign country. Rather than witnessing a signature, an apostille confirms that the notary’s (or official’s) signature and seal on the document are genuine and recognized — so the document holds up in any country that participates in the Hague Apostille Convention.
The order matters: notarize first, then apostille
An apostille builds on notarization — it doesn’t replace it. To get an apostille, your document generally has to be signed, notarized, and sealed according to state law first. Only after that can the appropriate state authority (in Arizona, the Secretary of State’s office) attach the apostille certificate.
In other words: skipping notarization doesn’t get you to the apostille step faster — it just means the apostille request will bounce back.
Which countries actually require an apostille
An apostille is only meaningful for countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention — well over 100 countries at this point, including most of Europe, much of Latin America, Australia, Japan, and South Korea. If your document is headed to a country that is NOT a Hague Convention member, an apostille won’t be accepted at all — instead, the document typically needs a different process called “consular legalization,” which involves both the U.S. State Department and the destination country’s embassy or consulate.
Because membership and requirements can change, and because some countries have exceptions or additional requirements even as Hague members, it’s worth confirming directly with the receiving country’s consulate or the institution requesting the document exactly what they need before you start the process.
Common documents people need apostilled
- Powers of attorney used for an overseas property transaction
- Marriage, birth, or death certificates for use abroad
- Adoption paperwork for an international adoption
- Academic diplomas and transcripts for international study or work
- Business documents — articles of incorporation, powers of attorney, contracts — for a foreign subsidiary or transaction
- Single-status affidavits for marrying a foreign national
How the Arizona apostille process generally works
In Arizona, apostilles are issued by the Secretary of State’s office. The general sequence is: get the document properly signed and notarized (or, for certain government-issued documents, certified by the issuing agency), then submit it to the Secretary of State along with the required fee and request form. Processing times and exact submission requirements can change, so check the Secretary of State’s current instructions before mailing or dropping off your documents.
How we can help
Executive Notary Services can complete the notarization step your document needs before it’s submitted for an apostille. If you’re not sure whether your specific document needs an apostille on top of notarization, the receiving country or institution (or the Arizona Secretary of State’s office) is the best source to confirm — requirements vary by country and by document type, and getting it wrong can mean starting the whole process over.
Frequently asked questions
- Does an apostille expire? No — an apostille itself doesn’t expire, but some receiving countries or institutions only accept documents (like background checks) that were issued or apostilled within a certain recent window, so check the requesting party’s specific rule.
- Can I get a photocopy apostilled? Generally no — the apostille attaches to the original notarized document, not a copy, though certified copies of certain government-issued records can sometimes be apostilled directly from the issuing agency.
- Does every notary’s seal qualify for an apostille? The notary just needs to be properly commissioned and in good standing in the state where the document was notarized — the apostille-issuing authority verifies this against their own records before attaching the certificate.
- How long does the apostille process take? Timelines vary by state and current processing volume — some offices offer expedited or in-person same-day service for a higher fee, while standard mail-in requests can take one to several weeks. Check the Arizona Secretary of State’s current processing times before you plan around a deadline.
Need a notary who comes to you in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, or Queen Creek? Call Executive Notary Services at (480) 582-5013 to schedule an appointment.
Notarization: proving a signature is real
A notary public is a state-authorized official who acts as an impartial witness to a document signing. The notary checks your ID, confirms you’re signing willingly, and applies their signature and seal — which makes the document legally recognized within the United States.
Apostille: proving a document is real to another country
An apostille is a certificate that authenticates a document for use in a foreign country. Rather than witnessing a signature, an apostille confirms that the notary’s (or official’s) signature and seal on the document are genuine and recognized — so the document holds up in any country that participates in the Hague Apostille Convention.
The order matters: notarize first, then apostille
An apostille builds on notarization — it doesn’t replace it. To get an apostille, your document generally has to be signed, notarized, and sealed according to state law first. Only after that can the appropriate state authority (in Arizona, the Secretary of State’s office) attach the apostille certificate.
In other words: skipping notarization doesn’t get you to the apostille step faster — it just means the apostille request will bounce back.
Which countries actually require an apostille
An apostille is only meaningful for countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention — well over 100 countries at this point, including most of Europe, much of Latin America, Australia, Japan, and South Korea. If your document is headed to a country that is NOT a Hague Convention member, an apostille won’t be accepted at all — instead, the document typically needs a different process called “consular legalization,” which involves both the U.S. State Department and the destination country’s embassy or consulate.
Because membership and requirements can change, and because some countries have exceptions or additional requirements even as Hague members, it’s worth confirming directly with the receiving country’s consulate or the institution requesting the document exactly what they need before you start the process.
Common documents people need apostilled
- Powers of attorney used for an overseas property transaction
- Marriage, birth, or death certificates for use abroad
- Adoption paperwork for an international adoption
- Academic diplomas and transcripts for international study or work
- Business documents — articles of incorporation, powers of attorney, contracts — for a foreign subsidiary or transaction
- Single-status affidavits for marrying a foreign national
How the Arizona apostille process generally works
In Arizona, apostilles are issued by the Secretary of State’s office. The general sequence is: get the document properly signed and notarized (or, for certain government-issued documents, certified by the issuing agency), then submit it to the Secretary of State along with the required fee and request form. Processing times and exact submission requirements can change, so check the Secretary of State’s current instructions before mailing or dropping off your documents.
How we can help
Executive Notary Services can complete the notarization step your document needs before it’s submitted for an apostille. If you’re not sure whether your specific document needs an apostille on top of notarization, the receiving country or institution (or the Arizona Secretary of State’s office) is the best source to confirm — requirements vary by country and by document type, and getting it wrong can mean starting the whole process over.
Frequently asked questions
- Does an apostille expire? No — an apostille itself doesn’t expire, but some receiving countries or institutions only accept documents (like background checks) that were issued or apostilled within a certain recent window, so check the requesting party’s specific rule.
- Can I get a photocopy apostilled? Generally no — the apostille attaches to the original notarized document, not a copy, though certified copies of certain government-issued records can sometimes be apostilled directly from the issuing agency.
- Does every notary’s seal qualify for an apostille? The notary just needs to be properly commissioned and in good standing in the state where the document was notarized — the apostille-issuing authority verifies this against their own records before attaching the certificate.
- How long does the apostille process take? Timelines vary by state and current processing volume — some offices offer expedited or in-person same-day service for a higher fee, while standard mail-in requests can take one to several weeks. Check the Arizona Secretary of State’s current processing times before you plan around a deadline.
Need a notary who comes to you in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, or Queen Creek? Call Executive Notary Services at (480) 582-5013 to schedule an appointment.
