What is the difference between a federal apostille and a state apostille?

A federal apostille is issued by the US Department of State Office of Authentications and is required for documents issued by a federal agency — FBI background checks, naturalization certificates, citizenship certificates, Social Security letters, IRS documents, and US passports. A state apostille is issued by the Secretary of State of the state that issued the document and is required for state-issued documents — birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, notarized powers of attorney, and corporate documents.

Do I need to be notarized before getting a federal apostille?

It depends on the document. FBI background checks and naturalization certificates are official government-issued documents that do not require notarization before apostille — they go directly to the US Department of State. However, private documents (powers of attorney, affidavits, copies of passports) must be notarized by a commissioned notary before the apostille can be attached.

How long does federal apostille processing take?

The US Department of State Office of Authentications currently processes federal apostilles in approximately 5 weeks by mail. Expedited drop-off service at their Sterling, VA facility can reduce this to a few days, but turnaround varies — check the current published figure before planning. NYS state apostilles are available same-day expedited at 123 William Street, NYC, or 2–5 business days standard.

Can Remote Notary Online USA handle federal apostille submissions?

Yes. We coordinate federal apostille submissions to the US Department of State Office of Authentications for FBI background checks, naturalization certificates, citizenship certificates, Social Security letters, and other federal documents. Contact us at 347-351-7611 or book a consultation to discuss your specific document.

My document was issued in another state — can you still help?

For notarization, yes — we can notarize any document via video call regardless of which state it was issued in. For the apostille, the submission must go to the Secretary of State of the state that issued the document. We handle NYS apostilles directly. For documents issued in other states, we can advise on the correct submission process and coordinate where possible.

What countries accept a US apostille?

All 125 member countries of the Hague Apostille Convention accept a US apostille. This includes France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Philippines, Indonesia, India, China (for some purposes), Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, and most of Europe and Latin America. For countries outside the Hague Convention (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Vietnam, and others), a Certificate of Authentication from the US Department of State plus consular legalization is required instead of an apostille.

Is Remote Notary Online USA a government agency?

No. Remote Notary Online USA is a private notary and document processing service. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by any federal, state, or local government authority. Our notary is commissioned by the State of New York under NY Executive Law §135-c. We submit apostille applications to the NYS Department of State and US Department of State on behalf of our clients.

Can I use a foreign passport for the notarization?

Yes. Foreign government-issued passports and national identity cards are accepted for identity verification. You do not need a US driver's license, US passport, or any US-issued document. This makes our service ideal for dual citizens, recent immigrants, and Americans living abroad.

Federal Apostille & Notary Processing — NYS-Commissioned Notary, Available 24/7

Federal Apostille and Notary Processing for US Documents

Remote Notary Online USA handles the complete chain: notarization by a NYS-commissioned notary, then federal or state apostille submission — same-day available, $25 notarization, $150 apostille.

Book a Same-Day Session +1 347-351-7611

Same-Day Appointments

Federal & State Apostille

Foreign Passports Accepted

24/7 Available

What Is Federal Apostille and Notary Processing?

Federal apostille and notary processing is the two-step chain required to make a US document legally usable in a foreign country. Step one: a commissioned US notary witnesses your signature and applies their seal. Step two: the appropriate government authority — either the US Department of State (for federal documents) or the NYS Department of State (for state-level documents) — attaches an apostille certificate that foreign governments recognize under the Hague Convention.

Remote Notary Online USA handles both steps. You sign once via video call. We coordinate the apostille submission and return the completed document to you.

Federal Apostille vs. State Apostille — Which Do You Need?

The answer depends entirely on who issued the document, not where you live.

Document type	Issued by	Apostille from	Notes
FBI Background Check (Identity History Summary)	Federal	US Department of State, Office of Authentications	Must be notarized first, then submitted to US DOS. ~5 weeks standard; expedited available.
Certificate of Naturalization (N-550 / N-570)	Federal	US Department of State, Office of Authentications	Federal document — requires federal apostille, not state.
Certificate of Citizenship (N-560 / N-561)	Federal	US Department of State, Office of Authentications	Federal document — requires federal apostille, not state.
US Passport (copy for foreign use)	Federal	US Department of State, Office of Authentications	Notarized copy of passport pages, then federal apostille.
Birth Certificate (issued by a US state)	State	Secretary of State of the issuing state (e.g., NYS DOS)	State document — requires state apostille, not federal. We handle NYS.
Marriage Certificate	State or county clerk	Secretary of State of the issuing state	State document — NYS apostille for NY-issued certificates.
Death Certificate	State	Secretary of State of the issuing state	State document — NYS apostille for NY-issued certificates.
Power of Attorney (notarized)	Private	Secretary of State of the notary's commissioning state (NYS)	We notarize via video call and submit for NYS apostille same day.
Corporate Documents (articles, resolutions)	State	Secretary of State of the issuing state	NYS apostille for NY-incorporated entities.
Academic Transcripts / Diplomas	Institution	Secretary of State of the notary's commissioning state	We notarize a certified copy and submit for NYS apostille.
Social Security Benefit Verification Letter	Federal	US Department of State, Office of Authentications	Federal document — requires federal apostille.
IRS Tax Transcripts / Documents	Federal	US Department of State, Office of Authentications	Federal document — requires federal apostille.

Federal document → US Department of State apostilleState document → Secretary of State apostille

How Federal Apostille and Notary Processing Works

Book a same-day notarization session

Schedule a 15-minute video call with a NYS-commissioned notary. Available 24/7, same-day. $25 per document. Foreign passports accepted — no US ID required.

Sign your document on camera

The notary witnesses your signature via secure video call, verifies your identity, and applies their notarial seal. The notarized document is the foundation for the apostille.

We submit for apostille

For state documents (birth certificates, POAs, corporate docs), we submit to the NYS Department of State. For federal documents (FBI background checks, naturalization certificates), we coordinate submission to the US Department of State Office of Authentications.

Receive your apostilled document

Standard NYS apostille: 2–5 business days. Same-day expedited NYS apostille available at 123 William Street, NYC. Federal apostille (US DOS): approximately 5 weeks standard. The completed document is returned to you ready for international use.

Pricing

Service	Price	Details
Notarization (RON, per document)	$25	Same-day, 24/7, via video call
Additional documents / signers (same session)	$25 each
NYS Apostille (standard)	$150	Includes notarization + NYS DOS submission
Same-day NYS Apostille (expedited)	$300	In-person at 123 William St, NYC
Federal Apostille (US DOS)	Contact us	~5 weeks standard; expedited available

Book a Session — $25

Ready to start your apostille processing?

Same-day notarization via video call. Federal and state apostille coordination. $25 per document. Available 24/7.

Book a Session Call +1 347-351-7611

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about federal apostille and notary processing.

Related apostille and notary services

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