Whether a document requires a state apostille or a federal apostille depends on the type of document and the laws of the country where the document will be used.
A state apostille is typically required for documents that are issued by a state government agency, such as
Birth Certificates
Marriage Certificates
Death Certificates
Divorce Decrees
Probate Wills
Judgments
These documents are typically apostilled by the Secretary of State in the state where the document was issued.
A federal apostille is typically required for documents that are issued by a federal government agency, such as
Animal/Plant Certifications (issued by U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA)
Animal Health certifications (issued by USDA)
FBI – Background check (issued by U.S. Department of Justice, or DoJ)
Do not notarize FBI background checks
U.S. Federal Court Documents check (issued by DoJ)
U.S. Bankruptcy Court check (issued by DoJ)
Immigration Certifications (issued by U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
Certificate of Foreign Governments (issued by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS)
Certificate of Pharmaceutical/Export (issued by HHS)
Trademark (Issued by U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)
Other documents issued by Environmental Protection Agency, Social Security Administration, or Office of Personnel Management
These documents are typically apostilled by the U.S. Department of State. It is important to check the requirement of the country where the document will be used.
