Apostille for Immigration, Dual Citizenship & Living Abroad

Building a life across borders means paperwork — and a lot of it has to be apostilled before another country will accept it. Whether you're claiming dual citizenship, moving abroad for work, marrying overseas, or adopting internationally, this guide covers exactly which documents need an apostille and how to get it handled from Oregon.

First, clear up the biggest mix-up

An apostille certifies that a U.S. document is authentic so a foreign government will accept it. It's used between countries that belong to the Hague Apostille Convention (120+ nations).

Here's the part that trips people up: if you're filing with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) — a green card, a citizenship application, a work permit inside the United States — those filings generally do not need an apostille. Apostilles are for when your U.S. documents travel the other direction: to a foreign consulate, court, university, or employer. If a U.S. agency is the one reading your document, you usually don't need one; if a foreign government is, you probably do.

When you'll actually need an apostille

• Dual citizenship or citizenship by descent — Italy, Ireland, Poland, Mexico, and many others require apostilled birth, marriage, and sometimes death certificates from your family line.
• Working abroad — foreign employers and work-visa authorities routinely ask for an apostilled FBI background check, diploma, or degree verification.
• Marrying abroad — many countries require an apostilled birth certificate and a "single status" or affidavit of eligibility to marry.
• Residency, retirement, or long-stay visas — an apostilled FBI background check is one of the most common requirements.
• International adoption — home studies, consents, and supporting records typically need apostilles.

The two document types — and who apostilles each

Which authority certifies your document depends on which government issued it:

Not sure which bucket yours falls in? That's the whole point of our federal vs. state apostille guide — or just start your order and we'll confirm it for you.

The FBI background check piece

For anything visa- or residency-related, an apostilled FBI background check is often the linchpin — and it's the step that stalls people, because it's really two jobs: get the FBI check first, then apostille the result. We do both under one roof. Our FBI background check is $125 with results typically back in about 30 minutes, and our federal apostille is $350 for the first document (7–10 business days, with 2-day return shipping included). No mailing your prints across the country and waiting weeks.

What it costs and how long it takes

• Federal documents (FBI checks, naturalization): $350 first document, $200 each additional — 7–10 business days.
• Oregon & Washington state documents (birth, marriage, diplomas): from $250, with faster tiers up to same-week service; $150 each additional.
• Documents from another state: we cover all 50 — quoted individually, no charge until we confirm.

Two things that save people weeks

1. Check whether you need a translation

Many countries want a certified translation alongside the apostilled document. Always get the apostille first, then translate the finished packet (translating too early means doing it twice). We can translate it for you too, certified or standard.

2. Vital records must be certified originals

State vital records — birth, marriage, death certificates — have to be certified originals or certified copies for an apostille. Photocopies and scans can't be apostilled, so order fresh certified copies early if yours are old or laminated. You can order official copies online at VitalChek.

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