Notarized document · apostilled by the notary's state
Power of attorney apostille
A power of attorney must be signed in front of a notary public first; the apostille then comes from the Secretary of State of the notary's state, not your state or the destination. Most countries also want a translation. $99 standard for the apostille; we tell you the notary and translation steps for your country before you sign anything.
What this document is
A signed document granting someone authority to act for you. For foreign use it is typically drafted by, or on a form from, the lawyer, notario, or institution abroad that will rely on it. Because a POA is a private document, no government office certifies its content. What the Secretary of State apostilles is the notary's signature and seal on it.
Common uses: selling or buying real estate abroad, managing a foreign bank account, handling an inheritance, representing you in a foreign court or government office, or letting a relative act for you while you are in the US.
Does it need notarization first?
Yes, always. You sign it in front of a notary public, who completes a notarial certificate (an acknowledgment or a jurat) with venue, date, signature, and seal. Without that, there is nothing for the state to authenticate.
State or federal?
State: the state where the notary is commissioned. Not where you live, not where the property is, not the destination. The notary's state.
What you need to provide
- The original signed and notarized POA. Not a copy.
- A complete notarial certificate: state and county (venue), date, the notary's signature, printed name, commission expiration, and seal or stamp. Missing any of these is the top rejection cause for POAs.
- If the destination requires it, the POA in the foreign language or bilingual. The notary certifies your signature, not the text.
- The destination country and, if provided, the foreign party's instructions.
What happens
- Quote request with a photo of the signed and notarized POA, especially the notary block, and the destination.
- We check the notarial certificate for completeness. If something is missing, we tell you now, not after the state rejects it.
- You mail the original, tracked.
- We submit to the notary's state. Apostille attached, returned, shipped to you or straight to the foreign lawyer.
Common mistakes
- Incomplete notary block. No venue, no date, expired commission, missing seal. Most common by far.
- Sending to the wrong state. It goes to the notary's state.
- A copy instead of the original. The state needs the wet-ink notarization (or a properly executed electronic one).
- Using a generic US POA form when the foreign lawyer needed their specific wording. Ask them first.
- Forgetting the translation. A POA in English going to a Spanish-speaking country almost always needs a certified translation; a bilingual POA avoids this.
How to start
Request a quote with the notary's state and the destination country. If you have not signed it yet and are in the Wichita area, APB Notary & Apostille can notarize it and hand it to us the same day.
Price: $99 standard · $199 rush · $299 expedited, per document. State fee and shipping separate. Translation bundle available.
Background reading: our affiliated company's guide.
Get your exact price, all fees included
Two business hours to a written total. Nothing to pay and nothing to mail until you have it.
Start My ApostilleFrequently asked questions
Which state apostilles my POA?
The state where it was notarized, because what gets apostilled is the notary's signature and commission. If you sign it in Kansas, Kansas apostilles it, even if the property is in Florida and the destination is Mexico.
Can the POA be in Spanish or another language?
Yes, if the notary is willing to notarize it; the notary is certifying your signature, not the content. Many foreign lawyers send a bilingual POA for exactly this reason. The notarial certificate itself must be in English for the state to apostille it.
Can you notarize it for me?
Not by mail, since notarization requires you to appear before the notary. If you are in the Wichita area, our affiliated company can notarize it and hand it straight to us. Otherwise, any notary in your state works; some states also allow remote online notarization, which we can then apostille.
Does the foreign country want a specific POA form?
Often, yes. Mexican notarios, Italian and Spanish lawyers, and Indian banks frequently require their own wording. Get the form from the person who will use it abroad, sign that before a US notary, and we apostille it.