When an apostille is not enough
Embassy and consulate legalization
Some countries never signed the Hague Convention and do not accept apostilles. For those, your document needs a chain of authentications ending at the destination country's embassy. We run the whole chain.
Apostille versus legalization
An apostille is one certificate, issued by one office, recognized by every other Hague country. Legalization is what the world did before apostilles existed, and what non-Hague countries still do: each authority certifies the one before it, until the destination country's own embassy has signed off.
| Apostille | Legalization | |
|---|---|---|
| Destination | Hague Convention countries (120+) | Everyone else |
| Steps | One: Secretary of State or US Dept of State | Three to four: state, federal, embassy, sometimes a foreign ministry on arrival |
| Our fee | $99 to $299 | From $399 |
| Government fees | State fee, or $20 federal | State fee + $20 federal + embassy fee (varies widely) |
| Timeline | Days to weeks | Weeks, varies by embassy |
The chain, step by step
- State or federal authentication. Same office that would issue an apostille, but it issues an authentication certificate instead, because the destination is not a Hague country. Getting the country right on this step matters; the wrong certificate type means starting over.
- US Department of State. The Office of Authentications certifies the state's signature. ($20 federal fee.)
- Embassy or consulate. The destination country's diplomatic mission in the US legalizes the Department of State's certificate. Each embassy has its own form, fee, hours, and rules about who may submit. Some require an appointment. Some require the document to go to a specific consulate based on the state of origin.
- On arrival (some countries). A few countries require a final stamp from their own foreign ministry once the document is in-country. We tell you if yours does.
Countries we handle most
Not China, not Canada. Both joined the Hague Convention recently (China 7 November 2023, Canada 11 January 2024). Documents for either now take an apostille, not legalization. If a receiving party in China insists on "legalization", send us their letter and we will sort out what they actually need.
United Arab Emirates — employment visas, residency, and business setup. The UAE Embassy has specific requirements for educational documents.
Qatar, Kuwait — employment and residency. Educational documents often need an additional attestation step. (Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are Hague members and take an apostille.)
Thailand, Cambodia — teaching credentials and business documents. Thailand's Hague membership takes effect 28 February 2027; until then it needs legalization. Vietnam joined on 11 September 2026 and now takes an apostille.
Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon — family documents, powers of attorney, business.
If your country is not listed, ask. We have handled legalization for most of them.
What to send
The same document standards as an apostille: originals or certified copies, properly notarized where notarization is required. Plus, for legalization specifically, tell us the exact receiving institution and what they have asked for. Embassies sometimes have requirements that go beyond the general rule, and the receiving institution's letter is the best guide to what will actually be accepted on arrival.
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
How do I know if my country needs an apostille or legalization?
If the destination country is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, it takes an apostille. If not, it needs legalization. Tell us the country and we will tell you which. The most common non-Hague destinations we see are the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Cambodia, and much of Africa. Membership changes: China (November 2023), Canada (January 2024), and Vietnam (September 2026) have all joined and now take an apostille; Thailand joins on 28 February 2027. We check the current Hague member list for every order.
Why does legalization cost more than an apostille?
Because it is three or four separate government steps instead of one, each with its own fee, form, and queue, and the embassy step often has to be done in person in Washington or at a specific consulate. The from-$399 fee covers our handling of the whole chain. Embassy fees vary widely by country and are quoted separately at cost.
How long does legalization take?
Longer than an apostille, and it varies by embassy more than anything else. Some embassies turn documents around in days; some take weeks. We give you a realistic range for your specific country when you request a quote, based on what that embassy is doing currently.
Does mainland China still need embassy legalization?
No. The People's Republic of China joined the Hague Apostille Convention effective 7 November 2023, and Chinese consulates in the US stopped legalizing documents from Hague countries at that point. A US document for mainland China now takes a single apostille, the same as Hong Kong and Macau. Some receiving institutions in China still ask for a certified Chinese translation, which we can arrange.
Does Canada really not accept apostilles?
Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention in January 2024, so Canadian authorities now accept apostilles on US documents. Some Canadian institutions have been slow to update their requirements, though, so we confirm what the receiving party actually wants before choosing a route.