Need a document authenticated for use in another country? We handle the complete Pennsylvania apostille process — from notarization through state certification — so your documents are accepted internationally without rejection.
Tell us what you need — we’ll guide you through the rest.
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An apostille is an official certificate issued by the Pennsylvania Department of State that authenticates your document for use in any of the 125+ countries that have signed the Hague Apostille Convention. It confirms that the notary or official who signed your document is legitimate — so foreign governments, courts, and institutions will accept it without question.
Without an apostille, your perfectly valid U.S. documents may be rejected abroad. We eliminate that risk by handling every step of the process — including mobile notarization if required — so you can submit your documents with confidence.
Tell us your situation — we’ll confirm in minutes what’s required and handle the rest from start to finish.
We handle apostille authentication for a wide range of Pennsylvania documents. If you don’t see your document type, call us — we can help with most official records.
Authenticate vital records for immigration, inheritance, or family proceedings in foreign countries. We coordinate with Pennsylvania vital records to ensure proper certification chain.
Required for foreign marriages, international divorce proceedings, or spousal visa applications. We ensure your marriage records meet the authentication standards of the destination country.
Diplomas, transcripts, and academic records authenticated for overseas study programs, international employment verification, or professional licensing abroad.
Articles of incorporation, operating agreements, contracts, corporate resolutions, and powers of attorney authenticated for international business operations and foreign entity registration.
Judgments, court orders, affidavits, background check certificates, and official legal records prepared for acceptance by foreign courts, governments, and legal institutions.
Supporting documentation for visa applications, permanent residency petitions, and citizenship proceedings — authenticated precisely to meet the requirements of the receiving country’s immigration authority.
We simplify a process that can otherwise be confusing and time-consuming. Here is exactly what happens from your first call to document delivery.
We review your documents to confirm they are eligible for apostille and identify whether notarization is required first. Some documents issued by Pennsylvania state agencies can proceed directly; others must be notarized by a commissioned Pennsylvania notary before submission.
If your document needs to be notarized before the apostille can be attached, we handle that as part of our mobile notary service. We come to you anywhere in our 9-county service area — you don’t need to visit an office or coordinate a separate notary.
We submit your documents to the Pennsylvania Department of State for apostille certification. We handle all paperwork, government fees, and communication with the state office on your behalf — including tracking the status of your submission.
Once the apostille certificate is attached by the state, we return your fully authenticated documents to you promptly — ready for submission to any Hague Convention member country’s government, court, or institution.
We believe in complete transparency — no surprises on cost or timeline. Here is what most clients can expect.
“I needed my birth certificate apostilled for a spousal visa application and had no idea where to start. Lawrence walked me through the entire process and had everything ready in time for my embassy appointment. Could not have done it without him.”
“I was accepted to a university in Germany and needed my diplomas and transcripts apostilled quickly. Schades for Business handled everything — notarization, state submission, the whole thing. My documents were accepted without issue. Highly recommend.”
“We were expanding our business into Latin America and needed several corporate documents apostilled. Lawrence was professional, fast, and knew exactly what each country required. Our international contracts went through without any delays.”
Answers to the questions we hear most often from clients across Pennsylvania.
Standard processing through the Pennsylvania Department of State typically takes 5–10 business days once documents are submitted. Expedited options may be available for urgent situations. If your document requires notarization before the apostille, we can handle that the same day. Call (215) 713-4400 to discuss your deadline and we will find the fastest path forward.
An apostille is a simplified form of authentication for use between the 125+ countries that have signed the Hague Apostille Convention. If the destination country is a Hague member, an apostille is all you need. If the country is NOT a member — such as Canada, Saudi Arabia, or some others — you need full document legalization, which goes through the U.S. Department of State and the destination country’s embassy. We can guide you through whichever process applies.
Over 125 countries accept apostilles under the Hague Convention, including most of Europe (Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Netherlands), Mexico, much of Latin America (Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Chile), India, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, South Africa, and many others. Contact us and we will confirm exactly what your destination country requires.
Pennsylvania can apostille any document bearing the signature of a Pennsylvania official or a notary public commissioned in Pennsylvania. This includes birth, death, and marriage certificates; notarized affidavits; educational diplomas and transcripts; court documents; corporate and business documents; background checks; and many other official records. Documents must be originals or properly certified copies — simple photocopies cannot be apostilled.
Each state can only apostille documents that originated within that state. If your document was issued in another state — a New Jersey birth certificate or a New York diploma, for example — it must be apostilled by that state. However, there is a common workaround: a Pennsylvania notary can notarize a copy of the out-of-state document, and Pennsylvania can then apostille that notarized copy. We can advise on the best approach for your specific situation.
No. We are a fully mobile service. If your document requires notarization before it can be apostilled, we come to you anywhere in our 9-county Pennsylvania service area — home, office, hospital, or any location that works for you. You never need to come to us.
Many documents require notarization before the state will attach an apostille certificate. As a Pennsylvania state-commissioned notary, we handle both steps in one engagement — we come to you, notarize the document, then submit it to the Pennsylvania Department of State for apostille certification. You do not need to coordinate two separate providers.
Apostille fees include the Pennsylvania Department of State government filing fee plus our service fee for managing the complete process. If notarization is also needed, that is included in our engagement. We believe in transparent, all-in pricing with no hidden fees. Call (215) 713-4400 or email us for a quote based on your specific documents, timeline, and whether notarization is required.
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