Apostille Services in Massachusetts, Done Right the First Time
Same-day document review, flat pricing that already includes the state fee, and a 99.8% acceptance rate in more than 120 countries. We are licensed, bonded for $100,000 and located 30 minutes north of Boston, serving every city and town in the Commonwealth.
Free document review · No hidden fees · Hablamos Español · Mail-in, walk-in and mobile notary options
The apostille is rarely the goal. It is the thing standing between you and the goal.
When a foreign government, university or bank asks for an apostille, a clock usually starts on something bigger: a visa interview, a wedding date, a job offer, a closing. Our job is to make sure your Massachusetts documents are authenticated correctly and back in your hands fast, so the rest of your plans stay on schedule.
Massachusetts Apostille Services has processed more than 25,000 documents for use in over 120 countries since 2010. We handle every step: checking your document for eligibility, arranging notarization or certified copies where the state requires them, filing with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth or the U.S. Department of State, and shipping the finished apostille back to you with tracking.
You get one flat price, one accountable team in Tewksbury, and a person who answers the phone. If you would rather do it yourself, we will tell you how further down this page. We would still like to review your document first, for free, because the state rejects paperwork every day for reasons that take us five minutes to spot.
Massachusetts Apostille Pricing: Know Your Cost Before You Book
Every package includes the state fee, a free document review, online tracking and return shipping. The price you see is the price you pay.
Economy
- State fee included
- Free document review
- Online order tracking
- Return shipping included
- Best value when you are not in a hurry
Express
- Everything in Economy
- Priority processing queue
- Priority Mail return delivery
- Email status updates
- Right for most visa and wedding deadlines
Rush
- Everything in Express
- Front-of-line handling
- Overnight return delivery
- Direct line to your specialist
- For closings, court dates and flights this week
Notarization $35 per document · FBI background check apostilles $199.95 standard or $350 rush · Ask us for a volume discount · Full pricing details
What Is an Apostille?
An apostille is a one-page certificate that authenticates the signature and seal on a public document so another country will accept it. It was created by the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961, a treaty that more than 120 countries have now joined. When your destination country is a member, an apostille is the only authentication your document needs. No embassy visits and no consular legalization.
In Massachusetts, apostilles for state-level documents are issued by the Secretary of the Commonwealth through the Commissions Section at One Ashburton Place in Boston. Federal documents, such as FBI background checks, are authenticated separately by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. Knowing which office your document belongs to is the single most common point of confusion, and sending it to the wrong one is the most frequent reason orders get delayed or rejected.
One detail worth understanding: the apostille confirms that the signature, seal and the signer’s capacity are genuine. It does not certify that the contents of the document are true. That is why the state will not apostille a photocopy, and why an expired notary commission sinks an otherwise perfect document.
Apostille vs. authentication: which one do you need?
It depends entirely on the destination. Hague member countries accept apostilles. Non-member countries need a longer chain called authentication and legalization, which adds embassy or consulate certification. When you book with us, the first thing we confirm is where the document is going, and we route it through the correct process. Our guide to apostille vs. embassy legalization walks through the differences country by country.
Apostille Services for Every Massachusetts Document
One office handles state and federal documents from start to finish. Not sure which category your paperwork falls into? Send it over and we will tell you for free.
Vital Records Apostille
Birth, marriage and death certificates, divorce decrees and adoption paperwork. We confirm your copy is a certified copy from the town clerk or the Registry of Vital Records, because photocopies cannot be apostilled. If you only have a photocopy, we help you order the right one first.
Vital records apostille
Corporate Document Apostille
Articles of incorporation, certificates of good standing, powers of attorney, commercial invoices and bank letters. Massachusetts businesses use these for foreign subsidiaries, overseas contracts and international bank accounts. Corporate orders move on business timelines.
Corporate apostille
FBI Background Check Apostille
FBI Identity History Summaries need a federal apostille from the U.S. Department of State, not the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. We manage the whole federal process, including electronic FBI results, for work visas, residency applications and adoptions.
FBI apostille
Diploma & Transcript Apostille
Diplomas, transcripts and enrollment letters from Massachusetts schools, colleges and universities. Most education documents need a registrar-signed copy notarized before the state will apostille them. We coordinate that step so your paperwork is right the first time.
Education apostille
Notary & Mobile Notary
In-office notarization for $35 per document, plus mobile notary service across Massachusetts when you cannot come to us. Many documents must be notarized by a Massachusetts notary before they qualify for an apostille, and we handle both steps in one visit.
Notary services
Certified Translation
Many destination countries want a certified translation alongside the apostille. We coordinate certified translations in Spanish, Portuguese, French, Arabic and 30+ other languages through vetted partners, so your package arrives abroad complete and ready to be accepted.
Translation helpLooking for a specific document?
Four Steps. Zero Guesswork.
You send documents. We deal with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the U.S. Department of State and everything in between.
Free document review
Email, upload or bring in your document. We confirm eligibility, destination-country rules and the exact cost before you pay anything. During office hours you usually hear back within the hour.
Book and send
Order online in a couple of minutes or visit our Tewksbury office. Mail-in, drop-off and mobile notary options cover every corner of Massachusetts.
We process and track
We notarize where required, file with the correct authority and track the order at every step. You get status updates without having to chase anyone.
Delivered to your door
Your apostilled documents ship back with tracking, or you pick them up in person. International shipping is available to any destination.
How to Get an Apostille in Massachusetts (With or Without Us)
You are allowed to get an apostille yourself, and you should know exactly what that involves before you hire anyone. Here is the do-it-yourself route, unvarnished.
The do-it-yourself route
- Prepare the document. It must carry an original signature from a Massachusetts notary public, justice of the peace, city or town clerk, court clerk or vital records registrar. Photocopied signatures cannot be certified.
- Identify the destination country. The Commissions Section issues an apostille for Hague countries and a certification for everyone else, so they need to know where the document is going.
- Go to the state office or mail it in. The Commissions Section is at One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, MA 02108, with regional offices in Fall River and Springfield. The state fee is $6.00 per document.
- Wait. Walk-in service covers up to three documents the same day; larger batches are ready after 3 p.m. the next business day. Mail-in requests take two to three weeks plus transit, and need a check and a prepaid return envelope.
Federal documents such as FBI background checks go through the U.S. Department of State in Washington instead, with their own forms, fees and multi-week timelines. Our step-by-step guide on how to get an apostille in Massachusetts covers both tracks in detail.
Where DIY orders go wrong
The state office rejects documents every day for fixable reasons: a missing notarization, an expired notary commission, a photocopy instead of a certified copy, or a document routed to the state when it needed federal authentication. Each rejection means another trip to Boston or another two-to-three-week mail cycle. When your visa appointment or closing date is fixed, those weeks matter. We wrote up the most common ones in what to do if your Massachusetts apostille is rejected.
What you get when we handle it
We review every document before filing, which is why our acceptance rate is 99.8%. We hand-deliver state documents, manage federal filings, coordinate notarization and translation, and return everything with tracking. You skip the trips to Boston, the parking at Ashburton Place and the guesswork about rules that change by country. Verify any requirement yourself on the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s apostille page, then decide whether your time is better spent elsewhere.
DIY vs. Massachusetts Apostille Services
| Factor | Do it yourself | With us |
|---|---|---|
| Trips to Boston | 1–2 per document batch | None |
| Document review | None; rejection risk is yours | Free, before you pay |
| Mail-in timeline | 2–3 weeks state processing | 1–5 business days (Express) |
| Federal documents | Separate D.C. process you manage | Handled in the same order |
| Notarization | Find your own notary | In-office or mobile, $35 |
| Tracking and updates | None | Online tracking plus email updates |
| Out-of-pocket cost | $6 state fee plus postage, parking and your time | From $149.95, everything included |
Still weighing it up? Read DIY vs. agency: an honest comparison.
Who Needs an Apostille? Six Situations We Handle Every Week
Every one of these has a deadline attached and at least one rule that catches people off guard. We flag the rule during your free review, not at the consulate window.
Moving or working abroad
Foreign work visas almost always require an apostilled FBI background check, and many countries add apostilled diplomas or licenses. Portugal, Spain and the UAE are the destinations we see most. Each sets its own age limit for the FBI check, so check it with the consulate before you order. See our guides for tech workers relocating abroad and digital nomad visas.
Dual citizenship
Italian, Portuguese and Brazilian citizenship claims all demand apostilled vital records, often going back generations. Ireland’s Foreign Births Register takes certified copies with no apostille. Italian citizenship by descent typically needs long-form birth, marriage and death certificates for every person in the line, each with its own apostille. Start with our Italian dual citizenship guide.
Getting married abroad
Destination weddings in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Italy and Greece require apostilled birth certificates and, where relevant, divorce decrees or a single status affidavit. The affidavit must be notarized before it qualifies, a two-step job we finish in one visit.
International business
Companies opening foreign subsidiaries, signing overseas contracts or bidding on international work need apostilled certificates of good standing, articles of incorporation and powers of attorney. Corporate clients get a dedicated contact, because a late apostille should never hold up a closing. Ask us for a volume discount.
Studying overseas
Foreign universities and credential evaluators ask for apostilled diplomas and transcripts. Most Massachusetts schools require the registrar to sign a copy in front of a notary, and we coordinate with registrars at UMass, Northeastern, Boston University and dozens of other institutions to keep it smooth.
International adoption
Adoption dossiers routinely need ten or more apostilled documents: home studies, medical letters, financial statements, marriage certificates and background checks. One wrong document can stall a dossier for months, so every adoption order gets a line-by-line review against the destination country’s checklist.
State vs. Federal Apostilles: Why the Difference Matters
Every order starts with one question: who issued your document? The answer decides which government office must authenticate it, and getting this wrong is the number-one cause of delays.
State documents go through the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. That covers birth, marriage, death and divorce records issued in Massachusetts, anything notarized by a Massachusetts notary, documents from Massachusetts courts, and corporate filings registered with the Commonwealth.
Federal documents go through the U.S. Department of State. That covers FBI Identity History Summaries, federal court documents, USCIS records such as naturalization certificates, IRS documents and anything signed by a federal official. A Massachusetts state apostille on an FBI background check is worthless abroad, and foreign authorities will reject it.
Mixed orders are common. A family moving to Spain often needs state apostilles for birth and marriage certificates plus a federal apostille for an FBI check. We run both tracks in parallel under one order, one invoice and one tracking page, which most competitors split into two separate transactions.
Federal & FBI apostille service
Apostilles for 120+ Countries
We have prepared Massachusetts documents for acceptance in more than 120 countries. The most frequent destinations from our Tewksbury office are Brazil, Portugal, Spain, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Mexico, Italy, India, the United Arab Emirates and the Philippines, a list shaped by Massachusetts’ international communities and its global universities and employers.
The Hague Apostille Convention now covers most of the world, including the entire European Union, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Mexico, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and, since November 2023, mainland China. For these destinations a single Massachusetts or federal apostille completes the job. A shrinking list of countries, including certain Middle Eastern states and several African nations, still requires embassy legalization, and we quote that chain up front so there are no surprise fees mid-process.
Every country applies its own quirks. Brazil requires a sworn translation after the apostille. Portugal’s residency programs look closely at the issue date of an FBI check. Italy’s citizenship-by-descent applications need long-form birth certificates. Canada joined the convention in January 2024, so documents for Canada take an apostille when the receiving office asks for one. Many Canadian offices still accept a certified copy alone. Because we see these rules daily, we flag them during your free review.
Country guides
Serving All of Massachusetts from Tewksbury
Our office at 1215 Main St, Suite 115, Tewksbury, MA 01876 sits on Route 38, half an hour north of Boston, with free parking out front. Clients in Boston and Cambridge often choose us over downtown options because our flat price already includes the state fee and return shipping, and because free parking beats Beacon Hill traffic. Western Massachusetts clients use the mail-in service with the same free review and tracking, and our mobile notaries travel statewide when a document has to be notarized first.
Hours: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Weekend phone support. Walk-ins welcome; booking a day ahead guarantees same-day review.
Directions & contactLocal apostille service pages
Experience You Can Verify
Anyone with a website can claim expertise. Here is what you can actually check.
We have operated as a licensed document services business in Massachusetts since 2010, as a division of Neighborhood Parcel of Tewksbury. We carry a $100,000 bond and full insurance, which protects you if anything happens to your original documents while they are in our care. We track our acceptance rate, 99.8% across more than 25,000 documents, because a rejected document costs a client real time and money, and we want to know the moment that number moves.
Our staff is bilingual in English and Spanish, which matters when you are coordinating paperwork between two countries and two languages. Hablamos Español, y entendemos los requisitos de los consulados latinoamericanos porque trabajamos con ellos cada semana.
We are also local in a way national mail-in services are not. When the Commissions Section changes a requirement, we learn about it at the counter, not from a website update weeks later. When your case is unusual, you talk to the person handling your documents, not a call center reading from a script.
I needed my daughter’s birth certificate and my FBI check apostilled for our move to Portugal. They caught that my FBI report was too old for the visa program before I wasted the fee. Everything came back in four days.
Maria R., CambridgeOur firm sends all corporate documents here. Flat pricing, real tracking, and they have never missed a closing date in three years.
David T., corporate paralegal, BostonDrove up from Worcester after two rejections trying to do it myself. They spotted the problem in five minutes: my notary’s commission had expired.
Kwame A., WorcesterYour Massachusetts Apostille Checklist
Run through these five checks before you order, whether you book with us or go straight to the state. Each one prevents a specific rejection we see regularly.
Unsure about any item? Send the document to us first. The review is free, takes minutes and commits you to nothing.
- Confirm the destination country. It determines whether you need an apostille or full legalization, and whether extra rules apply, such as document age limits or required translations.
- Check that your copy is certified, not photocopied. Vital records must be certified copies with a raised seal or official signature from the town clerk or the Registry of Vital Records. A scan or photocopy will be rejected every time.
- Verify the signature is original and current. Notarized documents need a Massachusetts notary whose commission is active. An expired commission is one of the most common rejection causes we fix.
- Sort state documents from federal ones. Anything signed by a federal official, including FBI background checks, goes to the U.S. Department of State. Everything else issued in Massachusetts goes to the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
- Count your documents and your deadlines. Walk-in state service caps same-day processing at three documents. Larger batches, mixed state and federal orders or tight visa deadlines are exactly where a professional service earns its fee.
Apostille Guides Massachusetts Residents Read Most
Massachusetts Apostille FAQ
The questions we answer by phone every day. If yours is not here, call (978) 424-4629 and ask a specialist directly, or visit the full FAQ.
How long does it take to get an apostille in Massachusetts?
With Express service, most state documents are apostilled and returned within one to five business days. Rush service delivers in one to three business days with overnight shipping. Doing it yourself by mail through the Secretary of the Commonwealth takes two to three weeks of state processing, plus mail transit in both directions.
How much does an apostille cost in Massachusetts?
The state charges $6.00 per document. Our full-service packages are $149.95 (Economy), $199.95 (Express) or $379.95 (Rush) per document, and include the state fee, free document review, notary coordination, online tracking and return shipping. Federal apostilles for FBI background checks are $199.95 standard or $350 rush.
What documents can be apostilled in Massachusetts?
Any public document bearing an original signature from a Massachusetts notary public, justice of the peace, city or town clerk, court clerk or vital records registrar. Common examples include birth, marriage, death and divorce certificates, diplomas and transcripts, powers of attorney, corporate records and court documents. Photocopies without original signatures cannot be apostilled.
Where do I get an apostille for an FBI background check?
FBI Identity History Summaries are federal documents, so they are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., not by Massachusetts. We manage the full federal process from our Tewksbury office, including orders that started as electronic FBI results.
Do I need an appointment, or can I walk in?
Walk-ins are welcome at our Tewksbury office during business hours, and booking online at least a day ahead guarantees same-day document review. Mail-in orders need no appointment at all: book online, ship your documents and track everything from your order page.
Does my document need to be notarized before the apostille?
Many do, including powers of attorney, affidavits, business documents and copies of diplomas. Certified vital records and court documents usually do not, because they already carry an official signature. We confirm exactly what your document needs during the free review and notarize in-office for $35 when required.
My document is going to a country that is not in the Hague Convention. What now?
You need authentication and legalization instead of an apostille. That chain runs through the state or federal authentication office and then the destination country’s embassy or consulate. We handle the full legalization chain and quote it during your free document review.
Can you apostille a document in Spanish, or get it translated?
Yes. Our bilingual staff reviews Spanish-language documents daily, and we coordinate certified translations in 30+ languages when your destination country requires the translation alongside the apostille. Hablamos Español: llámenos al (978) 424-4629.
Can you apostille a document issued in another state?
Only the state that issued a document can apostille it, so a New York birth certificate must go to New York. We process documents from all 50 states through our partner network, and federal documents are handled directly. Tell us where the document was issued and we will quote the right route.
What happens if my apostille is rejected abroad?
Rejections are rare for our clients, about 0.2% across 25,000+ documents, and nearly always trace to a destination-country rule such as a document age limit. If a document we processed is rejected for an error on our side, we redo it at no charge. That guarantee is backed by our $100,000 bond and insurance.
Start With a Free Document Review Today
Send us your document and destination country. Within one business hour during office hours you will know whether it qualifies, what it costs and when you will have the apostille in hand. No payment until you approve, and no obligation if you decide to file with the state yourself.
Massachusetts Apostille Services · 1215 Main St, Suite 115, Tewksbury, MA 01876 · Mon–Fri 10 a.m.–6 p.m. · Licensed since 2010 · $100,000 bonded & insured · Hablamos Español