My Florida Apostille
Tallahassee · FL
My Florida Apostille
Tallahassee · FL
Foreign embassies and consulates require an apostille certificate before they will accept a U.S.-issued document. The 1961 Hague Convention established the apostille as the universal form of authentication for its 125+ member states. The Florida Department of State in Tallahassee is the only authority designated to issue apostilles for documents originating in Florida.
Most people who need a Florida apostille face the same problem. Mailing documents to the Department of State takes five to seven weeks once you include transit and the state's processing queue. Driving to Tallahassee — assuming you live in Florida at all — costs you a full day. Other apostille services exist, but most charge premium prices for the same end result: a slow mail-in handoff.
We do it differently. You ship your documents to our office in Tallahassee using a pre-paid FedEx label that we email you the moment you place your order. We complete the Florida Department of State Apostille Request Form on your behalf, write the $10 state filing check, and walk your documents in person to the apostille counter. Once they come back apostilled, we ship them to your door using a second pre-paid FedEx label. Total time: five to seven business days. Total cost: $190 per document — FedEx both ways and the state fee included.
People with a Florida-issued document and a deadline. The most common reasons are dual citizenship through ancestry (Italy, Poland, Ireland, Germany, Portugal), foreign real estate closings in Latin America and Europe, international school enrollment, foreign work visas and residency applications, marriage abroad, international business setup, and inheritance and estate matters in another country.
Almost any document the State of Florida issues — or that a Florida notary properly notarizes — qualifies for an apostille. The most common we process: birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, divorce decrees, FDLE background checks, diplomas and transcripts, and Florida notarized documents (powers of attorney, affidavits, corporate documents, foreign-language documents). Each has its own requirements, and we'll flag any issue before we file. Hospital "souvenir" birth certificates can't be apostilled; you need a certified copy from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics or your county vital records office. Florida notarized documents must be the original (not a photocopy) with a notarial certificate in English — we don't accept documents notarized in other states or via remote online notarization. We catch these things upfront so your document doesn't get rejected at the counter.
Mailing your documents directly to the Florida Department of State is, in theory, the cheapest option — $10 in state fees, plus a money order, plus return postage. In practice it takes five to seven weeks, there is no tracking, the application must be completed correctly or your document is rejected and mailed back, and DOS does not accept case-specific phone calls. Approximately ten to fifteen percent of mail-in applications are rejected the first time. A rejection costs you the $10, your shipping, and another five to seven weeks.
Our model removes those risks. Your documents travel via FedEx with full tracking in both directions. We review every document before we file. We complete the application form for you. If something needs to be re-pulled from a county clerk in Tallahassee before filing, we handle that on the spot — same day, no extra round-trip through the mail. The state still charges $10. We charge $190 for filling out the form correctly, walking it in, catching rejections before they happen, and getting it back to you in days instead of weeks.
Standard turnaround is five to seven business days from the moment we receive your documents at our Tallahassee office. That includes the day we receive them, the day we file with DOS, the day DOS returns them, and the FedEx transit back to you. Rush options are available for time-sensitive immigration appointments, visa deadlines, and foreign closings — contact us before placing your order if you need expedited handling.
Whether you need a birth certificate for an Italian citizenship application, a marriage certificate for a Spanish residency permit, a power of attorney for a Brazilian real estate closing, or a diploma for an employer in Germany — we handle the entire process. Start your order online, or call (850) 900-3443 with any questions.
Mailing your documents directly to the Florida Department of State sounds simple. It is not. The state takes five to seven weeks once you include transit and processing. Roughly one in eight applications gets rejected the first time, usually for an error on the application form. When a document is rejected, the state mails it back — and you start over.
We built this service for the opposite outcome. You ship once. We do the form, walk the document in, catch issues at the counter, and ship it back. You get a finished apostille in days instead of weeks.
A defined, predictable workflow. The same procedure for every order, regardless of document type or destination country.
Place your order in about three minutes. Tell us how many documents, what type, where they're going, and the address to ship them back to. Pay by card.
We email you a pre-paid FedEx label immediately, as a QR code. Drop your documents at any FedEx location — show the code on your phone, no printing required.
Your documents arrive at our Tallahassee office. We complete the state application form, attach the $10 filing fee, and walk them in person to the Florida Department of State.
We ship your apostilled documents back via a second pre-paid FedEx label. You track both legs end to end. Total time: five to seven business days.
Walk into any FedEx Office or FedEx Ship Center. The self-service kiosk has a QR scanner built in — hold your phone up to it and the label prints automatically. Or hand your phone to a team member and they'll do it for you. Most customers are in and out in under two minutes.
FedEx QR drop-off works at 10,000+ locations nationwide, including FedEx Office, FedEx Ship Center, and most Walgreens. Find one near you →
$190 per document. FedEx both ways. State fee included. Five to seven business days.
Most orders fall into one of these categories. Each has a different deadline, a different destination, and a different document set — but the same need for a fast, correctly filed apostille.
People claiming citizenship through ancestry — Italian (jure sanguinis), Polish, Irish, German, Portuguese, or Spanish — typically need three to five apostilled documents: their own birth certificate, marriage certificate, and sometimes parents' or grandparents' Florida-issued documents.
The full application takes 18 months or longer at the consulate, so applicants almost always need apostilles done early to begin the review. Our 3+ document bundle pricing fits this workflow naturally.
People buying property in Mexico, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, or anywhere in Latin America need apostilled powers of attorney, marriage certificates, and identity declarations to close.
Foreign closings operate on tight schedules — often requiring documents within 7–10 days. Five-to-seven-day turnaround keeps deals on track. Many destination countries also require certified translations; we can refer you to a partner translator.
Applying for work visas, employment-based residency, or professional licensure abroad typically requires an apostilled FDLE background check, marriage certificate (for spouse visas), diploma, or professional credentials.
Common destinations: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Singapore, Hong Kong, and most of Europe. The apostilled FDLE check carries a 90-day validity window for most programs, so timing matters. Five-to-seven-day turnaround keeps applications on schedule.
Relocating for retirement, work, or family reasons typically requires apostilled birth certificates, marriage certificates, FDLE background checks, and sometimes diplomas or professional licenses depending on the destination.
Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, and most Latin American countries require comprehensive document packages for residency applications. We process the whole packet in a single order — typically with the 3+ bundle.
Students pursuing graduate study abroad — Spain, Germany, France, the UK, China, South Korea — need apostilled diplomas, transcripts, and degree certificates for admissions and visa applications.
Most international universities require apostilled academic credentials before admission is finalized. We work with documents from any Florida-issued institution or any document properly notarized by a Florida notary.
Marrying overseas typically requires apostilled birth certificates for both partners, FDLE background checks, and a notarized affidavit of marital status — sometimes called a "single status" or "no impediment" affidavit.
Italy, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, and most of Latin America require this packet. We process the full set together. The affidavit must be notarized first; the other documents go through as-is.
The FDLE Florida criminal history check is one of the most-requested apostille documents. Countries requesting it include China, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, and most European Schengen-area nations for work and residency visas.
The apostilled FDLE check is valid for 90 days for most visa programs. We process it alongside any other Florida documents you need for the same application.
No hourly rates, no hidden charges, no surprise add-ons. The price you see is the price you pay — FedEx both ways, the $10 state filing fee, and the application form, all included.
Need 10+ documents? Call (850) 900-3443 for volume pricing.
Because the $10 fee isn't the wait, the rejection risk, or the headache. We are.
| DIY by Mail to FL DOS | My Florida Apostille | |
|---|---|---|
| Total time | 5–7 weeks | 5–7 business days |
| State fee | $10 (you write a check) | $10 (included) |
| Application form | You complete it correctly — or get rejected | We complete it for you |
| In-person walk-in | Not possible from out of town | Done by us, every order |
| Rejection risk | ~10–15% reject rate · costs $10 + 5–7 weeks restart | We catch issues before submission |
| Tracking | Mail to a PO box · no tracking | FedEx tracking, both directions |
| Customer service | DOS doesn't take case-specific calls | Real Florida specialists on the phone |
| What you do | Write a check, mail originals, wait 5–7 weeks | Click. Pay. Show QR at FedEx. Done. |
If you have time, patience for paperwork, and no deadline — DIY is a fine choice. If you have an immigration appointment, a visa deadline, a foreign closing, or a job start date — every day matters. We do it in days, not weeks.
Hear directly from people who used My Florida Apostille for citizenship applications, visa documents, and international transactions.
There are exactly four ways to apostille a Florida document. Three of them cost you significantly more time, money, or both.
| DIY by Mail to FL DOS |
Drive to Tallahassee |
Other Apostille Services |
My Florida Apostille | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total turnaround | 5–7 weeks | Same day (after the drive) | 6–10 business days | 5–7 business days |
| You complete the application | Yes — get it wrong, get rejected | Yes — completed at the counter | Sometimes | No — we complete it |
| In-person filing | No — mailed in | Yes — by you | Varies by provider | Yes — by us |
| Shipping included | No | N/A | Often extra | FedEx both ways |
| State fee included | $10 you pay separately | $10 you pay separately | Sometimes | Yes |
| Rejection protection | ~10–15% reject rate | Some at counter | Varies | Pre-submission review |
| Total cost (1 document) | $10–$25 + 5–7 weeks of waiting | $10 + gas + a full day of driving | $199–$299 + shipping often extra | $190 FedEx + state fee included |
| What you do | Write a check, mail, wait, hope | Drive 8+ hours round trip | Fill out forms, mail to them | Click. Pay. Show QR. |
$190 per document. FedEx both ways. State fee included. Five to seven business days.
Over a decade processing apostilles for clients nationwide
Verified customer reviews on Google & industry directories
Commissioned notary public, State of Florida
Outbound and return tracking · Full chain of custody
Any Florida-issued or Florida-notarized document may be authenticated by the Florida Department of State. The most common categories we process:
| Document Type | Typical Use | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| Birth Certificate | Certified copy from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics. Required for citizenship applications, residency, marriage abroad. Hospital "souvenir" certificates do not qualify. | 5–7 days |
| Marriage Certificate | For dual citizenship, spouse visas, foreign residency applications, and marriage validity in foreign jurisdictions. | 5–7 days |
| Death Certificate | Required for estate administration, probate, and inheritance proceedings in foreign countries. | 5–7 days |
| Divorce Decree | Certified copy from the Florida court of issuance. Required for remarriage or status verification abroad. | 5–7 days |
| FDLE Background Check | Florida Department of Law Enforcement criminal history. Required by many countries for visas, work permits, and immigration. Valid 90 days from issuance for most programs. | 5–7 days |
| Diploma | Original Florida diploma from a high school, college, or university — for overseas employment, professional licensure, or graduate study. Must have original signatures and the institution's seal, and be notarized by the registrar or a Florida notary. | 5–7 days |
| Transcript | Sealed certified academic transcript from a Florida educational institution. Must be a certified original (not a student copy), with the seal unbroken and a notary acknowledgment attached. | 5–7 days |
| Florida Notarized Documents | Any document notarized in Florida by a Florida-commissioned notary — powers of attorney, articles of incorporation, certificates of good standing, sworn affidavits, declarations, foreign-language documents. Must be the original document (not a photocopy), with a full notarial certificate in English (acknowledgment or jurat), notary signature, stamp, and seal. | 5–7 days |
Multiple documents to apostille? See bundle pricing →
Florida DOS only accepts certified originals with the right markings. Compare your document to these examples before you ship. The three most common documents we apostille — birth certificates, marriage certificates, and FDLE background checks — are pinned at the top.
Certified copy from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics or a county vital records office.
Certified copy from the Florida Clerk of Court in the county where the marriage was registered.
Original Florida Department of Law Enforcement Criminal History Information report.
Certified copy of the Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage from the Florida court that issued it.
Certified copy from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics or the county where the death was registered.
Original diploma from a Florida educational institution — high school, college, or university — notarized by the institution's registrar or a Florida notary.
Sealed certified academic transcript from a Florida educational institution, notarized for apostille.
Powers of attorney, affidavits, business documents, foreign-language documents, sworn statements — any document notarized in Florida by a Florida-commissioned notary.
Give us a call before you ship. We'd rather answer your questions upfront than have your document rejected at the Florida DOS counter.
A short explanation of the document, its history, and why every foreign country requires one before accepting U.S. paperwork.
An apostille is a certificate of authentication issued by a designated state authority that verifies the legitimacy of a public document for international use. Created by the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, the apostille replaces the older multi-step consular legalization process and is recognized in all 125+ Hague Convention member states without further authentication.
In Florida, apostilles are issued exclusively by the Florida Department of State in Tallahassee — there is no county-level or local apostille office. Documents originating outside Florida must apply through their issuing state's Secretary of State, and federal documents are authenticated separately in Washington, D.C., outside the scope of our service.
Common reasons people need a Florida apostille: applying for dual citizenship through ancestry, registering a marriage abroad, finalizing real estate transactions in Latin America, enrolling children in foreign schools, obtaining foreign work visas, opening international business entities, completing inheritance and estate matters, and immigration paperwork in non-U.S. jurisdictions.
If your document was issued by the State of Florida — or notarized by a Florida notary — we can apostille it. It doesn't matter where you live. Ship to our Tallahassee office from anywhere in the country.
Living in Florida and need a Florida document apostilled? Skip the drive and the mail-in wait. Ship to us via FedEx with our pre-paid label and we'll have it back to you in 5–7 business days.
Need a Florida-issued document apostilled but you live in another state? Same service. Ship from anywhere in the U.S. to our Tallahassee office. Return shipment goes to any U.S. address you specify at checkout — we don't ship internationally.
Three short sections. About three minutes. We'll email your pre-paid FedEx label the moment you complete payment.
Five to seven business days. FedEx both ways included. State fee included. Application form completed for you. Real Florida specialists on the phone if anything comes up.
Last updated: May 12, 2026
My Florida Apostille ("we," "our," or "us") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you use myfloridaapostille.com or our apostille service, how we use it, and what choices you have.
When you place an order, we collect: your name, email address, phone number, return shipping address, the type and number of documents you're ordering, the destination country, and any notes you include with your order. We also receive payment information indirectly through Stripe, our payment processor — we never see or store your full card number.
When you visit our website, we collect standard analytics data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, and referring URLs. This data is used to improve the site and is not tied to your personal identity.
We share your information only with the third-party service providers necessary to fulfill your order:
We do not sell your personal information. We do not share your data with marketers or advertisers.
You ship physical documents to our office for processing. We treat your original documents as confidential and store them securely until they are filed with the Florida Department of State. We do not retain copies of your documents after the apostille is returned to you.
We retain order records (name, email, order details) for seven years to comply with tax and business record requirements. You may request deletion of your data at any time by emailing orders@myfloridaapostille.com, subject to our legal retention obligations.
Our website uses minimal cookies for basic functionality and analytics. We do not use advertising cookies or tracking pixels from third-party ad networks.
You have the right to access, correct, or delete the personal information we hold about you. To exercise these rights, contact us at orders@myfloridaapostille.com or (850) 900-3443.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page indicates when the most recent changes were made. Continued use of our services after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.
For privacy questions, contact: orders@myfloridaapostille.com
Last updated: May 12, 2026
By using myfloridaapostille.com or our apostille service, you agree to these Terms of Service. Please read them carefully before placing an order.
My Florida Apostille is an independent document service that facilitates apostille processing through the Florida Department of State on behalf of customers. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the Florida Department of State, the U.S. Department of State, or any government agency. We are a private business providing convenience services.
You agree to:
Our standard turnaround is five to seven business days from the moment we receive your documents at our office. This timeline depends on third-party factors outside our control, including FedEx transit times and the Florida Department of State's processing schedule. We are not liable for delays caused by carriers, state offices, weather, holidays, or other circumstances beyond our reasonable control.
If the Florida Department of State rejects your document, we will contact you within one business day to discuss options. Some rejections can be resolved same-day at the counter; others require new documents from the issuing agency. Rejections do not entitle you to a refund of the state filing fee or our service fee, because both the fee and the labor have been performed.
Documents shipped via FedEx are insured up to $100 by default. For irreplaceable documents, you may purchase additional FedEx Declared Value coverage at the time of drop-off. We are not liable for loss or damage during transit beyond FedEx's published insurance coverage.
Payment is due at the time of order placement and is processed by Stripe. Refunds are governed by our separate Refund Policy.
All content on myfloridaapostille.com, including text, graphics, logos, and design, is the property of My Florida Apostille and protected by U.S. copyright law. You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works without our written permission.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, our total liability for any claim related to our services is limited to the amount you paid us for the order in question. We are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages, including but not limited to lost opportunities, missed deadlines, or visa application denials.
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida. Any disputes will be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Leon County, Florida.
We may update these Terms at any time. The "Last updated" date reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of our services after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.
For questions about these Terms: orders@myfloridaapostille.com
Last updated: May 12, 2026
We want every customer to be satisfied. Because our service involves third-party fees and irreversible work performed on your behalf, refunds depend on when you cancel.
To request a refund, contact us by:
Include your order number (from your confirmation email) and a brief explanation. We will respond within one business day.
Approved refunds are processed within 5–10 business days to the original payment method. Your bank or card issuer may take additional time to display the refund.
If your documents are damaged or lost in transit by FedEx, FedEx insurance applies (default $100, or up to the Declared Value coverage you purchased). We will work with you to file a FedEx claim. Our service fee is non-refundable in these cases because the loss occurred outside our control.
If you have questions about our refund policy before placing an order, please contact us — we'd rather answer questions upfront than handle refunds later.
