Apostille a single status affidavit in San Diego
What the Secretary of State will and will not accept, what it costs, and how long it takes.
Required by most countries before they will let a US citizen marry there. We handle the whole process in San Diego: the notarization if one is needed, the submission to the California Secretary of State, and returning the finished certificate to you.
What you need before an apostille is possible
You sign a sworn statement in front of us that you are free to marry.
Watch out: Many countries will not accept one older than three or six months, so do not do this too far in advance.
How it works
- Tell us the destination country. Hague Convention countries take an apostille. Others need consular legalization, which is a different and longer process – see apostille versus authentication.
- We check the document is in an acceptable form before anything is paid or mailed. This is the step that prevents almost all rejections.
- We notarize if required, coming to you anywhere in San Diego County.
- We submit to the Secretary of State with the cover sheet naming the destination country and the state fee.
- You get the apostilled document back, in person or by mail.
Timing and cost
From $195 for the first document, which includes travel and the mobile notary visit if the document needs notarizing, with additional documents in the same batch at $150 each. Standard turnaround is about 5–7 business days and expedited is about 3. The state's own $20-per-apostille fee and any certified-copy fees are passed through at cost.
Turnaround depends on the Secretary of State's workload that week, and we will tell you what we are actually seeing rather than quoting a brochure figure. No apostille can be processed on a weekend, because the state offices are closed.
Will it need translating?
Often, yes. Most foreign authorities want the document and its apostille translated into their language, and the translation should be done after the apostille is attached. Our sister company handles that – see certified translation.
Other documents we apostille
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to apostille a single status affidavit?
About 5–7 business days end to end for our standard service, or about 3 business days expedited. The variable is the Secretary of State's current backlog. Mailing it yourself is cheaper but slower, and mail requests cannot be expedited.
What does it cost to apostille a single status affidavit?
From $195 for the first document, including travel and the mobile notary visit where one is needed. Additional documents in the same batch are $150 each, and expedited handling is $250 per document. The state's $20 fee per apostille and any certified-copy fees are added at cost.
Do I have to be there?
Only if the document needs your signature notarized. Once that is done we handle the submission and return without you needing to be present.
Next step
Tell us what you need
We will come back with a time and a firm price. If it is urgent, call or text (858) 888-8060.