Which Immigration Documents Need an Apostille?

The short answer

It depends on which direction your documents are traveling. U.S. immigration (USCIS) does not require apostilles. It requires certified English translations of foreign-language documents. Apostilles are needed when U.S. documents are going to a foreign immigration authority: for residency, a work permit, a long-stay visa, citizenship or citizenship by descent in another country.

Filing with USCIS? You need translations, not apostilles

Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), any foreign-language document submitted to USCIS must be accompanied by a full English translation, certified by the translator as complete and accurate, along with the translator's certification of competence. The regulation does not call for an apostille, and it does not require the translation to be notarized. See Certified Translation for USCIS.

Moving abroad? These documents usually need an apostille

Common reasons people need apostilled immigration documents

• Residency, retirement and long-stay visas, such as in Spain, Portugal, Costa Rica and Panama.
• Work permits and employer-sponsored relocations. See Employee Relocation.
• Remote work visas. See Digital Nomad Visa Documents.
• Citizenship by descent, including Italy and Ireland. See Citizenship by Descent.
• Aliyah to Israel. See Apostille for Israel.
• Family reunification and dependants' visas abroad.

How recent must the documents be?

Foreign immigration offices frequently set validity windows, and they differ widely. Portugal's D8 remote work visa asks for an FBI check issued less than 90 days before you apply. Spain's telework visa accepts an FBI check up to six months old. Israel accepts an FBI check for aliyah for six months from its issue date. Costa Rica's immigration authority generally treats a certificate without its own expiration date as valid for six months. Birth and marriage certificates are often expected to be recently issued as well. We plan every document backward from your appointment or filing date so the whole file is valid at the same time.

Translation

Most foreign immigration offices require a translation into their own language, and many have specific rules about who may prepare it. Some accept a certified translation prepared in the United States, while others, such as Costa Rica, require an official translator appointed in that country. Some require the apostille itself to be translated, so translation usually comes last. We provide certified translation in more than 65 languages through our American Translators Association corporate membership, and when a local translator is required, we ship the apostilled originals directly to them.

Apostille or embassy legalization?

Countries in the Hague Apostille Convention accept an apostille. Others, such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait, require authentication by the U.S. Department of State followed by embassy legalization. Thailand joins the Convention on February 28, 2027. See Which Countries Accept an Apostille?.

Mistakes that delay immigration files

• Apostilling documents for USCIS. It adds cost without helping. USCIS wants certified translations.
• A state apostille on an FBI check. Only the U.S. Department of State can apostille it.
• Photocopying a naturalization certificate. Federal law restricts copying it, so a notarized photocopy is not an option.
• Expired background checks. Many countries want them issued within 90 days to six months.
• Translating too early. Some countries require the apostille itself to be translated.

How we help

We review the checklist from the immigration office, consulate or attorney handling your case, then prepare every document: new certified records, notarizations anywhere in Greater Boston, state apostilles filed in person in Boston, federal apostilles through our DC Satellite Office, embassy legalization where required and certified translation through our ATA corporate membership. Everything is returned together, with tracking, wherever you are.