MASSACHUSETTS AUTHENTICATION
Massachusetts Certification for Non-Hague Countries
When a Massachusetts document is going to a country that isn’t in the Hague Convention, the Secretary of the Commonwealth issues a certification instead of an apostille. It’s the first step of authentication, and we file it in person in Boston.
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FILED IN BOSTON
Usually 1–2 business days
Then the Department of State and embassy
- Vital records and court records
- Notarized documents
- Diplomas and transcripts
- Corporate records
What a Massachusetts certification is
The Secretary of the Commonwealth certifies that the notary, clerk or official who signed your Massachusetts document is genuine. For Hague Convention countries, that certificate is called an apostille and the document is ready to use. For every other country, it’s called a certification, and it starts the authentication chain.
After certification, the document goes to the U.S. Department of State and then to the destination country’s embassy or consulate. We handle each step, so you don’t have to send the document back and forth between offices.
Massachusetts documents we certify
| Document | How it starts |
|---|---|
| Birth, marriage, divorce and death records | A certified copy from the city or town clerk or the state registry, which we can retrieve |
| Powers of attorney, affidavits, consent letters | Notarized in Massachusetts; we come to you to notarize |
| Diplomas and transcripts | Notarized through the school’s registrar |
| Court records | A certified copy from the court, which we can retrieve |
| Company records | A certified copy from the Corporations Division, or a notarized company document |
| Massachusetts CORI | Notarized as required, then certified |
Apostille or certification? Massachusetts examples
| Massachusetts document | Going to | What the state issues | Next steps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate | Italy | Apostille | None, ready to use |
| Birth certificate | United Arab Emirates | Certification | U.S. Department of State, then UAE legalization and attestation |
| Power of attorney | Egypt | Certification | U.S. Department of State, then the Egypt embassy |
| Diploma | Qatar | Certification | U.S. Department of State, then the Qatar embassy |
| Diploma | Spain | Apostille | None, ready to use |
| Certificate of good standing | Jordan | Certification | U.S. Department of State, then the Jordan embassy |
The same document can need different routes for different countries, so we always confirm the route for your destination before we file.
Who needs a Massachusetts certification
Graduates working abroad
Teachers, engineers and healthcare professionals moving to the Gulf with Massachusetts diplomas and transcripts.
Families
Birth and marriage records for residence visas, marriage abroad and citizenship applications in non-Hague countries.
Property owners and heirs
Powers of attorney signed in Massachusetts for property, inheritance and banking abroad.
Massachusetts companies
Good standing certificates and company records for branches, distributors and registrations abroad.
How the process works
- 1
Notarization or certified copy
We notarize your document wherever you are in Greater Boston, or retrieve the certified copy for you.
- 2
Massachusetts certification
We file it in person with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, naming the destination country.
- 3
U.S. Department of State authentication
Our DC Satellite Office handles the federal step in Washington.
- 4
Embassy legalization
The destination country’s embassy or consulate legalizes the document.
- 5
Translation and delivery
A certified translation if required, then tracked delivery to you or directly abroad.
Before you send us your document
- Check the date on certified copies. If a record is more than 12 months old, confirm with the recipient that they’ll accept it.
- Keep the document intact. Don’t remove staples or pages from a notarized or certified document.
- Know the destination country. It decides whether the state issues an apostille or a certification.
- Ask whether a translation is needed, and whether it should be done before or after legalization. We can confirm this for you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Massachusetts apostille and a certification?
Both come from the Secretary of the Commonwealth. An apostille is for countries in the Hague Convention and is the final step. A certification is for every other country and is followed by U.S. Department of State authentication and embassy legalization.
How long does a Massachusetts certification take?
We file in person in Boston, and the certification is usually ready in 1–2 business days.
Can the Secretary of the Commonwealth certify a photocopy?
Only if it’s properly notarized as a copy and the recipient abroad accepts that. Vital records and court records should be certified copies from the issuing office.
My document is from another state. Can you still help?
Yes. We handle documents from any U.S. state. We arrange the certification from the state that issued it, then complete the federal and embassy steps.
Can you retrieve the certified copy for me?
Yes. We retrieve Massachusetts birth, marriage and death records, court records and company records, then handle the certification. See vital records retrieval.
Do you come to me for the notarization?
Yes. We notarize at your home, office or hospital anywhere in Greater Boston, then take the document straight to the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Do I need to tell you the country?
Yes. The country determines whether the state issues an apostille or a certification, so it has to be correct before we file.
Have a Massachusetts document going abroad?
Tell us the document and the country. We’ll confirm whether it needs an apostille or a certification.