Apostille Service in Framingham, MA
Fast, accurate document authentication for Framingham residents, families, students and businesses. We handle Massachusetts apostilles and federal authentication from the first signature to the finished certificate.
- Licensed, bonded and insured
- Trusted since 2010
- 4.9★ Google rating
- Hague Convention compliant
Document authentication for Framingham, handled end to end
You need a document recognized in another country. An apostille is the certificate that makes a Massachusetts document valid abroad. For anyone in Framingham, the process means working with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, and sometimes the city clerk or the federal government first. One missed step sends the document back unsigned and costs you weeks.
Boston Apostille Service manages the full process for you. You send us the document. We review it, prepare it, route it to the correct office and return a finished apostille ready for use overseas. You skip the lines, the parking and the guesswork. Our office is in Tewksbury, about a 45 minute drive from Framingham, and our team has authenticated Massachusetts documents since 2010. We treat every order as a deadline that matters, because for most of our clients it does. A visa appointment, a citizenship filing or a job start date rarely waits.
We serve every part of Framingham, from Downtown and Saxonville to Nobscot and Framingham Centre. Most clients work with us by secure mail, so your location in the city never slows the job down. Drop the document off at our Tewksbury office if you prefer, or ship it. Either way, one accountable local team owns the result.
An apostille is not paperwork you want to learn twice. Get it right the first time and the document travels anywhere in the Hague Convention.
How the apostille process works for Framingham residents
In Massachusetts, apostilles are issued by the Secretary of the Commonwealth. The Commissions Section sits at One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, in downtown Boston. The state charges $6 per document, and the office accepts walk-ins on weekdays. Framingham is about 25 miles west of Boston, so a trip downtown to sort this out yourself means a drive in, parking, and the risk of arriving with a document the office cannot process.
That risk is real. The document has to be in the right form before the Commonwealth will touch it. A Framingham birth or marriage certificate must be a certified copy from the Framingham City Clerk at Framingham City Hall, not a photocopy and not a keepsake certificate. A signed power of attorney or business contract usually needs a notary first, and the notary’s commission must be current and on file. School records from Framingham State University often need a registrar’s signature, and each destination country adds its own requirements on top of those.
Get the order of those steps wrong and the trip to Boston is wasted. We see the same rejections again and again: expired notary commissions, certificates that were never certified, names that do not match the passport, missing translations. We catch every one of those problems before the document leaves our desk.
Federal documents follow a different path
An FBI background check, a federal court record or any document issued by a US agency is not authenticated by Massachusetts. Those go to the US Department of State in Washington, DC. We handle that routing too, so you do not have to learn two systems. Tell us what the document is and where it is going, and we send it down the correct track from day one.
Three reasons Framingham clients hand this to us
- You avoid a Boston trip, office hours and the certified-copy runaround.
- We screen the document first, so it is not rejected at the counter.
- One team tracks the order until the finished apostille is back in your hands.
Framingham records, MetroWest employers and the Brazilian community
Framingham became a city in 2018, but its vital records still live where they always have, at the Memorial Building on Concord Street. That matters because the Commonwealth will only apostille a Framingham birth, marriage or death certificate that carries the hand signature of the Framingham City Clerk or an assistant. A copy from the state Registry of Vital Records in Dorchester also works, but the local clerk is faster and closer for most residents.
Certified copies from the Framingham City Clerk
The City Clerk’s office is at 150 Concord Street, Framingham, MA 01702, inside the Memorial Building. Regular hours run Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Tuesday extended to 7 p.m., and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Call 508-532-5520 to confirm the current certified copy fee, which is charged per certificate and differs between counter and online orders. Ask for a certified copy with a raised seal and an original signature. A record that was laminated, a hospital souvenir certificate or a photocopy will not be accepted in Boston.
The largest Brazilian community in Massachusetts
Brazilians have been the state’s largest immigrant group since 2010, and South Framingham has been one of the two or three main Brazilian hubs in Massachusetts for over thirty years. That community drives a large share of our Framingham orders: Brazilian citizenship for children born here, inventário and property transfers in Minas Gerais and Goiás, marriage registration at the cartório, university enrollment in Brazil and retirement paperwork with the INSS. Brazil joined the Hague Convention in 2016, so a Massachusetts apostille is accepted without consular legalization. The cartório will still want a tradução juramentada from a sworn translator registered in Brazil. We prepare the apostille so the translator receives a clean, complete document, and we can write to you in Portuguese if that is easier.
MetroWest employers and Framingham State
Framingham is also home to corporate headquarters along Route 9 and the Mass Pike, including TJX, Bose and Staples, plus MetroWest Medical Center and Framingham State University. From those addresses we regularly authenticate certificates of good standing, board resolutions, distribution agreements, medical licenses and diplomas. Corporate documents follow their own path: the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Corporations Division issues certified copies and certificates of good standing, and those go straight to the Commissions Section on the seventeenth floor of the same building. We handle both floors in one visit.
Getting the document to us
Framingham to our Tewksbury office is about 45 minutes via I-495. Most Framingham clients skip the drive and send the document by tracked mail. Downtown Boston is closer, roughly 35 minutes by car or a Worcester Line commuter rail ride to South Station, but the Commissions Section only processes three walk-in documents per visit. If you have a family’s worth of records, mailing them to us is the faster route.
Documents we apostille for Framingham clients
Personal, academic, legal or corporate, most documents that originate in Massachusetts or with a US agency are eligible. Here are the requests we handle most often for Framingham.
Birth certificates
Certified copies from the Framingham City Clerk, prepared for dual citizenship, immigration filings and adoption abroad.
Birth certificate apostille serviceMarriage certificates
Framingham marriage records authenticated for spousal visas, name changes and weddings recognized in another country.
Marriage certificate apostille serviceDeath certificates
Estate, inheritance and probate matters that cross a border and need a verified Massachusetts record.
How to apostille a death certificateFBI background checks
Federal identity history reports authenticated through the US Department of State for work visas and residency applications.
FBI background check apostilleDiplomas and transcripts
Degrees from Framingham State University and other Massachusetts institutions, prepared for teaching and study abroad programs.
Diploma and transcript apostillePower of attorney
Notarized powers of attorney for property, banking and family matters handled in another country.
Power of attorney apostille guideSingle status affidavits
Sworn statements of single status, a common requirement for marrying abroad, especially for Brazilian and Portuguese registries.
Single status affidavit apostilleDivorce decrees
Massachusetts divorce judgments authenticated for remarriage and immigration proceedings abroad.
Divorce decree apostille serviceBusiness documents
Articles of incorporation, certificates of good standing, commercial invoices and board resolutions for Framingham companies expanding abroad.
Corporate document apostilleDo not see your document on this list? Contact our Framingham apostille team and we will confirm whether it is eligible and which office handles it.
Choose the option that fits your schedule
Secure mail-in service
Best for busy Framingham professionals and families. Order online, ship your document to our Tewksbury office and we return the finished apostille by tracked mail or courier. You never leave home.
- Order from anywhere in Framingham in minutes.
- Tracked, insured return shipping on every order.
- Status updates from intake to delivery.
In-person drop-off
Prefer to hand the document over? Our office at 1215 Main St, Suite 115 in Tewksbury is about a 45 minute drive from Framingham. Bring your document during business hours and our team reviews it with you on the spot.
- Same-visit document review and intake.
- Open Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm.
- Free parking at the door.
A local team that owns the outcome
Apostille work rewards experience and punishes shortcuts. A national web form does not know that a Framingham birth certificate has to come from the city clerk at Framingham City Hall, or that a notary commission expired last month. We do. Boston Apostille Service has authenticated Massachusetts documents since 2010, and the same accountable team handles your order from intake to delivery.
- 15 years of Massachusetts experience. We know the Commonwealth’s requirements and the quirks of each city clerk office.
- Licensed, bonded and insured. Your documents are handled by a registered Massachusetts agency, not a middleman.
- Document screening on every order. We check eligibility before the document moves, so you do not pay for a rejection.
- Confidential, in-office handling. Your personal records stay with our staff and are never outsourced.
- Rated 4.9 on Google. Framingham clients return to us and send their families.
What clients ask for most
- Citizenship
- Brazilian, Portuguese and Italian dual citizenship files
- Teaching
- Diplomas and background checks for teaching English abroad
- Family
- Marriage and single status documents for weddings overseas
- Business
- Corporate records for Framingham companies expanding abroad
- Immigration
- Vital records for family visa and residency filings
Framingham generates more apostille demand than almost any city in MetroWest. The reasons are local: one of the largest Brazilian communities in the United States lives here, a substantial Latino population keeps active ties to countries abroad, and Framingham State University graduates go on to teach and study overseas every year.
Apostille service across Framingham and Middlesex County
Framingham is the hub of MetroWest and one of the most culturally active cities in Middlesex County. It is home to one of the largest Brazilian communities in the United States, a large and established Latino population and a university that sends graduates around the world. That combination produces a very high volume of apostille work, from citizenship and immigration filings to academic records and family documents. We built our Framingham service around those specific needs.
Every Framingham neighborhood
We serve clients in Downtown Framingham, Saxonville, Nobscot and Framingham Centre, as well as every other part of the city. Mail-in service means your address in Framingham does not change the turnaround. The document moves, not you. Whether you are on the east side near Route 9 or out toward Wayland, the process is identical.
Framingham vital records
Birth, marriage and death certificates for Framingham are issued by the Framingham City Clerk at Framingham City Hall. A certificate must be a certified copy before the Commonwealth will apostille it. If you are not sure what type of copy you have, send us a photo and we will tell you exactly what you need before you order anything.
The Brazilian and Latino communities
Framingham has the largest concentration of Brazilian-Americans in Massachusetts and one of the largest in the country. Dual citizenship filings for Brazil, authentication of Brazilian notarial documents, family immigration petitions and marriage abroad are among our most common requests from Framingham clients. The Portuguese consulate and Brazilian federal requirements add layers that require careful preparation. We know those requirements well and work through them methodically.
Framingham State University
Framingham State graduates pursue teaching positions and graduate study abroad every year. Teaching English in Asia, Europe or Latin America typically requires an apostilled diploma and an FBI background check. We prepare both documents, coordinate the timing and return them together so graduates arrive at their new employer with everything in order.
MetroWest Medical Center and local employers
Medical letters, employment verification and professional license documents from Framingham employers are part of the mix too. We handle commercial and professional orders with the same care as a single birth certificate, and volume clients get the same itemized, transparent pricing as everyone else.
When Framingham residents need an apostille
Most people meet the word apostille for the first time when a foreign office asks for one. Here are the situations that bring Framingham clients to us, and what each one usually involves.
Brazilian dual citizenship
Brazil allows citizenship by descent and through naturalization, and both processes require authenticated documents from the United States. Framingham clients come to us with birth certificates, marriage records and naturalization papers that need apostilles before the Brazilian consulate will accept them. We assemble these files carefully because a missing document in a citizenship packet costs months.
Family immigration filings
Framingham’s large immigrant population files spousal visa petitions, family reunification cases and residency applications that all require authenticated vital records. Birth and marriage certificates from the Framingham City Clerk need apostilles before they travel abroad. We handle those documents every week, and we know what each country expects to receive.
Teaching or working abroad
Framingham State University graduates who take teaching positions in South Korea, Spain, Brazil or elsewhere need an apostilled diploma and an FBI background check. We authenticate both, coordinate the timing and ship them together so the graduate arrives ready to start work, not waiting on paperwork.
Getting married overseas
Getting married in Brazil, Portugal, Italy or Mexico means proving you are legally free to marry. That calls for an apostilled single status affidavit and often an apostilled birth certificate. Timing is everything here. We plan the order around your ceremony date so the documents arrive before you do.
Whatever brought you here, the first step is the same. Tell us the document and the destination country, and we will map out exactly what you need before you spend a dollar.
What an apostille costs in Framingham
The Commonwealth charges $6 per document for a Massachusetts apostille. Federal documents carry a separate government fee. Our service fee covers document review, correct routing, courier handling and tracking, with no surprise charges added later.
State document service starts at $149.95. Federal authentication starts at $199.95. Express handling is available when a deadline is close. Every quote is itemized before you pay, so you see the government fee and the service fee separately.
The price you approve is the price you pay. We do not add handling charges after the fact, and we do not move forward with extra steps until you say so. If a document turns out to need notarization or a certified copy first, we tell you the cost before we proceed. For Framingham families authenticating several records at once, ask about volume pricing when you request your quote.
See full pricingYour apostille in four steps
Tell us about your document
Complete the online order form with the document type and the country where you will use it. Not sure about a detail? Call us and we will walk you through it.
Send the document to our office
Ship it to Tewksbury or drop it off in person. We confirm receipt and review the document for eligibility the same day it arrives.
We authenticate it
We route the document to the Secretary of the Commonwealth or the US Department of State and track it through every stage.
You receive the finished apostille
The completed document returns to you by tracked, insured mail or courier, ready to present abroad.
Not sure which path your document needs?
Call Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern. A specialist who handles apostilles every day tells you the exact copy, notarization and route your file needs. No charge, no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
What is an apostille and why do Framingham residents need one?
An apostille is a certificate that authenticates a public document so another country accepts it as genuine. Countries in the Hague Apostille Convention, more than 120 of them, recognize it. Framingham residents need an apostille for dual citizenship, immigration filings, marriage abroad, work and study visas, international adoption and business filings in other countries.
Where are apostilles issued in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts apostilles are issued by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Commissions Section, at One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston. Federal documents, such as FBI background checks, are authenticated by the US Department of State in Washington, DC. We route your document to the correct office for you.
How long does an apostille take for Framingham clients?
State documents are usually complete in about five business days once we receive them. Federal authentication takes longer because the document travels to Washington. When you have a tight deadline, ask about express handling and we will tell you what is realistic.
Do I have to come to your office in person?
No. Most Framingham clients use our secure mail-in service. You order online, ship the document to our Tewksbury office and we return the finished apostille by tracked mail or courier. In-person drop-off is available at our Tewksbury office if you prefer to hand the document over directly.
How much does an apostille cost?
The Commonwealth charges $6 per document. Our state document service starts at $149.95 and federal authentication starts at $199.95. Every quote is itemized, so you see the government fee and the service fee before you pay.
Can you apostille a Framingham birth or marriage certificate?
Yes. The certificate has to be a certified copy from the Framingham City Clerk at Framingham City Hall. A hospital keepsake certificate or a photocopy will not qualify. If you are unsure what you have, send us a photo and we will confirm it before you order anything.
What about FBI background checks?
FBI identity history reports are federal documents. They are authenticated by the US Department of State, not the Massachusetts Commonwealth. We handle the federal process and return the apostilled report to you.
My document is going to Brazil. What do I need?
Brazil is a member of the Hague Convention, so a Massachusetts apostille is the correct authentication. The document must be in the right form before the Commonwealth will stamp it. If the destination registry also requires a certified Portuguese translation, we arrange that too. Tell us the document and we will confirm the full list of requirements.
My document is going to a country not in the Hague Convention. Can you help?
Yes. Documents bound for non-Hague countries need embassy or consular legalization instead of an apostille. That is a longer process with extra steps. Tell us the destination country and we will explain exactly what it requires.
Do you serve businesses in Framingham?
We do. We authenticate articles of incorporation, certificates of good standing, commercial invoices, contracts and board resolutions for Framingham companies working abroad. Volume orders are welcome and we can set up a recurring process for firms that need it regularly.
Do you provide certified translations for documents used abroad?
Yes. Many countries require an apostilled document to arrive with a certified translation into the local language. We arrange certified translations and coordinate the timing so the translation and the apostille are ready together. Tell us the target language when you place the order.
Does each document need its own apostille?
Yes. An apostille is attached to a single document, so a birth certificate and a marriage certificate each receive a separate apostille and a separate state fee. When you send several documents at once, we process them together and itemize each one on your quote.
How do I get started?
Complete the online application form or call (978) 424-4629. Tell us the document and the destination country, and we will confirm the steps, the price and the timeline before anything moves.
Guides Framingham clients read before they order
Most rejections trace back to a detail the client did not know to check. These guides cover the questions Framingham clients ask us most.
How much an apostille costs
State fees, service tiers and where the hidden costs usually come from.
Read the guideState vs federal apostille
Why an FBI report cannot go to the Commonwealth and where it goes instead.
Read the guideApostille service in nearby towns
See every Massachusetts community we serve, read the Massachusetts apostille guide or check current apostille pricing.
Ready to authenticate your document?
Start your Framingham apostille today. One local team, fixed pricing and a finished certificate you can trust abroad.