Apostille, Notary and Certified Translation Services
State apostille, federal authentication, Massachusetts notary public and certified translation. One licensed local team processes your vital records, corporate documents and powers of attorney for legal use anywhere in the world.
Everything your documents need, in one place
Getting a document accepted abroad is rarely one task. A diploma needs an apostille, a power of attorney needs a notary first, an FBI report follows a federal route, and many countries want a certified translation attached. Handled by separate providers, those steps turn into weeks of back-and-forth between companies that do not talk to each other.
Boston Apostille Service provides all four services under one roof. Because one team manages the whole file, the steps happen in the right order, nothing is missed and your document arrives ready to use. Choose a service from the cards below, see the full list of documents we process, or contact us and we will map the exact path for your documents.
State Apostille (Hague Convention)
Apostille certification for Massachusetts documents through the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Recognized in more than 120 Hague Convention countries, this is the route for vital records, diplomas and notarized documents.
- Birth, marriage and death certificates
- Diplomas, transcripts and court records
- Same-day Rush service available
Federal Apostille (U.S. Dept. of State)
Authentication of federal documents through the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. This is the required route for FBI background reports and other federally issued records.
- FBI background report authentication
- Federal court and agency documents
- Handled end to end, on your timeline
Massachusetts Notary Public
In-house notarization that prepares your documents correctly before authentication. Powers of attorney, affidavits and corporate documents are notarized and apostille-ready in one coordinated step.
- Powers of attorney and affidavits
- Copy and translation certifications
- Coordinated with your apostille order
Certified Translation
Certified, notarized translation accepted by USCIS and foreign authorities. We translate the documents that travel with an apostille and coordinate both so the package is accepted.
- USCIS-accepted certified translation
- Vital records, diplomas and contracts
- Matched to your destination country
State Apostille Service
A state apostille is the certificate that makes a Massachusetts public document valid in another country. It is the most common service we provide, because most personal and academic documents are issued at the state level.
The Hague Apostille Convention, signed in 1961, lets more than 120 countries accept a single certificate, the apostille, as proof that a document is genuine. The apostille verifies the signature, the seal and the authority of the official who issued the document. The Secretary of the Commonwealth, through the Public Records Division, issues it for Massachusetts records.
How it works
We confirm your document is an acceptable certified copy, complete any required notarization, then present it to the Secretary of the Commonwealth. We review every page before submission, the step that prevents most rejections. Once the apostille is attached, we return your document with tracking. Read more on the Massachusetts apostille process and the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Turnaround ranges from same-day Rush to a one to three week Economy option, with the government fee and return postage in one flat rate.
State apostille service covers a broad set of records. Vital records such as birth and marriage certificates are the most common, followed by college diplomas and transcripts for study and work abroad. We also authenticate court judgments, divorce decrees and any document a Massachusetts notary has executed. Whatever the record, the standard is the same: an original certified copy with a recognized seal, reviewed by our team before it ever reaches the state office.
Federal Apostille Service
Not every document is a state document, and this is where most people get stuck. A document issued by a federal agency cannot be authenticated in Massachusetts. It goes to the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C.
Federal documents are issued or signed by an agency of the United States government. The most requested is the FBI background report, which foreign governments ask for constantly: for work visas, residency permits, golden visa applications and international adoptions.
How it works
We prepare and submit the federal authentication application, checking every detail that commonly causes delays. Federal processing runs on its own timeline, currently several weeks nationwide, so starting early matters. Many clients need both a state and a federal apostille at once, for example a diploma and an FBI report for the same visa file. Because we handle both routes in-house, you deal with one team. See a real example in our apostille case study.
Federal authentication is exact and unforgiving, which is why so many self-filed applications come back. We check the document, the application and the supporting details against current Department of State requirements before anything is mailed. For clients living overseas this matters even more, since a federal rejection handled from abroad can cost a month or more. We build the timeline backward from your deadline so the federal step never becomes the bottleneck.
Massachusetts Notary Public
Notary service is the quiet step that decides whether many documents succeed or fail. A notary public verifies the identity of a signer and witnesses a signature. For authentication, notarization is often the first required step.
Documents that are not signed by a public official, such as a power of attorney or an affidavit, must be notarized first. The Secretary of the Commonwealth then authenticates the notary. If the notarization is missing, incomplete or worded incorrectly, the apostille request is rejected.
Why in-house notary service matters
When notarization and authentication are handled by two providers, small errors slip through: a missing commission date, an incomplete acknowledgment, wording that does not match the destination country. Because we provide notary service in-house, the notarization and the apostille are coordinated as one controlled process. The signature is witnessed and worded correctly, and ready for the next step the moment it is done.
Order matters with notarized documents. The notary acts first, then the state authenticates the notary, then a translation may follow. Get that sequence wrong and the work has to be redone. Because we control all three steps, your power of attorney or affidavit is notarized with the destination country already in mind, so it is built to pass authentication rather than fixed after a rejection.
Documents we notarize
- General and limited powers of attorney
- Single status and no-record affidavits
- Parental consent and travel authorization letters
- Company resolutions and corporate authorizations
- Sworn statements and declarations
- Copy certifications
- Translation certifications
Certified Translation Services
An apostille proves a document is authentic. It does not translate the document. Many people discover this too late, when a correctly apostilled document is refused because the receiving office could not read it.
Many countries require a certified translation of your document, of the apostille, or of both. Inside the United States, USCIS requires a certified English translation of any foreign-language document in an immigration filing. The requirement depends on the country and the office receiving the document.
Translation that is accepted
A certified translation includes a signed statement from the translator attesting that the translation is complete and accurate, and it is often notarized. We provide certified, notarized translation that meets the standards USCIS and foreign governments expect, and we confirm what your destination country wants before the work begins.
Quality and acceptance go together. A translation that is technically accurate can still be refused if it is not certified the way the receiving office expects, or if it is not assembled with the original and the apostille correctly. We handle the certification, the notarization and the assembly, so the finished set is accepted on first presentation, whether it is going to USCIS or a foreign ministry.
Documents we translate
- Birth, marriage and death certificates
- Diplomas and academic transcripts
- FBI background reports
- Divorce decrees and court judgments
- Powers of attorney
- Corporate and commercial documents
- Apostille certificates
When your translation and authentication come from the same team, the documents match, the order of steps is correct and nothing is translated by an unapproved source.
Documents we authenticate
We handle the document types that foreign governments, universities, employers and courts ask for most. If your document is not listed here, contact us, since we authenticate a wide range of records.
Vital Records
Personal records issued by a Massachusetts city, town or state registry, used for citizenship, marriage, family and immigration matters.
- Birth certificates
- Marriage certificates
- Death certificates
- Divorce decrees and judgments
- Single status affidavits
- Certificates of naturalization
- Adoption records
- Domestic partnership records
Corporate Documents
Business and commercial records authenticated for international deals, registrations, tenders and overseas branch operations.
- Articles of incorporation
- Certificates of good standing
- Corporate bylaws
- Board resolutions and meeting minutes
- Certificates of origin
- Commercial invoices
- Distribution and agency agreements
- Trademark, patent and EIN documents
Powers of Attorney
Notarized legal instruments that grant authority or make a sworn statement, prepared and authenticated for use abroad.
- General power of attorney
- Limited or special power of attorney
- Parental and travel consent letters
- Affidavits and sworn statements
- Authorization and representation letters
- Copy and translation certifications
- Last will and testament copies
How your order works
Four clear steps, whichever services your documents need.
Tell us your need
Share your document type and destination country. We confirm which services apply and the correct order.
Send your documents
Mail your documents or use local drop-off in Tewksbury. We review every page on arrival.
We process & authenticate
We notarize, translate and submit to the state or federal authority, tracking each step.
Receive your documents
Your finished documents ship back to you, in the United States or overseas.
Built for individuals, businesses and legal teams
These services reach a wide range of clients, and each comes to us with a different starting point. We tailor the process to your situation.
Individuals and families
Birth certificates for dual citizenship, single status affidavits for a wedding abroad, FBI reports for residency. We explain each step in plain language and remove the guesswork from an unfamiliar process.
Businesses and law firms
Corporations authenticate articles of incorporation, certificates of good standing and powers of attorney for deals abroad. Attorneys rely on us for accurate, tracked handling of client documents.
International students and educators
Diplomas and transcripts must be authenticated before a foreign university or ministry of education will recognize them. We assemble the full set so nothing is missing when the application is due.
Americans living abroad
Handling United States paperwork from another country is hard. We manage the entire process remotely, from intake to international delivery, so residency and visa files stay on schedule.
A local agency you can hold accountable
Anonymous online services disappear when something goes wrong. We do not.
We are a licensed, bonded and insured Massachusetts agency working from a real office in Tewksbury, minutes from Boston. When you call, a person who handles apostilles every day answers. When a document needs a notary, a certified copy or a translation, we tell you before you order, not after a government office rejects it.
That accountability is backed by process. Every document is reviewed before it reaches the Secretary of the Commonwealth or the U.S. Department of State, logged on arrival and tracked until it ships back to you. Authentication rules change, state processing times shift and destination countries update their requirements, so we keep current on all of it. The result is a service that gets your document right the first time, protects your deadline and treats records that are often irreplaceable with the care they deserve.
Local presence also means options. You can mail your documents, use convenient drop-off in Tewksbury, or have us coordinate the whole order remotely if you are out of state or overseas. Whichever you choose, one specialist owns your file from the first call to final delivery, so you always know where your documents stand.
Questions about our services
Clear answers across all four services we provide.
What is the difference between a state and a federal apostille?
A state apostille authenticates documents issued in Massachusetts, such as birth certificates, marriage certificates and diplomas, through the Secretary of the Commonwealth. A federal apostille authenticates documents issued by the United States government, such as FBI background reports, through the U.S. Department of State. The two follow separate processes and timelines. We handle both, and many clients need each at the same time.
Which service do I need for my document?
It depends on who issued the document and where it is headed. State-issued documents need a state apostille. Federally issued documents need a federal apostille. Documents that are not signed by a public official, such as a power of attorney, need a notary first. Many countries also require a certified translation. If you are unsure, contact us and we will confirm the exact path before you order.
Can you apostille an FBI background report?
Yes. An FBI background report is a federal document, authenticated by the U.S. Department of State rather than the Massachusetts state office. We manage the full federal process and return your apostilled report to you in the United States or overseas. It is our most requested federal service.
Do I need a notary before I get an apostille?
Sometimes. Documents that are not signed by a public official, such as affidavits, powers of attorney and company resolutions, must be notarized before the state can authenticate them. Vital records like birth and marriage certificates do not need a notary, because they are already signed by a public official. We provide notary service in-house and confirm what your document needs.
When is a certified translation required?
Many destination countries require a certified translation of your document, the apostille, or both. USCIS also requires certified English translations of foreign-language documents in immigration filings. The exact requirement depends on the country and the receiving office. We provide certified, notarized translation and coordinate it with your authentication so everything matches.
Can you handle several services on one order?
Yes. A single file can need a notary, a state apostille, a federal apostille and a certified translation. We handle the full sequence in the correct order with one point of contact, so you are not coordinating multiple providers yourself.
How long do these services take?
State apostille service ranges from same-day Rush to a one to three week Economy option. Federal authentication takes longer, with current guidance pointing to several weeks nationwide. Notarization and translation are usually quick and run alongside the authentication. We give you a realistic timeline for your specific documents before you commit.
Do you serve clients outside Massachusetts?
Yes. We serve all of Massachusetts and regularly handle documents for clients in New Hampshire and Rhode Island, as well as American citizens living overseas. You mail your documents to our Tewksbury office or arrange delivery, and we ship the finished work back to you anywhere in the world.
One team for apostille, notary and translation
Start your order online, or call and speak with a specialist who can confirm exactly which services your documents need.
