Terms of Agreement

1.About this agreement

Authenticating a document is high-stakes work, and a clear agreement protects both sides. This page explains what we will do for you, what we need from you and the terms that apply when you order our service.

Boston Apostille Service is a licensed, bonded and insured document authentication agency in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. We apostille and authenticate vital records, corporate documents and federal records so they can be used legally in other countries. In this agreement, the words “we,” “us” and “our” mean Boston Apostille Service. The words “you” and “your” mean the person or the company using our service.

We wrote these terms in plain language because you deserve to understand them. There is no fine print designed to trip you up. Each section below explains a part of how we work together, and the most important points are highlighted in plain terms.

2.Accepting these terms

You accept this agreement when you do any of the following: submit an apostille application, approve a quote, make a payment or send us documents to authenticate. At that point this agreement becomes a binding contract between you and Boston Apostille Service.

If you do not agree with these terms, please do not use our service. If you are placing an order on behalf of a company, a law firm or another person, you confirm that you have the authority to accept this agreement for them.

3.The services we provide

We prepare and submit your documents for authentication and return them to you. Our work includes reviewing your documents, confirming the correct authentication path, presenting documents to the proper authority, coordinating notarization or certified translation when needed and arranging secure return shipping. You can see the full list on our services page, and our how it works guide walks through the process step by step.

We are a private agency. We are not a government office, and we are not the Secretary of the Commonwealth or the U.S. Department of State. We act as your representative to prepare and submit your documents correctly. The decision to issue an apostille or authentication always rests with the government authority, not with us.

4.What we need from you

A smooth order depends on accurate information. When you use our service, you agree to:

• Give us accurate and complete information about your document, the destination country and your deadline.
• Provide the correct certified copy or original document that the authentication requires.
• Confirm you have the legal right and authority to submit each document, including any document that names another person.
• Respond to our questions promptly so your order is not delayed.
• Use the finished apostille only for lawful purposes.

If a document is delayed or refused because the information you gave us was wrong or incomplete, or because you sent the wrong copy, that is not a failure of our service. We will tell you how to fix the problem, but any additional government fees or service fees to correct it are your responsibility. Our FAQ page explains the most common document requirements.

5.Quotes, pricing and payment

Our pricing is flat-rate and transparent. You can review every package on our pricing page. Before you commit to anything, we provide a free consultation and a written quote for your specific order.

Payment is due after you approve your quote. Your quote sets out the service level, the price and what is included. Once you approve the quote and submit payment, your order is confirmed and we begin work. Prices may change over time, but the price quoted to you is the price that applies to your order.

6.Starting work and cancellation

We want this to be fair. After you pay, there is a short window before our team begins working on your order. “Work begins” means the point at which we start reviewing, preparing or submitting your documents, or paying any government fee on your behalf.

If you cancel before work begins, you receive a full refund. Simply contact us as soon as possible and let us know you want to cancel. As long as we have not started, we will refund your payment in full.

Once work has begun, the terms in Section 7 apply.

7.Our no-refund policy

Once work has begun on your order, fees are earned and are not refundable. This is because our service is the careful preparation, review and submission of your documents. That work has real value and real cost the moment it starts, whatever the final outcome.

Specifically, you understand and agree that:

• No refund once the application is started. After we begin reviewing, preparing or submitting your documents, your service fee is non-refundable.
• No refund if the government refuses or rejects the document. A refusal or rejection by a state or federal authority is a government decision, not a failure of our service. We still performed the work of preparing and submitting your documents. Our fee remains earned and non-refundable.
• Government fees cannot be recovered. Any government application fee we pay on your behalf is paid to the government and cannot be returned to you by us.
• Delays are not grounds for a refund. Government processing times vary, and a longer-than-expected timeline is not a basis for a refund.

8.Government decisions and timelines

This is one of the most important things to understand before you order. We prepare and submit your documents with care, and our review process exists to catch problems before they reach a government office. That is why our rejection rate is low.

Even so, we do not control the government, and we cannot guarantee the outcome. You understand and agree that:

• The decision to issue or refuse an apostille belongs to the Secretary of the Commonwealth or the U.S. Department of State, not to Boston Apostille Service.
• Processing times are estimates. They depend on government volume and can change without notice. We give you a realistic timeline, but we do not guarantee a specific date.
• We do not guarantee that any document will be accepted by the destination country, embassy, employer or other party that requested it.

We promise to do our work properly and to keep you informed. We cannot promise a result that depends on a government decision.

9.Payment authorization and chargebacks

When you submit payment for an order, you authorize Boston Apostille Service to charge the agreed amount to your chosen payment method. You confirm that you are the authorized holder of that payment method.

If you ever have a concern about a charge, we ask you to contact us first so we can resolve it directly. We are a real, reachable agency with a local office and a phone number answered by a person. Most concerns are settled quickly with a phone call.

You agree that you will not file a chargeback, payment dispute or reversal with your bank or card company for a charge that is valid under this agreement, including a charge for work that has begun or for a document the government refused. Filing a chargeback in those circumstances is a breach of this agreement.

This section does not take away any right you have under the law. It asks only that you raise concerns with us directly and in good faith before involving your bank.

10.Your documents and shipping

We treat your documents as the sensitive, often irreplaceable records they are. Every document is logged when it arrives and handled under controlled in-office procedures, and your order is tracked until it ships back to you.

When you mail documents to us, they are in transit under the carrier you choose, and we recommend a tracked, insured shipping method. Return shipping is included in your package and matches the service level you selected. While we use reliable, tracked carriers, we are not responsible for delays, loss or damage caused by a shipping carrier or a postal service once a package is in their hands.

How we collect, store and protect the personal information in your documents is explained in our privacy policy.

11.Our commitment to you

This agreement protects both sides, and our side of it is a real commitment. When you choose Boston Apostille Service, here is what you can count on:

• An honest review. We check your documents before they reach a government office, and we tell you about a problem before it costs you weeks.
• A straight answer. We give you a realistic timeline and an honest assessment, even when it is not what you hoped to hear.
• One point of contact. A specialist owns your file from start to finish, so you are never passed around.
• Clear pricing. A flat-rate quote with government fees and return shipping included, approved by you before any payment.
• Careful handling. Your documents are logged, secured and tracked the whole way through.

You can read more about who we are on our about us page. The terms above are not here to hide behind. They are here so both sides know where they stand.

12.Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent allowed by law, the total liability of Boston Apostille Service for any claim connected to your order is limited to the amount you paid us for that order.

We are not liable for indirect, incidental or consequential losses, including lost opportunities, missed deadlines, travel costs or other costs, where those losses are caused by:

• A government office decision, requirement or processing delay.
• A shipping carrier or postal service delay, loss or damage.
• Inaccurate or incomplete information you provided, or the wrong document being supplied.
• A destination country, embassy or third party refusing to accept a document.
• Events outside our reasonable control.

Nothing in this agreement limits any liability that cannot be limited under the law.

13.Your responsibility to us

You agree to cover Boston Apostille Service for any reasonable loss, claim or cost we face because of: information you gave us that was false or misleading, a document you submitted that you did not have the authority to submit, or your misuse of a document we authenticated. This is a standard protection that simply keeps responsibility for your information and your documents with you.

14.Dispute resolution and arbitration

We want to fix any problem quickly and directly. If you have a dispute, you agree to contact us first and give us a fair chance to resolve it. Reach us through our Contact Us page or by phone. Most issues are settled this way within 30 days.

Binding arbitration

If a dispute cannot be resolved directly, you and Boston Apostille Service agree that it will be settled by final and binding arbitration, rather than in court, except that either side may bring a qualifying claim in small claims court. The arbitration will be conducted by a recognized arbitration body under its rules, and it will take place in or near Massachusetts unless both sides agree otherwise.

Class action waiver

You and Boston Apostille Service agree that any dispute will be brought only on an individual basis. Neither side will bring or take part in a class action, a class arbitration or any other combined proceeding.

Governing law

This agreement is governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without regard to its conflict-of-law rules.

15.Privacy

Your privacy matters to us. How we collect, use, protect and share the personal information in your documents and your account is explained fully in our privacy policy, which forms part of your relationship with us.

16.Changes to these terms

We may update this agreement from time to time to reflect changes in our service or the law. When we do, we will update the date at the top of this page. The terms that apply to your order are the terms in effect when you place that order. We encourage you to review this page when you use our service.

17.How to contact us

If you have a question about this agreement or your order, please reach out. We would always rather talk it through with you.