Power of Attorney Apostille
A power of attorney lets someone act on your behalf in legal or financial matters. When that authority needs to be recognized in another country, it must carry a Pennsylvania apostille. We handle the courier work so you do not have to travel to Harrisburg.
Check your notary block before mailing
The most common reason for a rejected submission is an incomplete notary block. Before you send your document, confirm the notary's commission number, expiration date, and seal are all clearly visible. A missing detail can add days to your turnaround.
What is a power of attorney apostille?
A power of attorney is a private legal document, not a government record. Because it did not originate with a state agency, the Pennsylvania Department of State cannot certify the document itself. Instead, it authenticates the notary public who witnessed your signature.
That means your power of attorney must be signed in front of a Pennsylvania notary public before it can be apostilled. The notary block must be complete, with the notary's commission number, expiration date, and wet-ink seal or stamp. Once that is in order, the state attaches the apostille to confirm the notary's credentials are valid.
We pick up your document, hand-deliver it to the Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation in Harrisburg the same day, and ship it back to you with tracking. You order from anywhere in the world; the document just needs to have been notarized by a Pennsylvania notary.
When people need one
- Managing property, real estate, or bank accounts on someone's behalf in another country
- Completing an overseas real estate transaction when the principal cannot travel
- Representing a family member in a foreign legal or administrative matter
- Handling inheritance, estate, or probate matters abroad
- Granting signing authority for international business dealings
How Keystone handles it
The same simple process for every document. We handle the slow part for you.
- Step 1
Order online
Tell us what you need apostilled and check out in minutes. We email a prepaid label right away. No account needed.
- Step 2
Mail us your document
Attach the prepaid label and send it our way. You get tracking so you can follow it all the way to our door.
- Step 3
We apostille it and ship it back
We hand-carry it to the Pennsylvania Department of State in Harrisburg, get the apostille added, and ship it back, tracked.
Before you send it
We are a courier service, not a notary. Your document must already meet the state requirements before you mail it. If the state cannot accept it, we send it back so you can fix it and reorder.
- The power of attorney must be signed and dated in the presence of a Pennsylvania notary public
- The notary block must include the notary's name, commission number, and commission expiration date
- The notary's seal or stamp must be clear and fully legible on the document
- The document must be an original or a certified copy; photocopies without notarization are not accepted
- Mail us the original notarized document using any trackable shipping method with a prepaid return label enclosed
Common questions
Does my power of attorney need to be notarized before I send it to you?
Yes. A power of attorney is a private document, so the state authenticates the notary who witnessed it, not the document itself. Your notary block must be fully completed with the commission number, expiration date, and seal before we can submit it.
Can the notary be from any state?
No. The apostille is issued by Pennsylvania, so the notary must hold an active Pennsylvania notary commission. Out-of-state notaries cannot be verified by the Pennsylvania Department of State.
How long does the apostille process take?
We hand-deliver to Harrisburg on business days. Turnaround depends on the service speed you choose at checkout: Standard is about 5 business days, Expedited is 48 to 72 hours, and Rush is same day or next business day.
Can I order from outside the United States?
Yes. You can place your order from anywhere in the world. Mail us the notarized document with a prepaid return label, and we ship the apostilled document back to whatever address you choose.
What if the receiving country requires a specific format or language?
The Pennsylvania apostille meets the Hague Convention standard and is accepted in all member countries. If the destination country requires a translation, that is arranged separately after you receive the apostilled document. We do not provide translation services.
Ready when you are.
Questions about whether your document is ready to submit? Reach out before you mail anything and we will take a look.