What is an apostille?
An apostille is an official certificate that authenticates a public document so it can be legally recognized in another country. It is the international standard established by the Hague Apostille Convention, which more than 120 countries have joined.
The simple version
Think of an apostille as a cover sheet that a government authority attaches to your document. It says: “The signature or seal on this document belongs to a real official, and this country vouches for it.” The receiving country then accepts the document without needing any further verification.
For Pennsylvania documents, that authority is the Pennsylvania Department of State in Harrisburg. We hand-carry your documents there in person, so they move faster than a mail queue.
Apostille vs. notarization vs. legalization
These three terms are often confused. Here is what each one actually means and when it applies.
Used for international purposes
An apostille is a certificate attached to a public document that verifies the signature or seal of the official who signed it. Countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention accept it as proof that the document is genuine. You need an apostille when your document will be used in another Hague member country.
When: the receiving country is a Hague member and asks for an apostilled document.
A domestic verification step
A notary verifies your identity and witnesses your signature. Notarization is a domestic process. By itself, it does not make a document valid for use in another country. Many documents, like powers of attorney or affidavits, must be notarized before they can be apostilled.
When: a document needs witnessed signing or identity verification for domestic use, or as a required step before apostilling.
For non-Hague countries
If the destination country is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille is not accepted. Instead, the document goes through a two-step process: authentication by the relevant state or federal authority, then legalization by the destination country's embassy or consulate.
When: the receiving country is not a Hague member and has not signed the Apostille Convention.
When do you need an apostille?
You typically need an apostille any time a foreign government, court, employer, or institution asks you to prove that a document issued in the United States is legitimate. Common situations include:
- Adopting a child from abroad
- Getting married in a foreign country
- Working or studying overseas
- Using a power of attorney internationally
- Relocating and transferring records
- Business transactions with foreign entities
Not sure if you need an apostille or legalization? Check our countries we serve page to see if your destination country is a Hague member.
Pennsylvania documents go through Harrisburg
Every apostille on a Pennsylvania document is issued by the Pennsylvania Department of State. We are based in Harrisburg, so we walk your documents into that office instead of mailing them and waiting in line. See our Pennsylvania apostille services page for the full list of documents we handle.
How fast does it happen?
How fast we process your documents depends on the service level you choose, from same or next business day up to about 5 business days. After we hand them over, the Department of State works at its own pace. See our processing times page for a full breakdown.
How Keystone Apostille helps
We are a courier service, not a government office or a notary. Our job is to get your documents to the right place fast and ship them back to you, tracked.
- Order online from anywhere in the world
- Prepaid label emailed immediately after checkout
- We hand-deliver to the PA Department of State in Harrisburg
- Tracked shipping back to your door
- No account needed, guest checkout only
- No hidden fees, total shown before you pay
Ready to get started? Learn exactly how it works, or go straight to checkout below.
Get your Pennsylvania documents apostilled, fast.
Order in minutes, mail us your documents with the prepaid label we send, and we handle the rest from Harrisburg.
Tracked both ways Prepaid label included Hand-delivered in Harrisburg No account needed