Frequently Asked Questions:
Ohio Apostille and Authentication Services
General Questions
- What is an Ohio Apostille Stamp and why would I need one?
- How can I obtain an Apostille Stamp to certify a document in Ohio for use abroad?
- How do I legalize documents issued in Ohio for submission to countries that are not members of the Apostille Convention?
- How long does it take to obtain an apostille from Ohio?
- What documents can be certified in Ohio with an Apostille Stamp?
- Will an apostille stamp from Ohio be accepted abroad?
- Where can I find more information about certifying Ohio documents?
- Where can I see reviews of Isarey's Ohio Attestation and Apostille Services?
Birth, death and marriage certificates
- How can I obtain an apostille on a vital record certificate issued in Ohio?
- How can I obtain a new certified copy of an Ohio birth, death or marriage certificate suitable for an Apostille?
Academic documents
Notarized documents
Answers
What is an Ohio Apostille Stamp and why would I need one?
An Ohio Apostille is a certificate that is affixed by the Ohio Secretary of State to a public document. It certifies the authenticity of the signature appearing on the document as that of an authorized Ohio public official and confirms the capacity of that official (e.g. State Registrar, notary public).
Apostille stamps are often required when submitting an Ohio document, such as a birth certificate, to the authorities of a foreign country or to a foreign embassy in the United States (for example, as part of a visa or citizenship application). Apostilles are recognised by the authorities and embassies of countries that are members of the 
Hague Apostille Convention
For more information on Apostilles, see:
How can I obtain an Apostille Stamp to certify a document in Ohio for use abroad?
Apostille Stamps to authenticate Ohio documents can be obtained from the Secretary of State. Apostille stamps are only valid for documents that are required for submission to countries that are signatories to the Hague Apostille Convention
How do I legalize documents issued in Ohio for submission to countries that are not members of the Apostille Convention?
Ohio documents that need to be authenticated for non-apostille countries (e.g. United Arab Emirates, Qatar) must be authenticated by the Ohio Secretary of State with an Authentication Certificate and then attested by the recipient country's embassy in the United States. Most embassies will also require an additional authentication the U.S. Department of State in Washington DC.
How long does it take to obtain an apostille from Ohio?
Ohio Apostilles are normally obtained from the Secretary of State in Columbus in 3-5 business days
An expedited same-day service is also available for urgent requests.
What documents can be certified in Ohio with an Apostille Stamp?
Ohio Apostilles can be obtained for documents signed by an Ohio public official, including documents originating in a court or tribunal, administrative documents, Ohio Vital Records (birth and death certificates certified by the Ohio Department of Health or Vital Statistics, marriage certificates certified by the county probate court, divorce certificates issued by an Ohio county clerk), Ohio university diplomas and school certificates certified by an Ohio notary, and other documents with a notarial certificate, such as power of attorney and affidavits.
To confirm whether your Ohio document is valid for an Apostille Stamp, please Contact us for a free document check.
Will an apostille stamp from Ohio be accepted abroad?
If documents are required for submission to the authorities or consulate of a signatory country of the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille stamp affixed by the Secretary of State of Ohio will generally be recognized directly as confirming authenticity, although a certified translation may also be required if presenting to a country that does not have English as an official language.
If documents are required for presentation in a country that is not a signatory to the apostille convention (e.g. United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Taiwan, Vietnam), then an apostille stamp is not valid. Documents will need to be authenticated at State level in Ohio, then by the State Department Authentication Division, and finally by the embassy or consulate of the destination country in the United States. A Certified Translation may also be required.
Where can I find more information about certifying Ohio documents?
For further information about Ohio apostilles and authentications or to obtain a quote for assistance submitting your documents, with free eligibility pre-check, international collection and delivery by courier, please Contact us or send us your documents using our Online Quotation Form.
Where can I see reviews of Isarey's Ohio Attestation and Apostille Services?
You can see reviews from past clients who have used our attestation and apostille services:
How can I obtain an apostille on a vital record certificate issued in Ohio?
Apostilles for Ohio marriage, death and birth certificates are obtained from the Ohio Secretary of State in Columbus. Ohio birth and death certificates must be issued by the Ohio Department of Health or Vital Statistics. Marriage certificates must be certified by the County Probate Court in the county where the marriage licence was issued.
How can I obtain a new certified copy of an Ohio birth, death or marriage certificate suitable for an Apostille?
Ohio birth and death certificates can be obtained from the Ohio Department of Health (Bureau of Vital Statistics). Certificates can be ordered online, by mail or obtained in person.
Certified copies of Ohio marriage certificates can be obtained from the Ohio County Probate Court in the county where the marriage licence was issued.
How can I authenticate Ohio university degree certificates for use abroad?
Ohio university degrees and school records should be certified by the school or university in the presence of an Ohio Notary. The notarized certificate can then be submitted to the Kentucky Secretary of State for an Apostille or Authentication.
Ohio university degree certificates, course transcripts and high school diplomas can also be authenticated as notarized copies. A true copy is certified by a notary (this can often be done from a scan without having to submit the original) and then authenticated with an Apostille Stamp from the Washington DC Secretary of State. Authenticated documents can also be attested by the embassies of Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates.
For further information, see:
University Degrees and School Records
How can I authenticate notarized documents in Ohio for use abroad?
Documents that have been certified by an Ohio County Probate Courts can be authenticated for use abroad with an Apostille stamp from the Ohio Secretary of State in Columbus. The notarial certificate must be in English and include the following:
- Indication that the act was an acknowledgment or jurat.
- The state and county venue where the notarization was performed.
- The date of notarization.
- The signature of the notary.
- The notary public’s printed or typed name.
- The expiration date of the notary's commission.
- The notary seal which includes the coat of arms of Ohio (stamp or embosser).
How can I obtain an apostille in Ohio for a Power of Attorney or Affidavit?
A Power of Attorney or Affidavit can be authenticated with an Apostille in Ohio when it has been duly notarized by an Ohio Notary
How can I get a quote to certify my documents?
To receive a quote, you can upload your documents using our online quotation form or send us your documents by email. After reviewing your documents and requirements, we will get back to you with a quotation:
If you don’t have the documents available, just describe the documents you need to certify, and we will get back to you with an estimation of cost and delivery times.
Using our quotation form, your documents will be uploaded over a secure connection and immediately encrypted on our server. For added protection, you can upload password-protected files and provide us with the passwords separately:
PDF,
PERSONAL DATA: If your documents contain personal data belonging to people outside your household, please ensure that you are authorised to share this data before uploading your documents. If your documents contain sensitive personal data, such as biometric data, medical data or data on criminal convictions, please ensure that you indicate this when prompted, upon submitting your documents. For further information on our processing of personal data contained in uploaded documents, please see:
Privacy Policy (Customer Inquiries)
For further information on confidentiality in our handling of document content please see:
Confidentiality (Client Content)