Diploma & Degree Certificate apostille

What is a Diploma apostille?

A diploma is issued by a private or public educational institution, not directly by a government agency. To apostille it, the diploma is first notarized (a notary certifies the document or a copy of it), and then the notary's signature is authenticated by the Secretary of State of the state where the notary is commissioned. The apostille confirms the notary's official standing — which in turn supports the document's authenticity.

When you need one

Common situations include applying for a work visa that requires proof of educational qualifications, registering as a licensed professional (doctor, engineer, teacher) in a foreign country, enrolling in a foreign university's postgraduate program that requires verified undergraduate credentials, and meeting credential requirements for an employer-sponsored international transfer.

How Laurela handles it

We coordinate notarization of your diploma in the appropriate state, then submit to the Secretary of State for apostille. If the diploma is from a different state than where you currently live, we handle that routing. For non-Hague destinations, we proceed with consular legalization. We can also arrange certified translations when required.

Apostille vs. embassy legalization

Hague Convention countries accept the state-level apostille as the final authentication step for notarized private documents. Countries outside the Convention require additional legalization through the relevant embassy or consulate. We confirm which path applies to your destination before we begin.

Frequently asked questions

Do I send my original diploma or a copy?

We typically work with the original diploma for notarization, but some notaries can work with a certified copy. We'll confirm what your situation requires.

How long does it take?

Processing depends on the state's Secretary of State queue and any consular requirements. We provide an estimate when you order.

My diploma was issued by a university in another US state — does that matter?

Yes. The apostille must come from the state where the notary is commissioned, but the notary certifies the diploma regardless of which state the university is in. We handle multi-state routing.

The foreign employer wants a transcript too — can you apostille both together?

Yes. School transcripts follow a similar process, and we can handle both in a single order.