Decision Guide
Compare Apostille Options
Not sure whether you need Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Federal, or Embassy legalization? Compare all four side by side.
| Feature | Pennsylvania Harrisburg — Dept. of State | New Jersey Trenton — Treasury / DoR | Federal US Dept. of State, DC | Embassy Non-Hague destinations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | PA vital records, PA notarized docs | NJ vital records, NJ notarized docs | FBI checks, USCIS, IRS, federal court | China, UAE, Vietnam, Qatar, etc. |
| Typical turnaround | 5–10 business days | 7–14 business days | 10–15 business days | 3–6 weeks (chain) |
| Base state/agency fee | $15 per doc | $25 per doc | $20 per doc | $20 + embassy fee |
| Rush service available Federal turnaround cannot be rushed at the agency; we can only expedite our courier legs. | ||||
| Requires notarization first | Sometimes | Sometimes | No | Sometimes |
| Requires county clerk step | ||||
| Requires US Dept. of State step | ||||
| Requires embassy step | ||||
| Accepts mailed docs | ||||
| We handle pickup / dropoff |
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Pennsylvania & New Jersey
Vital records (birth, marriage, death), diplomas, notarized affidavits, and corporate documents issued in the state.
Pennsylvania details →Federal Apostille
FBI background checks, USCIS documents, IRS letters, federal court orders, and other federally-issued records.
Federal details →Embassy Legalization
For countries outside the Hague Convention, documents also need authentication at the destination country's embassy in Washington, DC.
Browse countries →