Federal Apostille Processing Time Update

Good news about federal apostille processing time: it’s getting faster!

Note: This development does not affect California Secretary of State apostille procurement, which currently takes only one business day. 

Federal apostille processing time is set to improve on October 1. After being closed to help stop the spread of the Covid 19 virus in March 2020, and remaining closed for 4.5 years, the United States Department of State has quietly announced that it will reopen its counter for drop-off and pick-up of documents. The US State Department issues apostilles on documents that require federal apostille and non-Hague-Apostille-Convention-member document certification.

However, this reopening is very limited. In fact, the counter will only accept document submissions Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., with some other limitations. Documents should be ready for pick up 7 to 9 business days later.

Impact to you: We understand the urgency of your document certification requirements, and we are pleased to report that the limited reopening of the counter will allow us to shave up to a few days off our already industry-leading average of fewer than 10 business days for State Department apostilles and authentications.

Our partners in Washington, DC, will begin courier service for SF Notary + Apostille clients on October 1. Our apostille rates are unaffected: you may receive your documents sooner, but you won’t pay a cent more.

During this transition time, you can elect to have your documents shipped to the State Department or hand-delivered by courier. While it is true that the latter option should be faster, it is a brand-new process.

We are excited that the federal apostille turnaround time is getting shorter. Additionally, we’re proud to offer this improved service to you at no additional charge.

To request a federal apostille from the US State Department, please email [email protected] or call +1 (415) 655-9455.