State-level Apostille Versus Federal-level Apostille

The primary difference between a state-level and federal apostille lies in the jurisdiction of the document and the authority responsible for issuing the apostille. Here’s a breakdown of each:

1. State-Level Apostille:
   
   • A state-level apostille is used for documents that originate from within a specific state or territory of the United States.
   • State-level apostilles are issued by the designated authority in each individual state or territory. This authority is typically the Secretary of State’s office or a similar state-level agency responsible for authenticating documents.
   • State-level apostilles are required for documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, academic transcripts, and other documents issued by state or local authorities.
   • The purpose of a state-level apostille is to certify the authenticity of the document and validate its legal status for use in foreign countries that are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention.

1. Federal Apostille:
   
   • A federal apostille is used for documents that originate from federal agencies or departments of the United States government.
   • Federal apostilles are issued by the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentication, which is the designated federal authority responsible for authenticating federal documents for use in foreign countries.
   • Federal apostilles are required for documents such as FBI background checks, certificates of naturalization, Social Security Administration documents, and other federal documents.
   • The purpose of a federal apostille is similar to that of a state-level apostille: to certify the authenticity of the document and validate its legal status for use in foreign countries that are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention.

In summary, the main difference between a state-level and federal apostille is the jurisdiction of the document and the authority responsible for issuing the apostille. State-level apostilles are issued by state authorities for documents originating from within a specific state or territory, while federal apostilles are issued by the U.S. Department of State for documents originating from federal agencies or departments of the United States government. Both types of apostilles serve the same purpose of certifying the authenticity of documents for use in foreign countries.