Green Card Copy Apostille

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Issuing agency

US Citizenship and Immigration Services

We can obtain it?

No — you hold the card; we arrange the certified copy chain

Certification first?

Yes — notarized copy + county/state certification

Also known as

I-551, permanent resident card, green card

A certified copy of a Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) is sometimes required abroad — to open a foreign bank account, complete a property transaction, or prove lawful U.S. residence for a residency filing. The card itself is never sent away and never apostilled; what gets authenticated is a properly certified copy.

This document takes a different route from most on our site, and the route is where people get stuck. It's covered below.

What a certified green card copy is

Form I-551 — the Permanent Resident Card, commonly called a green card — is issued by USCIS as evidence of lawful permanent residence. Foreign banks, registries, and immigration authorities occasionally ask for an apostilled copy as proof of your U.S. status. Because the card is an identity document, the apostille never goes on the card itself; it goes on a certified copy, authenticated by the state where the copy was notarized.

Why it needs an apostille abroad

A foreign authority cannot verify a U.S. residence card on its own. The apostille certifies the certified copy as genuine for use across the 120-plus Hague Convention countries. Non-Hague destinations need that authentication followed by embassy or consulate legalization.

The certified-copy chain

Unlike most federal documents here, a green card copy is authenticated through a notarial chain: a notary public certifies the copy (or you sign an affidavit attesting it is a true copy of your card), the notary's commission is then certified by the appropriate county or state authority, and that state's Secretary of State issues the apostille. For Hague Convention countries, the state apostille is the finish line — the U.S. Department of State is not involved. For non-Hague countries, the state-authenticated document then goes to the U.S. Department of State for authentication and on to the destination's embassy for legalization.

Requirements vary by state and by destination country, which is why we confirm the exact chain for your situation before anything is signed. We handle Florida notarizations through the full chain. For copies notarized in other states, the apostille comes from that state first; for non-Hague destinations we then take it through the U.S. Department of State and the embassy.

Document preparation requirements

• Never send your original card — a certified copy is what's authenticated.
• Don't have the copy notarized until we confirm the required wording for your state and destination.
• Make sure the copy is clean, complete, and legible on both sides of the card.
• Don't laminate, staple across the notarial certificate, or annotate anything.
• Tell us the destination country up front — it can change the chain.

The step-by-step process

1. Tell us the destination and your state

   We confirm the exact certification chain your state and destination country require — before anything is signed.

2. The copy is certified

   A notary certifies the copy (or your affidavit), following the wording we confirm.

3. County/state certification

   The notary's commission is certified by the appropriate county or state authority.

4. State apostille

   The Secretary of State where the copy was notarized issues the apostille — the final step for Hague Convention countries.

5. Federal step, non-Hague only

   For non-Hague destinations, the state-authenticated document goes to the U.S. Department of State for authentication.

6. Embassy legalization & translation, if required

   For non-Hague destinations we handle embassy legalization, and arrange certified translation where required.

Common rejection reasons — and how to avoid them

Common uses

• Opening foreign bank and brokerage accounts — where proof of U.S. status is required.
• Property transactions abroad — purchases, transfers, and registrations.
• Foreign residency applications — proving lawful U.S. residence as part of a file.
• Consular and civil registry filings — where status documentation is requested.

Hague vs. non-Hague countries

Pick your destination below, or see all countries we serve.

Official references: USCIS — Green Card · U.S. Department of State — Authenticate Your Document. Government fees are set by these agencies and are separate from our service fee.