Certified U.S. Passport Copy Apostille

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Issuing agency

U.S. Department of State (passport)

We can obtain it?

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

Certification first?

Yes — notarized copy + county/state certification

Also known as

passport certification, notarized passport copy, certified true copy

Foreign banks, company registries, and property lawyers routinely ask for an apostilled copy of your U.S. passport to verify identity. It's one of the most common requests we see from people doing business or buying property abroad.

Your passport itself is never sent anywhere and is never apostilled. What gets authenticated is a certified copy — and how that copy is certified is where this goes right or wrong.

What a certified passport copy is

A U.S. passport is issued by the Department of State as an identity and travel document. Because it must stay in your possession — and because federal identity documents aren't apostilled directly — foreign institutions accept a certified copy instead: a photocopy accompanied by a notarial certificate attesting it is a true copy of the original, with that notarization then authenticated by the state where it was notarized.

Why it needs an apostille abroad

A foreign bank or registry cannot verify a U.S. passport copy on its own. The apostille certifies the certification chain as genuine across the 120-plus Hague Convention countries. Non-Hague destinations require that authentication followed by embassy or consulate legalization.

The certification chain

The route runs: a notary certifies the copy (or witnesses your affidavit that it's a true copy of your passport), the notary's commission is 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 what the receiving institution specified — some foreign banks require particular wording, and some want specific passport pages included. We confirm the exact requirements 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 passport — a certified copy is what's authenticated.
• Don't notarize anything until we confirm the required wording and which pages to include.
• Make sure the copy is clean, complete, and fully legible, including the photo page.
• Don't laminate, staple across the notarial certificate, or annotate anything.
• Tell us the destination country and the institution's exact requirement up front.

The step-by-step process

1. Tell us the destination and requirement

   Your state plus what the bank, registry or lawyer specified determines the chain and the wording.

2. The copy is certified

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

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 legalization, and arrange certified translation where required.

Common rejection reasons — and how to avoid them

Common uses

• Opening foreign bank and brokerage accounts — identity verification under KYC rules.
• Company formation abroad — registering as a director, shareholder, or beneficial owner.
• Property purchases overseas — verified identity for the transaction.
• Powers of attorney and legal filings — where identity must be evidenced.
• Foreign residency applications — as part of an identity file.

Hague vs. non-Hague countries

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

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