Guide
How to Get a Notarized Copy of a Passport or Green Card for Use Abroad
How to prepare a certified copy of a U.S. passport or green card that a foreign bank, registry or lawyer will accept — notarial wording, pages, the state apostille and when the federal step applies.
Quick answer
Keep the original. A notary certifies a copy of your passport or green card, and the state where it was notarized apostilles that notarization. For Hague countries that’s the final step; for non-Hague countries the state-authenticated copy then goes to the U.S. Department of State and the embassy. Confirm the wording and pages the receiving institution wants before you sign anything.
On this page
What you’re actually creating
A passport or green card is an identity document: it stays with you and is never apostilled. What foreign banks, company registries and property lawyers accept is a certified copy — a photocopy with a notarial certificate stating it’s a true copy, which is then authenticated by the state that commissioned the notary.
First, ask the receiving institution three questions
- Which pages? Some want only the photo page; others want the signature page, visas or both sides of a green card.
- What wording? Some specify a “true copy” certification; others want you to sign an affidavit before the notary.
- Apostille only, or legalization? That depends on whether their country is a Hague Convention member.
Step by step
Make a clean, full-colour copy
Legible, uncropped, and including every page the institution asked for.
Sign before a notary
The notary certifies the copy or witnesses your affidavit, using the wording required. Check the certificate is complete: date, venue, signature, seal and commission expiry.
County certification, if your state requires it
New York, for example, requires the county clerk to certify the notary before the state acts.
State apostille
The Secretary of State (or equivalent office) where the notary is commissioned issues the apostille. See your state page for which office that is.
Non-Hague only: federal step and embassy
The state-authenticated copy then goes to the U.S. Department of State and the destination’s embassy.
If you notarize in Florida
We handle Florida notarizations through the full chain. For other states, the state apostille comes first; for non-Hague destinations we then handle the Department of State and embassy steps.
When you’ll need it abroad
- Opening a bank or brokerage account abroad (KYC identity verification)
- Forming a company or being registered as a director or shareholder
- Buying property through a foreign notary
- Residency applications that require certified identity documents
Troubleshooting
The notary refuses to certify a copy
Some states don't let notaries certify copies of documents. The usual workaround is a copy-certification affidavit you sign before the notary — confirm the wording first.
The bank wants specific pages
Copy exactly those pages, in the order they asked for, before signing anything.
Your notary's commission is about to expire
An expired commission at signing invalidates the notarization — check the expiry on the stamp.
The receiving office wants a translation
Order a certified translation of the full document, including the notarial certificate and apostille.
Next: getting it apostilled
Once you have the document, it needs authentication before a foreign authority will accept it. See how to apostille it. Our price is $299 per document for Hague Convention countries and $399 for non-Hague countries including embassy legalization, with government fees included.
Frequently asked questions
Can I mail my passport to be apostilled?
No. Passports and green cards are never apostilled. You apostille a notarized copy, and keep the original.
Which state apostilles my notarized copy?
The state where the notary is commissioned — not where you live now.
Does a passport copy need the U.S. Department of State?
Only for non-Hague destinations, after the state has authenticated it.
Can the copy be black and white?
Institutions increasingly want full colour and fully legible copies — colour is the safer choice.
How long is a notarized passport copy valid?
The apostille doesn't expire, but many banks want identity documents certified within the last few months.
Sources: U.S. Department of State — Authenticate Your Document · Hague Conference — Apostille Section. Federal Apostille USA is a private service, not a government agency.
Ready to start?
Order online in minutes, or call and we will walk you through it. Federal documents from anywhere in the U.S. — one flat price, all government fees included.