How We Apostille
Your US Documents — Step by Step
From your WhatsApp message to apostilled document delivery in India — every stage, what we do, and what you receive at each step. This is the chain for documents issued in the United States.
Document issued in India instead? That is a completely different chain — Notary where needed, then the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, then the Ministry of External Affairs. See the MEA apostille process →
You message us on WhatsApp
What happens
- Tell us your document type (FBI PCC, birth certificate, etc.) and the purpose (OCI, Canada PR, UAE visa).
- We confirm exactly what you need and your preferred processing speed (Economy, Standard, or Express).
- You receive an invoice via WhatsApp. Payment via bank transfer, UPI, or international wire.
- We send you our US mailing address to courier the original document.
Update You'll Receive
"Update: "Order confirmed. Please courier your original document to: [US address]. Here's what happens next...""
You courier the original document to us
What happens
- Use an express courier like FedEx or BlueDart International from India. Our US address is clearly provided.
- Declare the contents as "Personal Legal Document" and insure for $500 minimum.
- Courier transit from India typically takes 3–5 business days.
- We track the shipment on our end and alert you if anything looks delayed.
Update You'll Receive
"Update: "We've received your FBI PCC. Document is in perfect condition. Starting US processing now.""
We notarize the document in the US
What happens
- A US-licensed notary witnesses and authenticates the document — required before the apostille.
- For FBI PCC: notarization confirms the document is an original FBI-issued certificate.
- For other documents: notarization confirms authenticity per US state requirements.
- Notarization is completed the same day we receive the document.
Update You'll Receive
"Update: "Your document has been notarized. Submitting to the US Department of State today.""
We submit to the US Dept of State for apostille
What happens
- We submit to the appropriate US authority: Department of State for federal documents (FBI PCC) or the relevant Secretary of State for state-issued documents.
- Economy processing: about 3–4 weeks door-to-door. Standard: 2–3 weeks. Express: 1–2 weeks (Express refers to same-business-day State Dept submission, not same-day apostille).
- The State Dept attaches the apostille — an internationally recognized authentication certificate.
- We photograph the apostille stamp and share it with you before shipping.
Update You'll Receive
"Update: "Apostille received! [Photo of apostille attached]. Hague Convention stamp is clear. Sending your tracking number within 24 hours.""
We ship the apostilled document to your door in India
What happens
- We ship via express courier with full insurance and a tracking number.
- Delivery from our US office to India typically takes 3–5 business days.
- You receive the tracking number so you can follow the shipment in real time.
- Once delivered, you're ready to submit with your OCI, visa, or immigration application.
Update You'll Receive
"Update: "Your apostilled document has been delivered to [your city]. Order complete!""
What It Looks Like If You Try to Do This Yourself
You can submit to the US Dept of State directly — by mail. Here's the honest comparison.
- 1Research which US authority handles your document type
- 2Verify document is properly prepared
- 3Write a check/money order for $20 payable to "U.S. Department of State"
- 4Mail original document + payment to Sterling, VA
- 5Wait ~5 weeks for the State Dept to process
- 6Wait another 2–3 weeks for them to mail it back
- 7Receive apostilled document at your US address (if you have one)
- 8Figure out how to ship it to India
Total: 8–12 weeks. No tracking. No updates. Document in USPS at your own risk.
- 1Message us on WhatsApp — we confirm exactly what to send
- 2Express courier from India to our US office (3 business days)
- 3We review, notarize, and hand-deliver to the DC walk-in counter
- 4DC counter processes in 2–10 business days
- 5We photograph the apostille, ship it back to your India door
- 6Tracking updates at every stage — you always know where it is
Total: 8–22 business days. Full tracking. Updates at every step.
Why We're Faster Than Mailing to the Government
The US Department of State processes apostille requests two ways: by mail to their PO Box in Sterling, Virginia (~5 weeks) or by walk-in drop-off at their Washington DC office (2–10 business days).
Mail is what most DIY applicants use because they don't know the walk-in option exists, or because they're submitting from outside the US. The DC walk-in counter only accepts documents Monday through Thursday, 7:30–9:00 AM. We have a US-based team that physically walks your document in every business day. No mail delays. No USPS uncertainty. The processing clock starts the same day we receive your document.
2–10 bus. days
Walk-in processing
Our method
~5 weeks
Mail processing
DIY route
Walk-in
Our method
Always
"Express" clarification: Our Express tier means we submit your document to the State Dept on the same business day we receive it, using the quickest available channels — not that the apostille is issued the same day. The State Dept still processes at their own pace. Express eliminates any lag between receipt and submission — the biggest variable we control — for a ~1–2 week door-to-door total.
Total Time: India to India
Based on FBI PCC apostille, which is our most common service.
Economy
$175
Standard
$225
Express
$325
We've Covered Every Edge Case
You're mailing original legal documents internationally. Here's how we protect you.
What if my document gets lost in courier?
All outgoing shipments from our US office are fully insured. If a document is lost in transit, we file the claim and coordinate resolution. For documents lost on the India-to-US leg, we recommend a major express courier which offers strong liability policies. We can guide you on how to insure the shipment.
What if the US Dept of State rejects the document?
Rejections are rare (less than 1% of our orders) and typically happen when documents are improperly prepared before they reach us. We review every document before submission. If a rejection occurs due to our error, we resubmit at no cost. If it's due to a document issue on your end, we guide you through the resolution.
What if the State Dept takes longer than expected?
Government processing times can vary. We always communicate realistic timelines upfront. If your timeline is critical, we recommend Standard or Express processing which uses expedited government channels. We will notify you proactively via WhatsApp if processing looks delayed.
What if I ordered the wrong speed?
Contact us on WhatsApp before we submit the document to the State Dept. If we haven't submitted yet, we can upgrade your processing speed (you pay the difference). After submission, the speed cannot be changed for that document.
How it works — frequently asked questions
Do I need to visit a US embassy or travel to the US?
What document do I actually send you?
Who apostilles my document — and where?
How will I know what stage my document is at?
What is an apostille and why do I need one?
Ready to Start?
Message us on WhatsApp. We'll walk you through exactly what to send and where — 2 hours response time, Monday–Saturday.
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