Plymouth County Apostille Service for Documents Used in China

Obtain the correct original or certified copy, confirm the signature is eligible, create an order, and follow the case-specific mailing instructions. Massachusetts-issued records generally go to the Secretary of the Commonwealth; federal and out-of-state records use other authorities.

The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth issues Apostilles for eligible Massachusetts signatures. Our service is private and is not that government office.

For many eligible U.S. public documents used in mainland China, an Apostille replaces the former consular-legalization chain because the Convention entered into force for China on November 7, 2023. Confirm the current requirement with the receiving organization.

Often yes, when you have an eligible certified copy carrying an authenticable Massachusetts registrar or clerk signature. We review the copy before submission.

Often, but the school registrar may first need to certify the record in the presence of a Massachusetts notary. The school controls how its records are issued.

An FBI Identity History Summary is a federal document and generally follows the U.S. Department of State Apostille route, not the Massachusetts route.

Some private or school documents do; certified public records usually follow the issuing custodian's signature. Do not add a notarization to a federal document unless the issuing authority instructs you to do so.

Not for every document. The signature and document type determine whether an intermediate step is needed, so we check the actual record rather than applying a blanket rule.