TOP BAY AREA APOSTILLE SERVICES
Apostille & Mobile Notary Services in the Bay Area
Your documents, certified correctly the first time.
Top Bay Area Apostille Services prepares documents for use abroad: dual citizenship, overseas marriage, foreign visas, international business, and family matters.
We hand-carry eligible California documents to the Secretary of State in Sacramento, so you skip the mail-in wait. Same-day service is available for qualifying documents.
Based in Emeryville. Serving the Bay Area and clients nationwide.
California Commissioned Notary Public · Bonded · $100,000 E&O Insured · Office visits by appointment
Not Sure What Your Document Needs?
Some documents need an apostille. Others need notarization first, or extra legalization at an embassy. The wrong route means delays, extra fees, or rejection.
Send us a photo or scan. We’ll tell you what’s required based on the document type, where it was issued, the destination country, and your deadline. You get a firm quote and timeline before you pay anything.
Documents We Apostille
Personal & family: Birth, Marriage, Death, and Divorce certificates; Adoption records; Single-Status Affidavits; Name Changes; Domestic Partnership Records.
Education: Diplomas, Degrees, Transcripts, High School Diplomas, and Enrollment Letters. We serve graduates of UC Berkeley, Stanford, SF State, and schools nationwide.
Immigration & background checks: FBI and State Background Checks, Dual Citizenship and Golden Visa paperwork, Residency and Visa Documents.
Legal: Powers of Attorney, Affidavits, Court Documents, Estate and Inheritance Papers, Travel Consent Forms for minors, Real Estate Authorizations.
Business: Articles of Incorporation and organization, Certificates of Good Standing, Corporate Resolutions, Certificates of Incumbency, Contracts, and Corporate Powers of Attorney.
Don’t see yours? Ask. We handle many more.
California Apostille Service
We personally file eligible documents at the California Secretary of State counter in Sacramento. We check each document before filing, so problems get fixed before the state sees them.
Choose your speed:
-
Rush / Same-Day: for urgent deadlines. Available for qualifying documents submitted before the cutoff.
-
Expedited: a few business days.
-
Standard: the lowest-cost option when you have time.
Every order includes a pre-filing review, notarization if needed, and Bay Area pickup and delivery or secure shipping.
Hand-delivered to Sacramento. No mail-in wait.
Other States, Federal & Embassy Legalization
Documents from any of the 50 states. An apostille comes from the state that issued the document. A New York birth certificate goes through New York, not California. We coordinate filing and return shipping for every state, including multi-state orders.
Federal Apostilles: The U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. apostilles federal documents. These include FBI background checks, federal court records, IRS Form 6166, and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad. We handle submission and ship the result to any U.S. or international address. Federal timelines run separately from California’s.
Embassy & Consulate Legalization: Some countries, such as the UAE, are outside the Hague Apostille Convention. They need authentication plus embassy legalization instead of an apostille. We manage each step. Fees and timelines vary by country, so these are quoted individually.
Mobile Notary
Mobile notary across the East Bay and San Francisco.
Many documents must be notarized before they can be apostilled. Book both with us and skip the second provider. We’re a commissioned California notary carrying $100,000 in errors and omissions insurance.
In office: Emeryville, by appointment.
Mobile: we come to your home, office, hospital, or care facility. We cover Emeryville, Oakland, Berkeley, San Francisco, Alameda, Richmond, San Leandro, Hayward, and nearby cities.
Common notarizations include Powers of Attorney, Affidavits, Estate Planning Documents, Real Estate Paperwork, Business Agreements, and Travel Consent Forms.
Certified Translations
Step: 01
Send us your document. Call, text, or upload a photo. Tell us where it’s going and your deadline.
Step:02
Get your quote. We confirm what’s required, the turnaround, and the total price.
Step: 03
Hand it off. Choose Bay Area pickup, drop-off at our Emeryville office, or ship it to us. We notarize first if needed.
Step: 04
We file it. California documents go to Sacramento in person. Others go to the right state, federal, or consular office. We track it and fix issues along the way.
Step: 05
Get it back. Choose local delivery, office pickup, or domestic or international courier.
How It Works
Apostille vs. Authentication vs. Legalization
Apostille: used when the destination country is in the Hague Apostille Convention. One certificate and you’re done.
Authentication: used when the destination country is not in the Convention. A state or federal certificate confirms the signature or seal.
Embassy legalization: follows authentication. The destination country’s embassy or consulate adds its own stamp.
Not sure which you need? We’ll tell you during the free review.
Why Clients Choose Us:
-
In-person Sacramento filing for California documents, not mail-in.
-
One contact for everything: apostille, notary, translation, and legalization.
-
Checked before filing to catch common rejection issues.
-
Rush, expedited, or standard speeds to fit your deadline.
-
Insured and commissioned California notary.
-
Clients anywhere: Bay Area, other states, or overseas.
-
A firm quote up front, with updates until your documents are back in your hands.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast can I get a California apostille?
Same-day is available for qualifying documents filed before the Secretary of State’s cutoff. Expedited and standard options are also available.
Do I need to notarize my document first?
Not always. Certified copies of California birth, marriage, and death certificates can be apostilled as they are. Diplomas, powers of attorney, and most private documents need notarization first. We can do that for you.
Can you apostille documents from another state?
Yes, from all 50 states. Each state sets its own fees and timelines.
How do I apostille an FBI background check?
It needs a federal apostille from the U.S. Department of State. We submit it and ship it back to you.
Can you pick up and deliver my documents?
Yes, across Emeryville, Oakland, Berkeley, San Francisco, Alameda, Richmond, and nearby cities.
Can you ship internationally?
Yes, by international courier. Cost and timing depend on the destination.
How much does an apostille cost?
It depends on the issuing state or agency, the number of documents, the speed, and any notarization or translation. Send your document for a free quote.