Need to use California documents in China or overseas? Confirm the correct Apostille route first
California Apostille certifies the signature, capacity, and seal of a California public official or a California Notary Public on compliant documents, enabling them to be used for formal matters outside the United States. Landz Notary first helps you identify the document type, then processes it via the correct route.
Not all U.S. documents are apostilled in California
The issuing authority for an Apostille depends on the document's true originating agency and the source of the signature, not on where you reside.
The California Secretary of State is responsible for documents related to California public officials and California Notaries Public.
If a document is issued by the FBI, SSA, FDA, USPTO, or other U.S. federal agencies, you should generally determine whether it falls under the U.S. Department of State’s Federal Apostille route instead.
If a document is issued by another state, it should typically be processed by that state of origin. You cannot simply submit it to the California Secretary of State just because you currently live in California.
Identify your document category first
This page covers California Apostille, but we will first help you verify whether your document truly belongs to the California route.
California Documents
California Vital Records, California Court Documents, California Notary documents, or other California documents that meet the requirements of the Secretary of State.
These are typically apostilled by the California Secretary of State.
U.S. Federal Documents
Documents formally issued by federal agencies like the FBI, SSA, FDA, or USPTO cannot be processed mechanically through California Apostille.
You should first determine if a U.S. Department of State Federal Apostille is required.
Documents from Other States
For example, birth certificates, court documents, or state-level documents issued by states such as Nevada, New York, or Texas should generally be apostilled in the original state of issuance.
The California Secretary of State does not certify signatures of public officials from other states.
What exactly does an Apostille certify?
The California Secretary of State certifies the signature, capacity, and seal of the California public official or California Notary Public on the document.
An Apostille does not review the content of the document, nor does it attest to the truthfulness of the statements within. It strictly processes the authentication of the signature, identity, and seal/stamp.
Common California documents that can be apostilled
Preparation methods vary for different documents, but they typically fall into the following categories.
California certified vital records can be evaluated based on the issuer and certification to determine eligibility for direct Apostille.
e.g., divorce judgments, name change decrees, or other California Court Certified Documents.
e.g., Powers of Attorney, affidavits of single status, or affidavits of "one and the same person," signed and notarized by a California Notary.
Including certain California business records, notarized company documents, and other qualifying business documents.
Ordinary photocopies cannot be directly apostilled
The California Secretary of State explicitly requires that documents be signed by a California public official, or that they are original notarized and/or certified documents.
Standard photocopies, photos from a mobile phone, or self-printed uncertified copies cannot be apostilled based on the copy alone.
If you are unsure whether your document version is correct, you may send us a complete photo or PDF for review before deciding whether to obtain a certified copy.
Private documents usually require prior notarization
Private documents such as Powers of Attorney, affidavits, or business files are generally not California government records.
For these to enter the California Apostille process, the typical method is for the proper signatory to complete the signing and California Notary acknowledgment, allowing the Secretary of State to authenticate the notary’s signature.
Therefore, it is not the case that "any piece of paper can be apostilled directly"; the key is establishing a compliant chain of authentication first.
The process is simple
We verify your documents first, handle notarization if required, and then proceed directly to the Secretary of State for documents ready for Apostille.
Order Online
Complete your order on this page and let us know the destination country where the document will be used.
Document Verification
We identify whether your document belongs to the California, Federal, or other-state category to ensure it is sent to the correct authority.
Preparation
If a private document requires signing and notarization, we handle that first; for official documents, we check the certified copy and issuance details.
California Apostille
Once the document meets all requirements, we proceed with the Apostille application at the California Secretary of State.
Delivery
Once the Apostille is issued, we ship or deliver your original authenticated document according to your order agreement.
What do you need to prepare?
You may provide a complete PDF or photo first so we can verify the document type and version.
Please clarify if the document was issued by a specific state, court, government agency, or federal office.
The California Secretary of State requires the destination country to be specified on the Apostille request.
Using U.S. documents in China usually requires an Apostille
Since China joined the "Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents," most U.S. public documents within the scope of the convention are processed via Apostille rather than the traditional Chinese consular authentication process.
However, this does not mean that "every U.S. document is good to go with just one Apostille." The receiving agency may still have specific requirements regarding the document version, translation, validity period, original status, or other formats.
Therefore, the first step for Landz Notary is always to review the document rather than promising a "one-size-fits-all" process.
There is more than one way to get a California Apostille
The California Secretary of State offers multiple submission methods.
Mail-in applications are processed by the Sacramento office; both Sacramento and Los Angeles offer walk-in Apostille services; and the Secretary of State also hosts "Apostille Pop-Up Shops" in various cities.
Therefore, we no longer define our service as "daily trips to Sacramento" but rather as: Landz Notary handles your California Apostille via the appropriate official channel.
Why don't we list a fixed "1-day / 5-day" processing time?
The processing speed of the California Secretary of State varies based on the submission method, office location, and current workload.
Walk-in and mail-in services are two distinct processes, so quoting "5 business days" as a universal turnaround time is inaccurate.
Actual timelines are determined by your chosen service method, document preparation status, and current official processing times.
Apostille does not verify document content
The California Secretary of State explicitly states that an Apostille certifies the authenticity of a public official's signature, their identity/capacity, and the corresponding seal or stamp.
It does not judge whether a contract is valid, whether statements are true, whether assets exist, whether marital facts are correct, or whether commercial transactions are legal.
Apostille is a cross-border document authentication process, not a re-examination of the document's substance.
Why choose Landz Notary?
Distinguishing State, Federal, and Out-of-State routes
We don't mechanically send every U.S. document to the California Secretary of State; we verify the true issuing authority first.
Private documents can be notarized directly
If a power of attorney, declaration, or other private document requires a personal signature, we can arrange for a California Notary to handle it based on your specific situation.
From document review to final delivery
Document verification, necessary notarization, California Apostille, and the final delivery of originals are all handled consistently by the same team.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Apostille?
An Apostille is a form of authentication for the cross-border use of public documents between member countries of the convention. A California Secretary of State Apostille primarily certifies the signature, identity, and seal of a California public official or a California Notary Public.
Who issues a California Apostille?
For qualifying California documents, the Apostille is issued by the California Secretary of State.
I live in California; can all my U.S. documents be apostilled there?
No. The authority responsible for certifying a document is determined by the document's original issuing authority, not by the state where you currently reside.
Can FBI documents be apostilled in California?
The FBI is a U.S. federal agency. Official FBI documents must follow the federal document pathway; you cannot use the California Secretary of State simply because you live in California.
What about SSA, FDA, or USPTO documents?
These agencies all fall under the U.S. federal system. If you are processing their officially issued federal documents, you must first determine the Federal Apostille pathway via the U.S. Department of State.
Can birth certificates from other states be processed in California?
Generally, no. For example, a Nevada birth certificate, New York court record, or Texas state document should generally be processed for an Apostille by the state that issued it.
Can a California birth certificate be apostilled directly?
You must first check the certified copy and the specific title of the issuing official. For official California vital records, we determine if they meet the requirements for direct processing based on their existing certification.
Can a Power of Attorney be apostilled?
Yes. A power of attorney is a privately signed document. Usually, it must be notarized by a California Notary Public in the presence of the signatory before proceeding to the Apostille.
Can an ordinary photocopy be apostilled?
No, you cannot process a document based solely on an ordinary photocopy. The California Secretary of State explicitly requires documents to be signed by a California public official, or to be an original notarized and/or certified document.
Do I need to go to Sacramento myself?
No. The California Secretary of State allows others to submit Apostille requests on your behalf, so the applicant does not need to visit the Secretary of State's office in person.
Is it mandatory to go to Sacramento?
Not necessarily. The California Secretary of State currently offers in-person Apostille services in Sacramento and Los Angeles, and also hosts occasional Pop-Up Shops.
Does an Apostille prove that the document content is true?
No. An Apostille only certifies the signature, identity, and seal of the public official or Notary Public; it does not verify the content of the document.
Does China still require consular authentication?
For U.S. public documents covered by the Apostille Convention, once the appropriate U.S. Apostille is obtained, you generally no longer need to go through the traditional Chinese consular authentication process. However, receiving institutions may still have their own requirements regarding document format, translations, or other materials.
Can I send you my documents to review first?
Yes. We recommend providing a complete photo or PDF of your document, ensuring that the issuing agency, signature, seal, certification, and all pages are included so we can determine the correct authentication path.
What happens after I place an order?
After you place an order, we will first verify the document type, issuing agency, and the destination country. If it is a California document, we then determine if it can be directly apostilled or if it requires prior notarization/a certified copy. Once the document is ready, we proceed with the California Apostille and finally deliver the certified original documents as agreed.
Send your documents to us first to confirm the correct Apostille path.
Once an order is placed, we will check the document's issuing agency, current version, and destination country. If it is a California document, we follow the California Apostille path; if it is a federal or other state document, we will help you identify the correct authentication level first.
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