Diploma Apostille in Delaware
Getting your Diploma apostilled in Delaware requires submitting through the Delaware Secretary of State in Dover. Current state fees are $30 per apostille. Select your city below.
Delaware Apostille Requirements
- Authority: Delaware Secretary of State
- Office Location: Dover
- State Fee: $30
- Important Rule: Expedited service available for an additional fee.
Select your city to view local apostille processing options and courier times.
What Is a Diploma Apostille?
Diplomas are regularly among the highest-volume apostille requests. This is because Diplomas come up in many international processes including visa applications, residency permits, citizenship documentation, employment verification, and foreign legal proceedings. For residents of Delaware, only the Delaware Secretary of State can issue this certification in DE.
An apostille is a form of international document authentication formalized by the Convention of 5 October 1961. Unlike a local notary stamp, an apostille is valid in over 120 countries worldwide — meaning your Diploma is valid for submission to international authorities without additional authentication. If you are in Delaware, Delaware, obtaining this certification requires working with the Delaware Secretary of State.
One critical distinction is that an apostille is not a translation. Many countries additionally ask for a sworn or certified translation in addition to the apostille. Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany, and the UAE routinely ask for both the apostille and a certified translation. Our service includes comprehensive apostille-plus-translation packages.
Delaware: State vs Federal Authority
One of the most costly apostille mistakes is sending documents to the wrong office. For example, if you mail a Diploma issued in Delaware to the US Department of State in DC, the federal office will refuse to process it. Similarly, sending an FBI Background Check to a state Secretary of State office results in the same rejection. In both cases, the wasted transit time adds 2 to 4 weeks to your timeline.
For urgent submissions, rush processing may be available. Some state offices have expedited tracks for urgent requests. Our courier exploits walk-in submission options by physically appearing at the office, which is typically the only way to access same-day or next-day processing.
The single most important thing to know about the apostille process for your document is knowing which office issues apostilles for your specific document type. In the US, there are two completely separate authentication tracks: state and federal. State-issued documents — like birth certificates, marriage certificates, and Diplomas go to the state apostille office. Federally issued records, such as FBI Background Checks, must go to the federal authentication office in DC.
Why Local Offices Cannot Help
Something else to consider is that Hague member countries will verify that the apostille came from the correct authority. If your Diploma is apostilled by the wrong authority, your documents will be rejected at the destination. This may delay your entire application even if you have all other documents in order.
It is also worth knowing, local government offices in Delaware in DE also cannot issue apostilles. Even a trip to any local Delaware government office would not produce a Hague certificate. The only office in DE authorized to issue apostilles for state documents is the Delaware Secretary of State.
For Delaware residents who need a Diploma apostilled urgently, relying on postal mail to the Delaware Secretary of State is risky. A courier-assisted submission cuts the timeline from 3 to 6 weeks down to 2 to 5 business days. Our courier service handles Delaware-area pickups and submissions with complete end-to-end shipment tracking on every submission.
The Delaware Apostille Authority
In DE, the official Hague authority is the Delaware Secretary of State in Dover. Only the Delaware Secretary of State is authorized to grant Hague Apostille certificates on records from Delaware government agencies. The Delaware Secretary of State maintains the official registry of state seals and is consequently the only entity capable of certifying their authenticity.
When the Delaware Secretary of State receives your Diploma, a state official verifies the seals and signatures and checks that signatures are from known, authorized officials. Once verified, the apostille is attached as a cover page or attachment. The completed document is then returned by mail. Our courier collects it same-day or next-day.
The Delaware Secretary of State in Dover is accessible for walk-in and mail-in submissions during standard business hours. Turnaround times for mail-in submissions typically run 1 to 3 weeks depending on seasonal demand. For Delaware residents who need faster turnaround, an in-person submission via a runner service can reduce processing time to 2 to 5 business days.
How to Get Your Diploma Apostilled in Delaware
After we receive your Diploma, our team reviews it for compliance with the Delaware Secretary of State's submission requirements. This intake review catches common problems like improper certification, wrong document versions, or missing state fees. Finding problems upfront avoids the need to resubmit — rejection from the Delaware Secretary of State that restarts the whole process.
Getting an apostille on your Diploma requires a clear sequence of steps. First: ensure your Diploma is in its original, certified form. Second: check that it has an official seal and signature from the issuing authority. Third: submit it to the Delaware Secretary of State in Dover along with the applicable state fee. Fourth: receive your apostilled document — ready for international submission.
One of the most overlooked steps is ensuring the document is not expired. FBI Background Checks, for example, are typically required to be dated within 6 months at the time of consulate or visa submission. If your document is past its useful window, you will need to obtain a fresh copy before submission to the Delaware Secretary of State. We check document dates as a standard step to avoid submitting documents that will be refused.
How Long Does a Diploma Apostille Take in Delaware?
The US Department of State operates on a separate schedule for FBI Background Checks and other federal records. Standard mail-in processing to the Office of Authentications often takes 6 to 11 weeks due to the national volume of federal authentication requests. A DC-based courier gets the federal authentication done in 2 to 4 business days by physically submitting at the federal office.
Tracking your apostille is one of the most valued aspects of using our courier service. We provide real-time tracking at every milestone: pickup from your Delaware address, arrival at our processing hub, submission to the Delaware Secretary of State in Dover, apostille issuance notification, and outbound FedEx tracking back to Delaware. This end-to-end tracking is not possible with direct mail.
Turnaround for apostille certification vary depending on how the document is submitted and the Delaware Secretary of State's current workload. Documents sent by postal mail from Delaware to the Delaware Secretary of State in Dover usually require 4 to 8 weeks in total — including transit time, government processing, and return. At busy times, particularly during visa application seasons, wait times can extend further.
What to Include With Your Submission
Some Delaware residents ask whether a cover letter is needed with their apostille submission. For direct submissions to the Delaware Secretary of State, a brief cover letter is recommended with your contact information and document details. The Delaware Secretary of State handles many submissions daily and a simple cover sheet reduces processing errors.
The Delaware Secretary of State's fee of $30 must accompany your submission. Accepted payment methods vary by state but typically include personal check, money order, or credit card for online portals. Our courier service pays the Delaware Secretary of State fee as part of the service so you never worry about wrong payment forms.
One detail that matters: if your Diploma was issued in a language other than English, some Delaware Secretary of State offices may require a certified English translation before apostilling. In other cases, the Delaware Secretary of State apostilles the foreign-language document as-is and the destination country receives a translated copy alongside the apostille. We advise you on this when you submit your request.
Common Apostille Mistakes to Avoid
The most common and costly apostille mistake is sending your document to the wrong government authority. People in Delaware sometimes mail federal records to their state Secretary of State. Either way, the documents come back with a rejection notice. This mistake costs weeks — the time lost in transit to and from the wrong authority — before you are even back to square one.
Sending original documents through the US Postal Service without a tracking number is a significant risk. Documents sent by uninsured mail are vulnerable to loss with no recourse. Original government-issued documents are sometimes time-consuming and costly to replace. We ship all documents via FedEx for complete end-to-end protection.
Submitting a photocopy instead of the original document is a frequent cause of delays at the Delaware Secretary of State. The Delaware Secretary of State in Dover will only apostille documents with an authentic original seal and signature. Sending a photocopy will be rejected without processing. Request a new certified copy before starting the apostille process.
Get Your Diploma Apostilled in Delaware
Our courier network covers the Delaware Secretary of State in Dover, typically returning your apostilled document in 2 to 5 business days. No need to visit any government office.
Order NowFrequently Asked Questions — Diploma Apostille in Delaware
Does my Diploma need to be notarized before apostilling in Delaware?
Yes. Most Secretary of State offices — including the Delaware Secretary of State in Dover — require that Diplomas be notarized or officially certified by the issuing institution before an apostille can be attached. We coordinate the full process: notarization, submission to the Delaware Secretary of State, and return of the completed apostille.
Which state handles the apostille if I now live in Delaware but attended school elsewhere?
The apostille must come from the state where the issuing institution is located — not the state where you currently live. If your Diploma was issued by a Delaware institution, the Delaware Secretary of State in Dover is the correct office. If you attended school in another state, that state's Secretary of State handles the apostille.
How do I get a certified copy of my Diploma suitable for apostilling?
Contact the institution that issued your Diploma — typically the registrar, alumni office, or records department — and request an officially certified copy bearing an original seal or signature. This certified copy, not a photocopy, is what the Delaware Secretary of State in Dover will accept. We can advise on institution-specific requirements when you place your order.
Will my apostilled Diploma from Delaware be accepted in countries that require specific formats?
Countries like Germany and the UAE have specific requirements for educational documents beyond the apostille — including certified translations and sometimes additional attestation. The apostille from the Delaware Secretary of State in Dover satisfies the Hague authentication requirement, but you may also need a sworn translation and, in some cases, attestation by the destination country's embassy. We offer full packages that cover apostille plus translation.