Diploma Apostille in Maine
In Maine, Diploma apostilles must be processed through the Maine Secretary of State in Augusta. State fees are $10 per apostille. Find your nearest city below to get started.
Maine Apostille Requirements
- Authority: Maine Secretary of State
- Office Location: Augusta
- State Fee: $10
- Important Rule: Signatures must be manually verified.
Select your city to view local apostille processing options and courier times.
What Is a Diploma Apostille?
An apostille is a standardized government certification formalized by the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. Unlike standard document certification, an apostille is accepted by all 124 Hague member countries — meaning your Diploma will be accepted by overseas institutions without further legalization. If you are in Maine, Maine, obtaining this certification means submitting your document to the Maine Secretary of State in Augusta.
Something many Maine residents overlook is that an apostille is not a translation. The majority of Hague member countries additionally ask for a certified translation into the local language as well as the apostille. Most EU countries and many Middle Eastern authorities typically require both the apostille and a certified translation. Ask us about complete packages that cover both apostille and certified translation.
The Hague Apostille Convention streamlined the old multi-step embassy legalization process that was required before the Convention. Before apostilles, getting an American document accepted overseas involved notarization, state-level certification, federal certification, and then embassy legalization. The Convention simplified this into a single certificate issued by one designated authority. In Maine, the designated office is the Maine Secretary of State.
Maine: State vs Federal Authority
When timelines are tight, rush processing is offered by our courier service. Some state offices provide same-day service for in-person deliveries. Our team exploits walk-in submission options by submitting in person rather than by mail, getting you the fastest possible turnaround from Maine.
The most commonly misunderstood thing to know about getting a Diploma apostilled is determining which government authority processes your specific document type. In the United States, there are two distinct apostille pathways: state-level and federal-level. State-issued documents — like birth certificates, marriage certificates, and Diplomas go to the Maine Secretary of State in Augusta. Federally issued records, such as FBI Background Checks, must go to the federal authentication office in DC.
For state-issued Diplomas, the apostille can only be issued by the Maine Secretary of State in Augusta. Before submission, the document needs to be in certified form with an authentic seal. The Maine Secretary of State reviews the document's seals and signatures and attaches the apostille usually within 1 to 4 weeks.
Why Local Offices Cannot Help
It is also worth knowing, local government offices in Maine do not have apostille authority. Even visiting any local Maine government office will not produce a Hague certificate. The sole authority in Maine that can attach the Hague certificate for state documents is the Maine Secretary of State.
If you are working under a tight deadline, relying on postal mail to the Maine Secretary of State is risky. Using a physical runner reduces turnaround from weeks to days. Our courier service handles Maine-area pickups and submissions with complete end-to-end shipment tracking on every submission.
First-time applicants in Maine initially assume they can obtain Hague legalization at a local UPS Store or notary. This assumption is wrong. A local notary can only witness signatures and verify identity. They cannot issue an apostille certificate — only the Maine Secretary of State can do this.
The Maine Apostille Authority
When the Maine Secretary of State receives your Diploma, a state official verifies the seals and signatures and checks that signatures are from known, authorized officials. If everything checks out, the apostille is affixed as a separate certificate appended to your document. The completed document is then held for courier pickup. Our courier collects it same-day or next-day.
The Maine Secretary of State in Augusta is accessible for walk-in and mail-in submissions during standard business hours. Processing times for mail-in submissions generally range from 5 business days to 4 weeks depending on current volume. For Maine residents who need faster turnaround, an in-person submission via a runner service dramatically cuts the wait.
Before your document can be submitted to the Maine Secretary of State: it may need to be notarized or certified first. Educational records and private documents typically require notarization as a first step. Our team identifies whether any notarization is needed before starting the submission so you are not surprised by a rejection.
How to Get Your Diploma Apostilled in Maine
Getting an apostille on your Diploma involves a defined process. First: confirm that your document is the original or a certified copy. Step two: verify the document carries an authentic official seal. Third: submit it to the Maine Secretary of State in Augusta along with the applicable state fee. Step four: collect the completed apostille — ready for any Hague member country.
Something many applicants miss is ensuring the document is not expired. Federal background checks, for example, are typically required to be dated within 6 months at the time of consulate or visa submission. If your Diploma is outdated, you will need to obtain a fresh copy before apostilling. Our team verifies document currency as part of our intake process to avoid submitting documents that will be refused.
Certain Diplomas must be notarized before they can be apostilled. When your document is a private document — such as an affidavit, power of attorney, or diploma, it will typically need to be notarized by a licensed notary prior to the Maine Secretary of State will accept it. We coordinates any required pre-notarization so there are no surprises at the Maine Secretary of State.
How Long Does a Diploma Apostille Take in Maine?
Knowing where your Diploma is is one of the most valued aspects of a physical courier over postal mail. We provide status updates at each step: pickup from your Maine address, receipt by our team, submission to the Maine Secretary of State in Augusta, completion confirmation, and outbound FedEx tracking back to Maine. This end-to-end tracking is unavailable with standard postal submission.
Turnaround for apostille certification vary depending on how the document is submitted and the Maine Secretary of State's current workload. Mail-in submissions from Maine to the Maine Secretary of State in Augusta usually require 4 to 8 weeks in total — including transit time, government processing, and return. At busy times, particularly during visa application seasons, backlogs can push timelines to 8 to 12 weeks.
If you need your Diploma apostilled urgently, the fastest path is a runner that hand-delivers to the Maine Secretary of State in Augusta. Many Maine Secretary of State offices process walk-in submissions same-day. Our runner uses this option wherever available to return apostilled documents to Maine within a business week.
What to Include With Your Submission
The Maine Secretary of State's fee of $10 must be included. Forms of payment differ at each Maine Secretary of State but typically include money order, certified check, or online payment. Our courier service includes fee payment in our all-in-one courier package so the submission is never rejected for payment reasons.
An easy-to-miss detail: for non-English documents, some Maine Secretary of State offices may require a certified English translation before apostilling. In other cases, the Maine Secretary of State apostilles the foreign-language document as-is and the destination country receives a translated copy alongside the apostille. Our team clarifies document-specific requirements when you place your order.
When submitting your Diploma for apostille, ensure you have: the original document or a certified copy, notarization if required for your document type, the Maine Secretary of State's request form if applicable, correct fee payment for the state apostille, and a prepaid return envelope or shipping label. Missing any of these will result in your documents being returned unprocessed.
Common Apostille Mistakes to Avoid
Sending original documents through the US Postal Service without a tracking number is something we strongly advise against. Documents sent by uninsured mail are vulnerable to loss with no recourse. Original government-issued documents are difficult or expensive to replace. We use FedEx with full insurance and tracking for maximum protection from the moment we receive your document to its return to Maine.
Mailing an uncertified copy instead of an original or certified copy is a frequent cause of delays at the Maine Secretary of State. The Maine Secretary of State in Augusta 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.
Forgetting to include return shipping is a simple but common mistake. The Maine Secretary of State in Augusta will not return your document without a prepaid return method. Without a return label, your completed apostille could wait weeks to reach you. Our service includes return shipping — you never have to worry about return logistics.
Get Your Diploma Apostilled in Maine
Our courier network covers the Maine Secretary of State in Augusta, 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 Maine
Does my Diploma need to be notarized before apostilling in Maine?
Yes. Most Secretary of State offices — including the Maine Secretary of State in Augusta — 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 Maine Secretary of State, and return of the completed apostille.
Which state handles the apostille if I now live in Maine 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 Maine institution, the Maine Secretary of State in Augusta 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 Maine Secretary of State in Augusta will accept. We can advise on institution-specific requirements when you place your order.
Will my apostilled Diploma from Maine 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 Maine Secretary of State in Augusta 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.