Diploma Apostille in New York

New York's official apostille authority handles all Hague legalization requests for the state. Fees are $10 per document. Find your city below.

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New York Apostille Requirements

Authority: New York Department of State
Office Location: Albany
State Fee: $10
Important Rule: County clerk certification is strictly required first.

Skip the New York government office.

Our courier handles submission to New York Department of State in Albany — standard 2–5 days, express available.

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Select your city to view local apostille processing options and courier times.

New York City Brooklyn Queens Manhattan The Bronx Staten Island Buffalo Upper West Side Jamaica Rochester Yonkers East Flatbush East New York Washington Heights Astoria Borough Park Syracuse Sunset Park Sheepshead Bay Amherst Harlem East Harlem Elmhurst Bushwick Gravesend Corona Albany Richmond Hill Fordham West Albany Flatbush Chinatown Canarsie Greenburgh New Rochelle South Ozone Park Cheektowaga Kings Bridge Brownsville Ridgewood Mount Vernon Forest Hills Jackson Heights Bayside Parkchester Schenectady Park Slope Flatlands East Village Utica Financial District Brentwood Bensonhurst Coney Island White Plains Clay Morningside Heights Hempstead Cypress Hills Ozone Park Briarwood Wakefield Queens Village Levittown Irondequoit Mott Haven Troy Sunnyside Niagara Falls Maspeth Binghamton Hell's Kitchen West Seneca Rego Park Freeport West Babylon Henrietta Woodside Hicksville Morris Heights Far Rockaway Kensington Coram Manhattan Valley East Meadow Valley Stream Kew Gardens Hills Whitestone 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Hollis Brooklyn Heights East Northport Lake Ronkonkoma North Bellmore Cortlandt Manor Mariners Harbor Selden Plattsburgh Holtsville Lynbrook Eastchester Mamaroneck Mineola Ronkonkoma East Massapequa Melville Kew Gardens North Bay Shore Cortland Wantagh West Hempstead Syosset Rossville Islip Monsey Huntington Amsterdam Lackawanna North Massapequa Scarsdale Nanuet North Amityville Oswego Times Square North Babylon Wilton Kings Park Massapequa Park Woodmere East Setauket Sayville North Valley Stream Cohoes Bethpage Baychester Roosevelt Bellmore Rye Floral Park Pearl River Port Washington Farmingville Mastic Setauket-East Setauket Port Richmond Terrace Heights Emerson Hill Westbury Seaford Graniteville Kenmore Depew Gates-North Gates Gloversville Eggertsville Batavia Tonawanda North New Hyde Park Mastic Beach Johnson City Douglaston Greece South Farmingdale East Islip Beacon Manorville Glens Falls Wykagyl Jefferson Valley-Yorktown Arverne New Cassel Rocky Point Olean Oneonta Greenlawn Stony Brook Hampton Bays Bergen Beach Jericho Nesconset Saint James Ridge Riverhead Geneva Endicott Arrochar Fort Drum Wawarsing Fallsburg Seaside Patchogue Miller Place North Castle North Merrick Haverstraw Babylon Stony Point Mount Sinai Salisbury Dunkirk North Wantagh Terryville West Henrietta North Lindenhurst Wyandanch Tarrytown Fulton North Bellport Endwell Lake Grove Elwood Oakwood Mount Kisco Oneida Dobbs Ferry Suffern Spuyten Duyvil Corning Ogdensburg Woodbury Roessleville Fredonia Massena Eltingville Middle Island Canandaigua West Haverstraw Morris Park Lancaster Sleepy Hollow Fairmount Watervliet Bohemia Great Neck Inwood Little Neck Fort Salonga Huguenot East Rockaway New Hyde Park Ballston Lake Potsdam Edgemere Rye Brook Hamburg Dongan Hills Clifton North Gates Amityville Rensselaer South Huntington Scotchtown Riverdale Valley Cottage Westerleigh New Windsor Bayport Airmont Concord Newark Plainedge Farmingdale Monroe Port Jervis Malverne North Elba Glens Falls North Mahopac Congers Brockport Johnstown Tompkinsville Hornell South Lockport Lake Carmel Croton-on-Hudson Delmar Geneseo Chestnut Ridge Oakdale Baldwin Harbor Manhasset New Square Boston South Beach Briarcliff Manor Hastings-on-Hudson Ilion Colonie Port Jefferson Port Jefferson Station Tribeca Garden City Park Baldwinsville Scotia Wading River Sound Beach Big Flats Airport Center Moriches Hillcrest Herkimer Battery Park City Midland Beach Northport Bay Wood Williston Park Woodlawn Westmere New Dorp North Patchogue Southport Hudson Falls Pleasantville East Hills Greenville West Glens Falls New Paltz Downtown Brooklyn Pelham Nyack Orange Lake Norwich Great Neck Plaza Mount Ivy Viola Mechanicstown North Syracuse Walden Warwick Hewlett Carmel Hamlet Myers Corner Bayville West Point Belle Harbor Manorhaven Oyster Bay Cedarhurst Seneca Falls South Hill East Rochester East Shoreham Glen Oaks Tuckahoe East Glenville Horseheads Tappan Irvington Springs Roslyn Heights Canton Lawrence Calverton Monticello East Farmingdale Mattydale Bronxville Hudson Solvay East Aurora East Garden City New Dorp Beach Larchmont Lake Mohegan Albion South Valley Stream Yaphank Wesley Hills Hilton Medina Volney Washingtonville Malone Southold Blauvelt Richland Highland Bath Lakeview Bellaire Pelham Manor West Hills Salamanca Wappingers Falls Marbletown Webster Old Bethpage Hamlin Fairview Centerport Harris Hill North Hills Goshen Islip Terrace Ballston Spa Stapleton Fairport New Hempstead Hartsdale Big Flats Saranac Lake Williamsville East Moriches Albertson Mechanicville Northumberland Kaser Kings Point Wheatley Heights Pound Ridge Cold Spring Harbor Waterloo Thiells Sea Cliff Penn Yan West Sayville Grymes Hill Carle Place West Elmira Westvale Firthcliffe Searingtown Chittenango Niskayuna Flower Hill Elmsford Carmel Little Falls Blue Point Island Park East Quogue Wellsville Glen Head Portland Kirkville Old Westbury Canastota Purchase Montebello West Bay Shore Ardsley Manlius Grandyle Village Galeville Montgomery Grant City Hawthorne Orangeburg Cobleskill Dansville East Greenbush Flanders North Sea Gardnertown City Island Clarkson Springville Armonk Herricks Le Roy Waverly Lyncourt University Gardens Mattituck Gang Mills Fayetteville Hamilton Rosebank East Hampton North Liberty Spackenkill Bardonia Rockaway Point Ellenville Alfred Arlington Gordon Heights Brewerton Garden City South North Great River Menands Elmira Heights Heritage Hills Highland Mills Chester Saugerties Village Green Catskill Lake Erie Beach Putnam Lake Highland Falls Cayuga Heights Newfane Eden Gouverneur Glenwood Landing Thornwood Sidney Owego Whitesboro Lloyd Harbor Muttontown Marlboro Lansing Perth Haviland Dannemora Lyons Red Oaks Mill Sloan Manhasset Hills Carthage Spencerport South Glens Falls Tupper Lake Noyack Brookville Port Ewen South Nyack Minoa Perry Calcium Rush Hurley Brookhaven West Nyack Hoosick Falls New Brighton Lowville Palmyra Locust Valley Islandia Ticonderoga Warsaw Vails Gate Cutchogue Montauk Avon Northwest Harbor New York Mills Maybrook Fort Edward Wynantskill Ravena Southampton South Hempstead Port Washington North Orchard Park Wanakah South Blooming Grove Homer Balmville Clinton Corners Valhalla Delhi Sloatsburg Greenwood Lake Pomona Warrensburg Westfield Brightwaters Milton Westhampton Sherrill Lake Success East Syracuse Bedford Hills Cornwall Chelsea Walton Willowbrook Lakewood Riverside Brinckerhoff Florida Mount Morris Lido Beach Chenango Bridge South Fallsburg Cazenovia Akron Horseheads North Crown Heights Moriches Voorheesville Great Neck Estates Blossvale Roslyn Berne Lakeland Victor McKownville Sands Point Montrose Munsons Corners Munsey Park Honeoye Falls East Norwich Coxsackie Durham Walton Park West Sand Lake Clarence Remsenburg-Speonk Northeast Ithaca Thomaston Gowanda Yorkville Mohawk Green Island Rhinebeck Lewiston Blasdell Alden Whitehall East Williston Piermont Elma Center Silver Creek North Boston Corinth Frankfort Halesite Williamson Harriman Skaneateles Attica Granville Lake Placid Broad Channel Aquebogue Hampton Manor Barnum Island Jamestown West Lake Katrine Groton Watchtower Byron Town Line Lincoln Park Brewster Falconer Phoenix Pulaski Pawling Liverpool Melrose Park Crompond Wallkill Sag Harbor Buchanan Clarence Center Oyster Bay Cove Fort Plain Nedrow Beaverdam Lake-Salisbury Mills Beaver Dam Lake Hartford East Ithaca Country Knolls Saugerties South Old Brookville Bay Park Greenport Canisteo Camden Bellerose Terrace Shinnecock Hills Upper Nyack Rouses Point Canajoharie Ontario Caledonia Fishkill Dolgeville Greenport West Angola Glasco Sparrow Bush Lima Dryden Clifton Springs Brewster Hill Woodstock Bellport West Carthage Lorenz Park East Atlantic Beach Saint Bonaventure Augusta Boonville Waterford Laurel Hollow Churchville Seneca Knolls Shrub Oak Clyde Painted Post Red Hook Arcade Port Morris Scottsville Cold Spring Clayton Lindley Phelps West End West Hurley Youngstown Atlantic Beach Stewart Manor Valatie Hyde Park Frewsburg Clark Mills Crown Point Shenorock Clinton Watkins Glen New Hartford Bedford Eastport Cambridge Adams Trumansburg Middleport Alabama Wayland Central Square Village of the Branch Central Valley Cooperstown Lattingtown South Floral Park Yorktown Heights Pine Bush Marcellus Morrisville Oakfield Weedsport Nissequogue Bridgehampton Sodus Upper Brookville Keeseville Westons Mills Greenwich Rock Hill Allegany Holley Saint Johnsville Stillwater Verplanck Westhampton Beach Altamont Addison Cropseyville Jamesport Clymer Chatham Averill Park Houghton Billington Heights Kerhonkson Franklinville Katonah Montour Falls Angola on the Lake Fort Wadsworth Mayville Dundee Niverville Manchester Steinway Sanborn Wolcott Baiting Hollow Rapids Goldens Bridge Peach Lake Cumberland Head Athens Norwood Deposit Port Dickinson Peru Mountain Lodge Park Tillson Mexico Fort Montgomery Adams Center Charleston Sparkill Water Mill Waterville Morrisonville Crugers Cuba Lincolndale Marion Chadwicks Greene Deansboro Bridgeport Sackets Harbor Great River Macedon Head of the Harbor Castleton-on-Hudson Weston Mills Clintondale Middleburgh Chappaqua Huntington Bay Brocton Shortsville Millbrook Ransomville Northwest Ithaca Oxford Eatons Neck Plandome Cairo Laurel Branchport Oriskany Stottville Schuylerville Plattsburgh West Holcomb Cortland West Neponsit Pine Plains Livonia Bernhards Bay Pittsford Rosendale Village Northville North Ballston Spa Jordan Shelter Island Black River Kiantone Sherburne Nunda Norfolk Bainbridge Dover Plains Philmont Springfield Fort Covington Hamlet Broadalbin Harbor Isle Hagaman Barryville Randolph Cassville Hewlett Harbor Mineville Roslyn Estates Plattekill Merritt Park Bloomfield Gasport Port Byron Olcott Moravia Wilson Camillus Lake Luzerne North Collins Richfield Springs Philadelphia Livingston Manor Edinburg Point Lookout Friendship Holland Bellerose Great Neck Gardens Shokan Washington Mills Constantia Kinderhook Yorkshire Union Springs Napanoch Stone Ridge Wurtsboro Amagansett Vernon Brownville Port Henry Pleasant Valley Bolivar Keuka Park Bergen Apalachin Nassau South Corning East Hampton Worcester Little Valley Tivoli Alexandria Bay Greenvale Jefferson Heights Roslyn Harbor Unadilla Dexter Hillside Lake Champlain Stamford Celoron Minetto Poestenkill Sylvan Beach Delevan Cincinnatus Shelter Island Heights Otisville Hannawa Falls Palenville Elbridge Zena Plandome Heights McGraw Naples Mill Neck Baxter Estates Hadley Andover Tribes Hill Belmont Schoharie Fonda Lake Pleasant Elizabethtown Wampsville

What Is a Diploma Apostille?

Diplomas are one of the most common apostille categories nationally. This is because Diplomas are routinely required for immigration, employment, international education, and cross-border legal matters. For residents of New York, only the New York Department of State can issue this certification in NY.

An apostille is a type of government certification established by the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. Unlike standard document certification, an apostille is recognized internationally — meaning your Diploma is recognized by foreign embassies, government offices, and employers. For residents of New York, obtaining this certification goes through the New York Department of State in Albany.

One critical distinction is that an apostille is not a translation. Many countries require a notarized translation in addition to the apostille. Most EU countries and many Middle Eastern authorities almost always require both the apostille and a certified translation. Our service includes comprehensive apostille-plus-translation packages.

New York: State vs Federal Authority

The most common apostille mistake is routing documents to the incorrect government authority. If you send a state Diploma to Washington D.C., it will be rejected and returned. In reverse, mailing a federal document to a state Secretary of State office will also come back unprocessed. In both cases, the wasted transit time adds 2 to 4 weeks to your timeline.

For urgent submissions, same-day processing is available in many cases. Some state offices offer walk-in or expedited processing. Our courier exploits walk-in submission options by physically appearing at the office, getting you the fastest possible turnaround from New York.

The most critical thing to know about the apostille process for your document is knowing which government authority issues apostilles for your specific document type. In the US, there are two distinct apostille pathways: state-level and federal-level. Documents issued by New York, including Diplomas go to the New York Department of State in Albany. Documents from US federal agencies, such as FBI Background Checks, must go to the US Department of State in Washington D.C..

Why Local Offices Cannot Help

Another reason local options fail is that the receiving country will verify that the apostille came from the correct authority. If the apostille comes from an unauthorized office, the receiving country will refuse the document. This may delay your entire application even if you have all other documents in order.

Beyond notaries, county clerks, municipal offices, and city government offices do not have apostille authority. Even visiting any local New York government office will not produce a Hague certificate. The only office in NY that can attach the Hague certificate for state documents is the New York Department of State in Albany.

If you are working under a tight deadline, mail-in self-processing is rarely the right option. A courier-assisted submission cuts the timeline from 3 to 6 weeks down to 2 to 5 business days. Our team serves all cities in New York with full FedEx tracking and insurance on every submission.

The New York Apostille Authority

In NY, the designated apostille authority is the New York Department of State in Albany. Only the New York Department of State is authorized to issue Hague Apostille certificates on records from New York government agencies. The New York Department of State maintains the official registry of state seals and is consequently the only entity capable of certifying their authenticity.

When the New York Department of State receives your Diploma, an authorized state officer verifies the seals and signatures and confirms that the issuing official's seals match the registry. Once verified, the apostille is affixed as a cover page or attachment. The apostilled document is then mailed back to you. Our courier collects it same-day or next-day.

The New York Department of State in Albany is accessible for walk-in and mail-in submissions during standard business hours. Processing times without expedited service generally range from 5 business days to 4 weeks depending on seasonal demand. If you are in New York and need it faster, a physical courier can reduce processing time to 2 to 5 business days.

How to Get Your Diploma Apostilled in New York

Once we have your documents, we inspect each document for compliance with the New York Department of State's submission requirements. This pre-flight review identifies issues like missing seals, uncertified copies, outdated notarizations, or incorrect fees. Finding problems upfront avoids the need to resubmit — a first-attempt rejection.

Getting your Diploma apostilled involves a defined process. Step one: confirm that your document is the original or a certified copy. Step two: verify the document carries an authentic official seal. Step three: submit it to the New York Department of State in Albany along with the applicable state fee. Step four: collect the completed apostille — ready for any Hague member country.

One of the most overlooked steps is ensuring the document is not expired. Federal background checks, for example, have a shelf life of six months or less at the time of consulate or visa submission. If your document is past its useful window, a new document must be requested before apostilling. We check document dates as a standard step to avoid submitting documents that will be refused.

How Long Does a Diploma Apostille Take in New York?

The US Department of State operates on a separate schedule for FBI Background Checks and other federal records. Regular postal submissions to the Office of Authentications often takes 8 to 12 weeks due to the volume of requests from all 50 states. A DC-based courier can complete the federal apostille in 2 to 5 business days by physically submitting at the federal office.

Knowing where your Diploma is is a key advantage of using our courier service. We provide status updates at every milestone: pickup from your New York address, arrival at our processing hub, submission to the New York Department of State in Albany, apostille issuance notification, and dispatch of the return shipment to New York. This end-to-end tracking is not possible with direct mail.

Turnaround for apostille certification depend on how the document is submitted and the New York Department of State's current workload. Mail-in submissions from New York to the New York Department of State in Albany typically take 3 to 6 weeks round trip — 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 New York residents ask whether a cover letter is needed with their apostille submission. For direct submissions to the New York Department of State, including a short cover page is advisable with your contact information and document details. The New York Department of State processes high volumes of requests and a clear cover letter helps the office handle your request correctly and quickly.

Payment for the state fee must accompany your submission. Forms of payment differ at each New York Department of State but generally 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.

One detail that matters: if your Diploma was issued in a language other than English, some New York Department of State offices may require a certified English translation before apostilling. Alternatively, the New York Department of State apostilles the foreign-language document as-is and translation is handled separately after the apostille. We advise you on this when you place your order.

Common Apostille Mistakes to Avoid

The number one mistake is routing your Diploma to the incorrect office. People in New York sometimes mail federal records to their state Secretary of State. In both cases, the office will reject the submission and return the document unprocessed. This mistake costs weeks — the round-trip postal time to the wrong office — before you are even back to square one.

Mailing irreplaceable originals through standard postal mail without insurance is something we strongly advise against. Uninsured postal shipments are vulnerable to loss with no recourse. Vital records and FBI Background Checks are sometimes time-consuming and costly to replace. We use FedEx with full insurance and tracking for maximum protection from the moment we receive your document to its return to New York.

Mailing an uncertified copy instead of the original document is a common rejection reason. The New York Department of State in Albany will only apostille documents with an authentic original seal and signature. Submitting a scan or uncertified copy will be rejected without processing. Obtain an original certified copy from the issuing agency before starting the apostille process.

Get Your Diploma Apostilled in New York

Our courier network covers the New York Department of State in Albany, typically returning your apostilled document in 2 to 5 business days. No need to visit any government office.

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Frequently Asked Questions — Diploma Apostille in New York

Does my Diploma need to be notarized before apostilling in New York?

Yes. Most Secretary of State offices — including the New York Department of State in Albany — 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 New York Department of State, and return of the completed apostille.

Which state handles the apostille if I now live in New York 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 New York institution, the New York Department of State in Albany 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 New York Department of State in Albany will accept. We can advise on institution-specific requirements when you place your order.

Will my apostilled Diploma from New York 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 New York Department of State in Albany 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.