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How to Get a Passport Apostille (a Notarized Copy)

By Frank MetayerUpdated September 9, 2026

Your passport booklet is never apostilled, and you never mail the original anywhere. What gets apostilled is a notarized copy of the ID page: a notary certifies that a photocopy of your passport is a true copy of the original, and the state authenticates the notary's signature. Send the passport itself, or a plain uncertified photocopy, and there is nothing for the state to certify, so the request comes straight back. A U.S. passport is a federal identity document, and no Secretary of State stamps one directly.

When a foreign bank, university, or immigration office asks for an "apostilled passport," this notarized copy is almost always what they mean. Getting that mechanism right up front settles every question that follows: who notarizes the copy, which state issues the apostille, and why the office that printed your passport plays no part. So the rest of this guide stays specific to passports: the notarized-copy step, the copy-certification rule that shifts from state to state, and why the U.S. Department of State issues passports but does not apostille a copy of one.

Key takeaways

The passport booklet is never apostilled and never sent anywhere; what gets apostilled is a notarized copy of its ID (photo) page.
A notary either certifies the photocopy as a true copy, or (in states that bar notaries from certifying copies) notarizes your signed statement that it's true. We handle whichever method the state requires.
The apostille is issued by the Secretary of State (or equivalent office) of the state where the notarization took place, not the country or state where the passport was issued.
A passport apostille is used to prove identity abroad: opening a foreign bank account, forming a company overseas, marrying abroad, residency and visa applications, and powers of attorney used in another country.
Apostilles are recognized only by Hague Apostille Convention members; a non-member destination needs embassy or consular legalization, and many countries also want a certified translation.

Why you apostille a copy, never the passport itself

An apostille certifies the authority of the official whose signature and seal appear on a document. Your passport carries the seal of the U.S. Department of State, not a notary, and no state office will stamp a federal identity document or alter it in any way. The passport can never be the thing that is apostilled. The chain has to start one step earlier: a notary public makes a formal, sealed statement about a photocopy of your passport, and it is that notarized page, bearing the notary's signature, that the state apostilles.

This also settles the worry we hear first: no, you do not surrender your passport. You keep the original the entire time. Only a photocopy leaves your hands, and even that copy is worthless for authentication until a notary has certified it. Knowing that up front heads off the two most frequent mistakes, mailing the original passport or sending a plain, un-notarized printout. Either one stops the process before it starts.

How a notary turns your passport copy into an apostille-ready document

There are two accepted ways to notarize a passport copy, and which one applies comes down to your state's notary rules. In many states, a notary can perform a certified copy, or copy certification: the notary compares your original passport to the photocopy and signs a certificate stating the copy is a true and complete reproduction. In other states, California being the well-known example, a notary is prohibited from certifying copies of most documents, so that route simply isn't available. This is a matter of state law rather than preference, and getting it wrong is a common reason a copy is rejected.

Where a notary cannot certify the copy directly, the standard workaround is copy certification by document custodian: you sign a short statement, an affidavit or declaration, swearing that the attached photocopy is a true and correct copy of your original passport, and the notary notarizes your signature with a jurat. The end result is the same, a notarized page the Secretary of State can authenticate, though the wording and the type of notarial act differ. We confirm the correct method for the state where the notarization will happen, so the apostille isn't returned over a technicality. Notary copy rules do change, so treat the specifics here as accurate as of 2026 and confirm your state's current requirement.

The process, step by step

Start with a clean, legible photocopy of the passport's identification page, the one with your photo, name, and passport number. Blurry or cut-off scans get bounced, so this step is worth doing carefully. Next, notarize it by whichever method your state allows: the notary certifies the copy as true, or notarizes your signed statement that it is. Then submit the notarized copy to the Secretary of State of the state where the notarization happened. Finally, add a certified translation if the destination country asks for one.

Sequence matters more than it looks. Notarize before the copy ever reaches the state, and make sure it reaches the right state, the one where your notary holds a commission.

One habit prevents most reruns: pin down what the receiving office abroad will actually accept before you start. Some want a copy of a particular passport page; some want the apostille and translation assembled in a set order. Ask for that in writing, and you avoid paying to authenticate a version nobody wanted.

The state that notarizes your copy is the state that apostilles it

The apostille comes from the Secretary of State of whichever state your passport copy was notarized in. It follows the notary, not the passport. Where your booklet was issued, where you were born, even where you live today: none of it changes the answer. Notarize with a notary in Texas and Texas issues the apostille; notarize in New York and it goes to New York. A handful of states route apostilles through a different office, such as a Lieutenant Governor instead of a Secretary of State, so the authority is set by the place of notarization.

This clears up a question we field constantly. The U.S. Department of State issues passports, yet it does not apostille a passport copy. Its authentication desk handles federal paperwork such as FBI background checks and records from federal agencies. A notarized passport copy is a state notarial act, authenticated by the state's Secretary of State (or its equivalent), never by Washington. We are experienced with Secretary of State apostille processing across the states, and we send each request to the office that genuinely holds authority over it.

What a passport apostille is used for

Almost every passport apostille exists to prove your identity to an institution abroad that can't simply take a U.S. passport at face value: a foreign bank opening an account, a company registry overseas, an overseas property purchase, or a residency, work, or visa application that wants authenticated proof of who you are. The notarized, apostilled copy hands that institution a document with a verifiable chain back to a recognized U.S. official. Two more cases come up a lot. Marrying abroad often means a foreign civil registry lists an apostilled identity document among the paperwork, and a power of attorney meant for use in another country is frequently paired with an apostilled passport copy so the receiving authority can tie the signer to a verified identity. When a power of attorney is involved, the POA is usually apostilled right alongside the passport copy, each authenticated on its own.

When an apostille is enough, and when it isn't

An apostille only carries weight in countries that belong to the Hague Apostille Convention. Spain, most of the European Union, and much of Latin America and Asia are members, so a properly notarized and apostilled passport copy is accepted there. Send the same copy toward a non-member country and the apostille won't do; it has to go through embassy or consular legalization, a longer chain that finishes at that country's embassy or consulate. Membership shifts over time, so in 2026, check the destination's current status before you file.

Translation is a separate call, and the receiving country makes it, not the apostille. Where officials work in another language, plan on a certified translation, sometimes of the notarized statement and the apostille too, not just the passport page. That country also decides the assembly order, which is commonly apostille first and translation of the finished packet second. Whenever it's unclear, ask the office that requested the document to put the requirement in writing.

Get your passport copy apostilled without the guesswork

Tell us where the document is headed and when you need it back. We'll set up the notarized copy the right way for that state, route it to the state's Secretary of State for the apostille, and handle a certified translation if the destination calls for one — with a flat, all-in quote before any work begins, no hidden fees, and no obligation.

Get a free quote Call 1-800-889-7850

Frequently asked questions

Do I send my actual passport to be apostilled?+

No — the passport booklet is never apostilled and never leaves your hands. What gets apostilled is a notarized copy of your passport's ID page: a notary certifies the photocopy (or notarizes your signed statement that the copy is true), and the state then authenticates the notary's signature.

How much does a passport apostille cost?+

It depends on the document, the issuing authority, and how fast you need it. You get a flat, all-in quote before any work begins — with no hidden fees, and no obligation.

Which state issues the apostille for my passport copy?+

The Secretary of State (or equivalent office) of the state where the notarization took place. The apostille follows the notary — not where your passport was issued, and not necessarily where you live.

Can a California notary certify a copy of my passport?+

California notaries generally cannot certify copies of most documents. Instead, you sign a statement swearing the copy is a true copy of your original passport and the notary notarizes your signature; the state then apostilles that. Notary copy rules vary by state and can change, so confirm the current method for your state.

Does the U.S. Department of State apostille a passport copy?+

No. The Department of State issues passports and authenticates federal documents such as FBI background checks, but a notarized copy of a passport is a state notarial act — it is apostilled by the state's Secretary of State (or equivalent office), not the federal government.

Keep reading

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