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Timing & validity
How long an apostille takes, and whether it can expire. Federal and state timelines differ, and the ‘expiration’ question is really about the receiving authority’s recency rules rather than the apostille itself. These guides give you realistic timelines and explain when an older document still works — and when you need a fresh one.
- U.S. Department of State apostille: processing times and delaysFederal apostilles come from the U.S. Department of State, where processing times swing with backlog. Here's why they vary and how to avoid the worst delays.
- When does an apostille expire?An apostille itself never expires — but the country or agency receiving it can require a recently issued document. Here's how apostille validity works.