We process hundreds of apostille requests every month, and a significant percentage of clients who come to us have already tried to get an apostille on their own and run into problems. The WA Secretary of State will reject documents that do not meet their requirements, and each rejection means starting the process over — adding days or weeks to your timeline.
Here are the five most common mistakes we see, and how to avoid them.
Mistake 1: Submitting Photocopies Instead of Certified Originals
This is the number one mistake, and it is the most frustrating because it is so easy to avoid.
The WA Secretary of State requires certified copies of vital records (birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates). A regular photocopy — even a clear, high-quality one — will be rejected.
What is a certified copy? A certified copy is issued by the original vital records agency (such as the Washington State Department of Health or a county vital records office). It has an official raised seal, a registrar’s signature, and is printed on security paper. It is not something you can produce at home or at a copy shop.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Order certified copies directly from the issuing agency
- For Washington birth certificates, order from the WA Department of Health
- For marriage certificates, contact the county where the marriage was recorded
- Make sure the certified copy is recent — some receiving countries require copies issued within the last 6 months
If you have a document that is not a vital record — such as a notarized letter, a power of attorney, or a business document — the rules are different. These need to be original documents with original notary signatures and seals. Photocopies of notarized documents will not be accepted.
Mistake 2: Missing or Invalid Notarization
Many documents need to be notarized before they can be apostilled. The notary signature and seal are what the Secretary of State is actually authenticating when they issue the apostille.
Common notarization problems we see:
- Notary commission has expired. Washington notary commissions last for 4 years. If your notary’s commission expired between when the document was notarized and when you submit it for apostille, it will be rejected. You will need to have the document re-notarized.
- Notary is from the wrong state. The notary must be commissioned in Washington State. A document notarized by an Oregon, California, or any other state’s notary cannot be apostilled by the WA Secretary of State.
- Missing notary seal or stamp. The notary’s official seal or stamp must be clearly legible. Faded, smudged, or partial seals will cause rejection.
- Signature does not match commission records. The Secretary of State checks the notary’s signature against their commission file. If the signatures do not match, the document will be rejected.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Verify that your notary is currently commissioned in Washington State (you can check on the WA Secretary of State’s website)
- Make sure the seal impression is clear and complete
- If you need a document re-notarized, bring the original document — do not try to notarize over an existing notarization
Mistake 3: Sending Federal Documents to the State
The WA Secretary of State can only apostille state-level documents. Federal documents must be apostilled by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.
Documents that are federal (NOT for the WA Secretary of State):
- FBI background checks and fingerprint clearances
- IRS tax transcripts and forms
- Federal court documents
- USCIS immigration documents
- Social Security records
- U.S. passport copies
- Military records
Documents that ARE for the WA Secretary of State:
- Documents notarized by a Washington State notary
- Vital records from Washington State agencies
- Court documents from Washington State courts
- Business documents filed with the WA Secretary of State’s corporations division
How to avoid this mistake: Ask yourself: “Who issued this document?” If the answer is a federal agency, it goes to the U.S. Department of State. If the answer is a Washington State agency, court, or notary, it goes to the WA Secretary of State.
Mistake 4: Not Including a Cover Letter
This might seem minor, but submitting documents without a clear cover letter is a common source of confusion and delay. The Secretary of State’s office processes thousands of documents. If they receive your documents with no explanation of what you need, processing may be delayed while they try to figure out your request.
Your cover letter should include:
- Your full name and contact information
- A clear statement that you are requesting an apostille (not a certification or authentication — these are different)
- The number of documents enclosed
- A description of each document
- Your return shipping preference
- Payment information or a check/money order for the correct amount ($15 per document)
How to avoid this mistake: Write a brief, clear cover letter. It does not need to be fancy — just explicit about what you need. If you are using our service, we handle all of this for you.
Mistake 5: Wrong Destination Country Process
Not every country accepts apostilles. If your documents are going to a country that is not a member of the Hague Convention — such as India — an apostille alone will not be sufficient. You will need the full embassy legalization process instead.
We also see the reverse mistake: clients going through the lengthy embassy legalization process for a country that is now a Hague member. This is especially common with China and Canada, which joined the Convention recently. Many people (and even some attorneys) are not aware of these changes and default to the old process.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Check whether your destination country is a Hague Convention member before starting the process
- Be aware of recent changes — China joined in November 2023, Canada in January 2024
- When in doubt, contact us and we will tell you exactly which process you need
The Cost of These Mistakes
Each mistake means your documents come back to you un-processed, and you have to fix the issue and resubmit. At best, this adds a week to your timeline. At worst — if you have a flight date, a court deadline, or a business filing window — the delay can have real consequences.
This is the primary reason many people use a professional apostille service instead of doing it themselves. We review every document before submission and catch these issues before they become delays.
Let Us Handle It
We have processed thousands of apostille requests and know exactly what the WA Secretary of State requires. When you use Seattle Apostille Service:
- We review your documents before submission
- We catch and fix problems before they cause rejections
- We handle the entire process from start to finish
- We offer rush and same-day processing when you are on a deadline
Standard processing starts at $99 per document. Get started today or call us at (206) 555-0187.