// guide
Do you translate before or after the apostille?
It's the question we get most. The short answer: an apostille authenticates the original document, not the translation — so the order depends on which way the document is travelling. Here's the plain-English rule.
General guidance — not legal advice. Confirm your filing's exact requirements.
// the core rule
The apostille certifies the original — not the translation.
An apostille is a certificate that proves a public document (or a notary's signature on it) is genuine, so a foreign government in a Hague-Convention country will accept it. Crucially, it attaches to the original public document — a birth certificate, a court order, a notarized power of attorney — and says nothing about a translation.
That single fact decides the order. Because the apostille must exist on the original, you generally apostille first, then translate — and you translate the apostille certificate too, since the destination often needs to read it.
// it depends which way it's going
Inbound to the US vs. outbound abroad.
Foreign document → USCIS / US courts
You usually need only a complete, certified English translation with the translator's certification of accuracy. An apostille is generally not required for the USCIS filing itself — it's a different requirement for a different audience. This is the case for most green-card, citizenship, and family-petition filings.
USCIS certified translationUS document → a foreign government
Apostille the original first, then have the document and its apostille translated into the destination language. Translating before the apostille leaves the apostille text untranslated, which some consulates reject. Note: some countries require the translation be redone by a sworn/in-country translator — when that's true, we tell you honestly.
translation + apostille bundle// the recommended order (outbound)
Apostille first, then translate.
- 01
Get the certified original
Obtain the agency-certified document — vital-records office, court clerk, or registrar.
- 02
Apostille the original
The issuing state (or the US Department of State for federal documents) attaches the apostille. We point you to the apostille service for this step.
- 03
Translate document + apostille
We translate the full document and the apostille certificate into the destination language, with a signed certificate of accuracy.
The apostille itself funnels to the apostille service; we capture the certified translation. See documents we translate for per-document guidance.
// common questions
Before/after apostille FAQ.
Do I apostille or translate first?
For documents going abroad, apostille the original first, then translate — both the document and the apostille. The apostille certifies the original public document (or a notary's signature), so it must exist before translation, and many consulates want the apostille text translated too.
Does USCIS require an apostille on my translated documents?
Generally no. USCIS requires a complete, certified English translation of every foreign-language document, with the translator's certification of accuracy. An apostille is usually not required for the USCIS filing itself.
Do I need to translate the apostille itself?
Often yes, for outbound documents. If the destination country doesn't use the apostille's language, many consulates want the apostille certificate translated alongside the document. That's why translating after the apostille is the safer order.
Can you apostille a translation?
An apostille authenticates a public document or a notarized signature — not a plain translation. In practice, a translation can be brought into the chain by notarizing the translator's signature and apostilling that notarization, when a destination requires it. We translate; the apostille step is handled by the apostille service.
// not sure about the order?
Tell us the document and where it's going — we'll map the steps.
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