If you’re looking for “apostille in Florida”, chances are you need to legalize a document for international use — maybe for immigration, education, business, or marriage abroad. Florida documents must be apostilled by the Florida Department of State, but many people run into problems when trying to do it on their own.
In this article, we’ll cover the most common mistakes made during the Florida apostille process, and how Apostille de la Haya helps you avoid them — making the process faster, easier, and legally compliant.
What Is an Apostille in Florida?
An apostille is a certificate issued by the Florida Department of State in Tallahassee, confirming that your public document (like a birth certificate, power of attorney, or school transcript) is authentic and valid for use in countries that are part of the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961.
6 Common Mistakes When Requesting an Apostille in Florida
1. Sending photocopies instead of certified originals
Many people send copies of documents, thinking it’s acceptable. But the Florida Department of State only accepts original certified documents — like birth, marriage, or death certificates — issued by the appropriate state agency or county clerk.
How Apostille de la Haya Center helps:
We review your documents beforehand and let you know if they’re acceptable. If not, we can help you request a certified copy on your behalf.
2. Using documents from another state
You cannot apostille a document from another state in Florida. For example, a New York birth certificate cannot be apostilled in Florida, even if you live here.
How Apostille de la Haya helps:
We guide you to submit the document in the correct state, or tell you right away if we can’t handle it (e.g., we do not process NY or NJ documents).
3. Not notarizing the document when required
Some documents — like affidavits, powers of attorney, or personal letters — need to be notarized by a Florida notary public before being apostilled.
How Apostille de la Haya helps:
We offer online notarization services, so you can notarize your document the same day, even if you’re not in Florida.
4. Incomplete or incorrect apostille forms
One of the most common reasons for rejection is submitting incomplete or incorrect apostille request forms, or omitting the state fee.
How Apostille de la Haya helps:
We prepare all required forms accurately and process state fees on your behalf — no guesswork, no rejections.
5. Forgetting to translate the document for international use
Many countries require the apostilled document to be translated into their language, but users often overlook this step — resulting in delays or rejections abroad.
How Apostille de la Haya helps:
We offer certified translations accepted by consulates, embassies, and official institutions worldwide.
6. Mailing documents to the wrong address or losing them
Incorrect mailing leads to delayed processing or even lost documents. Many users don’t track the shipment or miss state deadlines.
How Apostille de la Haya helps:
We submit everything directly to the Florida Department of State, handle return shipping, and provide tracking for your peace of mind.
Conclusion
Apostilling a document in Florida is not just about mailing a paper — it requires precision, legal knowledge, and the right preparation. At Apostille de la Haya, we help you avoid common mistakes, speed up the process, and ensure your documents are accepted abroad.
Contact us today to get started.
Let us handle your apostille the right way — fast, legal, and worry-free.
The information contained in this publication is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading or using this content does not create and is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship. No reader or user should act or refrain from acting based on the information presented herein without first consulting an attorney duly licensed to practice law in their jurisdiction.
