Apostille Services & Document Legalization
- Certifying documents for use abroad since 2009
- 5.0★ Google rating
What is an apostille?
An apostille is a certificate that authenticates a U.S. public document — verifying the signature and seal — so it's accepted in another country under the 1961 Hague Convention. State documents are apostilled by the issuing state; federal documents, like an FBI background check, by the U.S. Department of State. Countries outside the Convention require consular legalization instead.
One wrong step abroad and the whole document comes back
Foreign authorities are strict in ways U.S. offices are not. Send a document to the wrong authenticating authority, apostille it for a country that doesn't recognize apostilles, translate it before the apostille is attached, or arrive without the certified translation the destination requires — and the document is refused. Each mistake costs weeks of shipping and re-processing while your job start, visa interview, wedding, or residency deadline keeps moving.
Legalization and language, handled by one team
Taika Translations has certified documents for use across borders since 2009, with a 5.0★ Google rating and a certified-translation team built for exactly the documents that get apostilled. We manage the full authentication process end to end through our authentication partners and handle the certified translation in house — so you deal with one company for both halves instead of chasing a courier and a translator separately. Apostilles are issued by government authorities, never by us; what we do is prepare, submit, track, and translate so the government step goes right the first time.
Three steps, done for you
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Tell us the document and destination
Send us what you have — an FBI background check, a birth certificate, a diploma, a corporate record — and the country it's going to. We confirm whether you need an apostille or consular legalization, and whether a certified translation is required.
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We authenticate and translate
We prepare and submit your document to the correct authority — the issuing state's Secretary of State or the U.S. Department of State — and produce the certified translation your destination country requires, in the right order.
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You receive ready-to-file documents
Your apostilled or legalized document arrives with its certified translation, tracked and complete — ready to submit abroad without a second round of shipping.
What you get
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FBI background check apostille
Federal apostille of your FBI Identity History Summary through the U.S. Department of State — the exact authentication required for teaching, working, residency, and visa applications abroad.
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U.S. & state apostilles — all 50 states
Birth, marriage, and death certificates, diplomas, court records, and notarized documents apostilled by the issuing state's Secretary of State, nationwide.
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International document legalization
For countries outside the Hague Convention, we handle full consular and embassy legalization — the extra chain of authentication an apostille can't cover.
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Certified translation included
The half most apostille couriers can't do: certified translation of your document into the destination country's language, produced by our own linguists in one coordinated order.
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The Taika Triple Guarantee
Error-free processing, on-time handling, and accurate translation — all backed in writing. We stand behind our own work so the risk isn't on you.
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Expedited & fully done-for-you
Rush and expedited handling when a deadline is close. You send the document once; we manage authentication, translation, tracking, and return shipping.
Sending a U.S. document abroad is a two-part problem, and most people only discover the second part after the first one is done. First the document has to be authenticated — proven genuine to a foreign government with an apostille or, for countries outside the Hague Convention, full consular legalization. Then, almost always, it has to be translated — into the destination country’s language, certified for accuracy, sometimes with the apostille itself translated along with it.
Miss either half, or do them in the wrong order, and the document comes back. Taika Translations handles both in one order: we manage the apostille or legalization end to end, and — because we’re a certified-translation company first — we produce the translation your destination country actually requires. One company, one timeline, both halves covered.
The three services, one coordinated order
U.S. & state apostilles. State-issued and notarized documents — birth, marriage, and death certificates, diplomas and transcripts, court records, powers of attorney, corporate filings — are apostilled by the Secretary of State of the state that issued them. We handle apostilles in all 50 states, including notarization when a document needs it first.
FBI apostilles (federal). An FBI background check is a federal record, so it is apostilled by the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C. — not by any state. This is the authentication routinely required to teach, work, gain residency, or apply for a visa abroad. We prepare and submit the FBI Identity History Summary for federal apostille and add certified translation where the destination requires it.
International legalization. If your document is going to a country that is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille is meaningless there — the document needs consular legalization, a longer chain of authentication that typically ends at the destination country’s embassy or consulate. We manage that process too, and translate the document into the required language.
Why the translation half matters
Most apostille couriers stop at the government stamp and leave you to find a translator on your own — usually after the apostille is already attached, which is the most expensive time to discover you needed one. Taika is a translation company: the certified translation isn’t an afterthought bolted on from a partner, it’s produced by our own linguists through the same translate-edit-proofread process that stands behind our certified translation work. That’s the difference between two vendors and two timelines, and one order that arrives ready to file.
The Taika Triple Guarantee
Government authorities and foreign embassies make their own decisions on their own timelines, and no honest company can promise otherwise. So we guarantee the part we control — our own work — in writing:
- Error-free processing. If a document we prepare or submit is rejected because of a mistake on our end, we re-prepare and re-submit it at no added service fee.
- On-time handling. We complete our preparation and submission within the handling window we quote you, or your service fee is refunded.
- Accurate translation. If a certified translation we deliver is rejected over our translation quality, we correct it free or refund it.
What we don’t do — and what no legitimate service can — is control how a Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State, or a foreign embassy processes or decides your matter. We’re direct about that line, and we work to make the government step go right the first time so it rarely gets tested.
Not sure whether you need an apostille, legalization, a translation, or all three? Tell us the document and the country and a Taika project manager will map the exact path — usually in a single reply.
- USCIS Acceptance Guarantee
- Full-Year Accuracy Warranty
- 5.0★ Google Rating
What we cover
- FBI background checks (FBI Identity History Summary) — federal apostille
- Birth, marriage, and death certificates
- Diplomas, degrees, and academic transcripts
- Court records, judgments, and legal filings
- Powers of attorney and affidavits (single-status, etc.)
- Corporate and business documents — articles, certificates of good standing, contracts
- Notarized documents of every kind
- Documents headed to Hague Convention and non-Hague countries
Who this is for
- Teaching or working abroad (FBI check + apostille is the usual requirement)
- Applying for residency, a visa, or a work permit overseas
- Claiming dual citizenship or marrying abroad
- International adoption
- Registering or expanding a business in another country
- Retiring or relocating abroad
How we keep your documents on track
- We confirm the correct authenticating authority before anything is submitted — state Secretary of State for state documents, the U.S. Department of State for federal documents like FBI checks
- We check whether your destination is a Hague Convention country (apostille) or requires consular legalization, so you never pay for the wrong route
- We sequence the work correctly — apostille first, then translate the document including the apostille — so the translation is never left incomplete
- Certified translation is produced by our two-linguist translate-edit-proofread process and certified for the receiving authority
- Every document is tracked in transit and returned to you complete
What clients say
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“Truly exceptional communicators. A real pleasure to work with — everything is done right. AAA+”
Edward · longtime partner
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“I've worked with Taika Translations on several projects, and they never fail to impress… Whether it's translation, interpretation, or transcription, Taika always delivers high-quality results, on time and with care.”
Kaio S. · returning client
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“Excellent 24/7 communication and engagement. Couldn't be happier about the cooperation.”
Fazil · project client
Credentials & registrations
- Serving the World Since 2009
- 5.0★ Google Rating
- Full-Year Accuracy Warranty
- 2–3 Business Day Turnaround
- Trusted by State & Federal Agencies
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between an apostille and a certified translation?
An apostille authenticates that your document is genuine — it verifies the signature and seal so a foreign government will trust it. A certified translation renders the document's content into another language with a signed statement of accuracy. They solve different problems, and many documents headed abroad need both. Our guide on apostille vs. certified translation explains exactly which your document needs.
Do you handle FBI background check apostilles?
Yes. An FBI background check (the FBI Identity History Summary) is a federal document, so its apostille is issued by the U.S. Department of State, not by a state. We prepare and submit it for federal apostille, add certified translation if your destination country requires it, and return it to you tracked and complete.
Which countries accept an apostille?
An apostille is recognized only between the 120-plus member countries of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. If your destination is a member, an apostille is all you need. If it isn't, the document instead needs consular legalization — a longer chain of authentication ending at that country's embassy or consulate — which we also handle. Tell us the country and we'll confirm the right route.
Do I also need my document translated?
Usually, yes — most countries require a certified translation of the document into their official language, and some require the apostille itself to be translated along with it. Because Taika is a translation company first, we produce that certified translation in the same order, so you don't have to find a separate translator after the apostille is done.
Should I apostille first or translate first?
As a general rule, apostille the original first, then translate — including the apostille — because the apostille is physically attached and becomes part of the document. Translating first often means paying to extend the work later. The exception is when a destination country wants a notarized translation apostilled at origin; we confirm which sequence your case needs before anything is stamped.
How long does an apostille take?
It depends on the authority. Federal apostilles from the U.S. Department of State (including FBI checks) commonly take a few weeks once the document is in hand, and state apostilles vary by state; expedited handling is available when your deadline is close. Government and embassy processing times are set by those offices, not by us — what we guarantee is our own handling window (see the Taika Triple Guarantee below).
Do I send you the document, or can you obtain it for me?
For most documents you send us the original or an acceptable copy. For an FBI background check, you (or we, on request) obtain the report first, then we handle the apostille and translation. Tell us what you already have in your quote request and we'll map out the shortest path from there.
What does it cost?
Apostille and legalization pricing depends on the document type, the authenticating authority, the destination country, whether translation is needed, and how fast you need it — so we quote each case rather than post a flat number that would be wrong for most people. Send us the details and you'll get a clear, all-in quote before any work begins, with nothing starting until you approve it.
Ready when you are
Prefer to talk? Call +1 830-355-2205 or +1 865-258-7903, quotes returned same business day.
Reviewed by Margarita Ehlinger, Chief Project Manager — updated