Do I need to provide the original document for apostille, or can I submit a photocopy?

This is a question we hear from clients every single day, and the honest answer is that it depends on the type of document you are submitting. In general, the Massachusetts Secretary of State and most other state authorities will only accept original certified copies or properly notarized true copies for apostille processing. A plain photocopy by itself will never be accepted and will result in an immediate rejection.

What Counts as an Acceptable Document for Apostille

There are three types of documents that are generally eligible for apostille submission:

Original certified copies are the most straightforward and the most commonly submitted documents. For vital records such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates, you need to obtain a certified copy directly from the issuing government office, such as the city or town clerk or the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records. These carry the official seal and signature of the issuing authority and are fully eligible for apostille without any additional preparation.

Notarized certified true copies are accepted in situations where submitting the original is impractical or risky, such as with a diploma, driver's license, or passport. A licensed notary public compares the photocopy to the original, certifies that it is a true and accurate reproduction, attaches their seal and signature, and the notarized copy then becomes eligible for apostille submission. This is a smart option when you need to keep your original document safely at home.

Plain photocopies and scanned PDFs are never acceptable for apostille. No matter how clean or legible your photocopy is, state authorities will reject it immediately if it has not been certified and notarized. Emailed PDFs and digital scans cannot be notarized and therefore cannot be apostilled.

Document Specific Rules You Need to Know

Different document types carry different requirements, and understanding those rules upfront saves you from costly rejections and restarts.

For birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates, always request a fresh certified copy directly from the issuing registry rather than relying on a copy you already have at home. Laminated certificates are also not accepted under any circumstances.

For university transcripts and diplomas, the original diploma or a registrar-certified transcript must be notarized by a licensed notary before the Secretary of State will accept it. Some destination countries specifically require the original diploma rather than a notarized copy, so always confirm destination country requirements before submitting.

For FBI background reports, the original identity history summary issued directly by the FBI is required. Third-party printouts or personal copies are not accepted at the federal level.

For personal documents such as Social Security benefit letters and utility bills, a notarized certified true copy is typically acceptable depending on the destination country's requirements.

What If I Cannot Obtain a New Certified Copy?

In some cases, obtaining a new certified copy of your document is not immediately possible due to time constraints or record availability. If you find yourself in that situation, a licensed notary public can prepare a Copy Certification by Document Custodian form, where you declare that a photocopy is a true and complete reproduction of the original in your possession. That notarized statement then makes the copy eligible for apostille submission in most cases.

Our team at ApostilleDepot.com can connect you with licensed notary professionals who handle exactly this type of certification when needed. Visit our How It Works page for a full breakdown of how we prepare and process your documents from start to finish.

Let Us Review Your Documents Before You Send Them

One of the most valuable parts of working with ApostilleDepot.com is our pre-submission document review. Before anything is ever submitted to the Secretary of State, our team carefully checks each document to confirm it meets all requirements for apostille. If something is missing or needs correction, we contact you right away so it can be resolved without losing time. This step alone saves many of our clients from expensive delays caused by rejected submissions.

For answers to additional questions about document requirements by type, visit our FAQ page. When you are ready to move forward, start your apostille request here or contact our team to get a fast quote and clear guidance on exactly what to send.