Do Apostilles Expire?
The apostille itself never expires, but the document underneath it can be considered too old. Here is the difference, and the recency rules that actually get files rejected.
Do apostilles expire?
Here is the question we are asked more than almost any other: do apostilles expire? The short answer is no. An apostille does not have an expiration date. But that is not the whole story, and assuming it is can still get your document rejected. The document underneath the apostille can be considered too old, even when the apostille itself is technically valid forever.
This guide explains the difference between the apostille and the document it sits on, why some consulates ask for recently issued records, and how to time your order so nothing is turned away.
No, the apostille itself does not expire
An apostille is a certificate that verifies the signature and seal on a document. Once issued, it remains valid indefinitely, because the signature and seal it certifies do not change. The Hague Convention sets no expiration on the apostille itself, and no country can add one.
So when someone says their apostille expired, what actually happened is almost always one of two things: the document under the apostille was too old for the receiving office, or the receiving office had its own recency rule. The apostille was fine. The timing of the underlying record was the problem.
Why documents have a recency window
Many foreign offices want the underlying document to be recently issued, regardless of the apostille. The most common windows are three to six months, and for some documents, ninety days. This is about the freshness of the record, not the apostille.
The clearest example is the FBI background check. For Portugal's D7 and Golden Visa routes, and for Spain's visas, consulates commonly require the FBI report to be issued within ninety days of your application. The apostille does not expire, but a report older than ninety days will be refused. Vital records like birth and marriage certificates often face a three-to-six-month window for residency and marriage files.
Why offices care about recency
Why do offices care about recency if the apostille is permanent? Because the underlying facts can change. A background check from two years ago no longer reflects your current record. A marriage certificate from a decade ago does not prove your current marital status. The apostille proves the document is genuine; the recency rule proves the information is current.
This is why timing matters so much for visas and residency. Order a document too early and it can age out of the window before your appointment. Order it too late and the apostille, especially a federal one that takes weeks, may not be ready in time. The sweet spot is narrow, and it is exactly what we plan around. See our guide on how long an apostille takes to work backward from your date.
Situations that force a fresh apostille
A few situations do force you to redo an apostille, even though it never expired:
- The receiving office requires a record issued within a recent window, and yours is older.
- You ordered a new certified copy of the document, which needs its own apostille.
- The document was amended or corrected after it was apostilled.
- The destination changed, and the new country needs legalization instead of an apostille.
In each case the issue is the document or the destination, not the apostille certificate. When in doubt, the safest move is to confirm the receiving office's recency rule before you order, which our free review does for you.
A recency guide for the documents people apostille
Because the apostille never expires but the document can, it helps to know the typical recency windows by document type. The FBI background check is the strictest: most countries accept it only within ninety days of issue, and that window starts when the FBI issues the report, not when the apostille is added.
Vital records sit in a middle band. Birth and marriage certificates are often accepted within three to six months for residency and marriage files, though some countries accept older certificates for genealogy and citizenship-by-descent cases. A single status affidavit is usually expected to be very recent, since it asserts your status as of today.
Other documents are looser. A diploma records an event that does not change, so the degree itself rarely faces a recency rule, although a notarized copy of it may. Corporate records like a certificate of good standing are usually wanted recent, often within three to six months, because a company's standing can change. We confirm the window for your exact document and destination before you order.
What to do when a document is too old
If a receiving office tells you your document is too old, the fix is rarely complicated, but it does mean starting the document over. You order a fresh certified copy of the record, or request a new FBI report, and then apostille the new copy. The old apostille stays attached to the old copy and is simply set aside.
This is why ordering too early is its own risk. People sometimes rush to apostille a background check months ahead of a visa appointment, only to watch the ninety-day window close before they file. The document was genuine and the apostille was valid, but the timing was wrong, and the whole thing has to be redone.
The better approach is to plan the order against your submission date. We map each document to your appointment, order the slow federal pieces at the right moment, and hold the time-sensitive ones until the window opens, so nothing ages out. See our guide on how long an apostille takes to understand the lead times involved.
How recency rules differ by destination
Recency rules are set by the receiving country, and sometimes by the individual consulate or office within it. Portugal is famous for the ninety-day FBI window on D7 and Golden Visa files. Spain applies similar expectations to background checks for its non-lucrative and digital nomad visas.
Marriage destinations tend to want recent vital records. A registry in Italy may ask for a birth certificate and single status affidavit issued within six months of the wedding, while a German Standesamt commonly wants a birth certificate issued within the last six months. For these, the apostille is permanent but the certificate's date is what the office checks.
The lesson is not to assume a uniform rule. Two people sending the same document to two countries can face different windows, and the only safe move is to confirm the specific office's requirement before ordering. That confirmation is part of our free review.
Common myths about apostille expiration
Myth one: the apostille has a validity period printed on it. It does not. There is no expiration date on an apostille, and no country can add one. Any date you see on the certificate is the issue date, not an expiry.
Myth two: an old apostille means an invalid document. Not true. If the receiving office does not impose a recency rule, a years-old apostille is perfectly usable. Many genealogy and citizenship files rely on decades-old records with recent apostilles attached.
Myth three: renewing an apostille is a thing. There is no renewal. If a document is too old for an office, you obtain a new document and apostille that, which is a fresh order rather than a renewal. Understanding this saves people from asking for a service that does not exist and missing the one they actually need.
Frequently asked questions
Do apostilles expire?
No. An apostille does not have an expiration date and remains valid indefinitely. What can expire is the document underneath it, if a receiving office requires a recently issued record.
Why did my apostille get rejected if it does not expire?
Almost always because the underlying document was too old for the receiving office, or that office had a recency rule of three to six months or ninety days. The apostille itself was valid.
How recent does an FBI background check need to be?
For many countries, including Portugal and Spain, consulates want the FBI report issued within ninety days of your application. The apostille does not expire, but an older report is refused.
How long is an apostilled birth certificate valid?
The apostille is permanent, but many residency and marriage offices want the birth certificate issued within three to six months. Confirm the receiving office's rule before ordering.
Do I need a new apostille if I get a new copy of my document?
Yes. Each certified copy is a separate document, so a new copy needs its own apostille. The old apostille stays attached to the old copy.
Does an apostille expire for a marriage certificate?
No, the apostille does not expire. Some countries do want a recently issued marriage certificate, so check the specific recency window your destination requires.
Can I use an old apostille from years ago?
Often yes, if the receiving office does not require a recent document. For background checks and many visa files, no, because those offices want a recent record regardless of the apostille.
How do I avoid my document aging out before my appointment?
Time the order to your appointment. Federal documents take about four to six weeks to apostille, so start early but not so early that a ninety-day window expires. We plan this for you.
Does the country I am sending to change the rules?
Yes. Each country, and sometimes each consulate or office within it, sets its own recency rule. We confirm the rule for your destination before you order.
Can you help me time my apostille order?
Yes. Tell us your appointment or deadline and the destination, and we map the order against any recency window so your document is valid on the day you submit it.
Need a document apostilled in time for your deadline?
Send us your document for a free review, or start your order now. We confirm the right route, file with the correct authority, and return your apostille ready for use abroad.