Apostille news and updates for 2025 and 2026

Hague Convention news: new members, 2023 to 2027

Since January 2025, the Apostille Convention has entered into force for Bangladesh, Algeria and Vietnam, and Thailand has joined with effect from February 28, 2027. From each date, a U.S. public document for that country needs an apostille instead of embassy legalization. The HCCH status table listed 130 contracting parties on September 28, 2026, 129 of them in force.

The date that matters is entry into force, not the date a country announced it would join. Here is every country that joined since the start of 2023, newest first.

February 28, 2027: Thailand switches to apostilles

Thailand deposited its instrument of accession on June 30, 2026, and the Convention takes effect there on February 28, 2027. Until then, a U.S. document for Thailand still needs legalization: the state or federal certificate first, then the Royal Thai Embassy or a Thai consulate. If your filing date falls close to the switch, ask the office receiving your document which format it will accept on that day, and we will prepare that one. Our legalization service for non-Hague countries covers the route in the meantime.

Source: HCCH status table for the Apostille Convention, read on September 28, 2026.

September 11, 2026: Vietnam starts accepting apostilles

The HCCH lists the country as Viet Nam. It deposited its accession on December 31, 2025, and the Convention entered into force on September 11, 2026. U.S. documents for Vietnam, from birth and marriage certificates to company papers and FBI background checks, now need an apostille rather than a chain of U.S. and embassy certificates. Germany, Austria and Czechia objected to the accession. That affects documents moving between Vietnam and those three countries, not documents from the United States.

Source: HCCH status table for the Apostille Convention, read on September 28, 2026.

July 9, 2026: Algeria joins the apostille system

Algeria deposited its accession on November 5, 2025, and the Convention entered into force on July 9, 2026. U.S. documents for Algeria now take an apostille. Austria, Germany and Greece objected to the accession, so documents traveling between Algeria and those three countries still need legalization. The United States did not object. Algeria's neighbors Morocco and Tunisia have been members for years, so all three now take apostilles.

Source: HCCH status table for the Apostille Convention, read on September 28, 2026.

March 30, 2025: Bangladesh accepts apostilles

Bangladesh deposited its accession on July 29, 2024, and the Convention entered into force on March 30, 2025. Twelve members objected, including France, Germany, the Netherlands and Argentina, so the Convention does not operate between Bangladesh and those countries. Nothing blocks it for U.S. documents, and an apostille replaces legalization.

Source: HCCH status table for the Apostille Convention, read on September 28, 2026.

November 2023 and January 2024: China and Canada still catch people out

The Convention entered into force for China on November 7, 2023 and for Canada on January 11, 2024. Checklists written before those dates asked for embassy or consular legalization, so check the date on any checklist you are given. Today an apostille is the certificate to get for both. India objected to China's accession, which matters for Indian documents, not U.S. ones. See our apostille guide for China.

Source: HCCH status table for the Apostille Convention, read on September 28, 2026.

Objections: why they do not affect U.S. documents

Under Article 12 of the Convention, existing members have six months to object to a new accession, and where an objection stands, the Convention does not apply between those two countries. The status table marks such accessions A**. The United States did not object to the accessions of China, Bangladesh, Algeria or Vietnam, and its only objection, to Liberia in 1995, was withdrawn on May 20, 2015. As of September 28, 2026, the Convention is in force between the United States and every member where it has taken effect. Our Hague apostille country list shows every member and its date.

Source: HCCH status table for the Apostille Convention, read on September 28, 2026.

One certificate for every country: states move to a single format

Three state offices now issue the same certificate whatever the destination: Connecticut since July 21, 2025, Iowa since 2025 and Utah since July 8, 2026. For a Hague country, it serves as the apostille. For a country outside the Convention, the certificate is only the first step, and the U.S. Department of State and the embassy still follow.

July 8, 2026: Utah adopts a single certificate

The Office of the Lieutenant Governor, which issues Utah's apostilles because the state has no Secretary of State, now uses one universal certificate format for international document authentications. It replaces the separate apostille and certificate of authentication forms Utah issued before. Our Utah apostille guide covers the office's other 2026 changes.

Source: Utah Lieutenant Governor, authentications news, read on September 28, 2026.

July 21, 2025: Connecticut issues one authentication certificate

The Connecticut Secretary of the State began issuing a single authentication certificate for all legalization requests on July 21, 2025, so every eligible document receives the same treatment. The office notes that documents for countries outside the Convention may still need further legalization by the U.S. Department of State or the destination's embassy. See our Connecticut apostille guide for the office's other rules.

Source: Connecticut Secretary of the State, authentication of documents and the apostille, read on September 28, 2026.

2025: Iowa moves to a single certificate format

As of 2025, the Iowa Secretary of State issues one certificate format for documents going to any country, Hague member or not, with an indicator at the bottom that shows which kind it is. The required wording made the certificate too long for the office's gold seal paper, so it now arrives on plain paper, as a separate page, and the office does not mark the underlying document. Iowa says that page is the legitimate certification, and it invites a receiving country with questions to call. See our Iowa apostille guide.

Source: Iowa Secretary of State, apostilles and certifications, read on September 28, 2026.

Other states already worked this way. California's Secretary of State issues a single apostille for documents used outside the United States, whatever the country, and Texas uses one universal certificate. See our California and Texas guides.

What a single certificate means for your order

For a Hague country, nothing changes in practice: the certificate is the apostille. For a country outside the Convention, such as the United Arab Emirates or Qatar, a single certificate does not shorten the chain. The document still goes to the U.S. Department of State and then to the embassy or consulate, and we quote that route per country. Our guide to apostille vs authentication vs legalization explains each link in the chain.

Electronic apostilles arrive in Connecticut and Utah

Connecticut began issuing e-Apostilles on July 6, 2026, and Utah added digital delivery on July 9, 2026. Recipients can verify both online. Neither covers every document: Connecticut excludes vital records, and Utah excludes birth and death records from its vital records office. Before you choose one, confirm that the office receiving your document accepts an electronic apostille.

July 6, 2026: Connecticut issues its first e-Apostilles

The Secretary of the State now issues e-Apostilles for eligible Connecticut public documents. Each carries a secure electronic signature and can be checked on the office's online registry and verification portal, which covers paper apostilles too. Vital records are not currently eligible, so a Connecticut birth, marriage or death certificate still gets a paper apostille. The office processes e-Apostilles and expedited orders within 24 hours of receiving the documents, and regular orders within 5 to 7 business days.

Source: Connecticut Secretary of the State, authentication of documents and the apostille, read on September 28, 2026.

July 9, 2026: Utah adds digital apostilles

Utah's Lieutenant Governor now offers digital delivery. Each e-Apostille arrives by email with instructions to download it from Utah's e-Register, where anyone can verify it by its certificate number. Most documents qualify, except birth and death records issued by Utah's vital records office. The office's FAQ lists the digital fee two ways, $5 per electronic document in its fee table and a $74.95 base fee for a first digital document in its instructions, so we confirm the charge before you choose it. The same FAQ says acceptance varies by country and by receiving authority.

Sources: Utah Lieutenant Governor, authentications news and Utah authentications FAQ, read on September 28, 2026.

Electronic apostilles elsewhere

The HCCH launched its electronic Apostille Programme in 2006, with two parts: e-Apostilles, and e-Registers for checking any apostille online. In the United States, Kentucky emails PDF apostilles for documents notarized by its authorized online notaries, and Washington issued its first digital apostille in June 2024 under a pilot. Most other states still issue paper certificates. Our apostille by state directory shows what each office offers.

Paper or electronic?

Ask the office that will receive your document before you order. An embassy, court or registry that wants to hold an original may still expect paper, and some want the apostille translated along with the document. Tell us where the document is going during the free review, and we will recommend the format that office accepts. Both Connecticut and Utah still issue paper apostilles as well.

State apostille offices: new fees, ordering rules and locations

The other changes are practical ones. Connecticut and Utah now take orders online, Kansas raised its fee, Maryland and Utah limit counter visits, Los Angeles moved its counter for now, Illinois moved its vital records office and Hawaii will not certify older vital records. None changes what an apostille is, but each can cost days if you miss it.

Mid-October 2026, expected: Maryland may go mail-in only

The Maryland Secretary of State's Certification Desk in Annapolis says walk-ins and scheduled appointments are subject to change because construction on the building may start around mid-October, and that the office will move to mail-in only at that time. Until then, walk-in service runs from 9 AM to 1 PM, Monday to Friday, with a limit of 10 documents per customer per day. Mailed requests take about 3 to 4 days by FedEx, UPS or USPS Priority Mail and 7 to 14 business days by regular mail. Notarized documents still go to the Clerk of the Circuit Court first. See our Maryland apostille guide.

Source: Maryland Secretary of State, certifications and authentication, read on September 28, 2026.

September to December 2026: a temporary Los Angeles counter and more California pop-up events

The Secretary of State's Los Angeles office, normally in Room 12513 at 300 South Spring Street, is temporarily serving customers in Suite 1215 on the first floor because of an elevator outage. It still offers same-day, first come, first served service for apostilles, and it does not take mail. Mail goes to Sacramento, which on September 28, 2026 was processing requests received September 14. The remaining 2026 pop-up events are in Santa Ana on October 21, Merced on October 28, San Bernardino on November 10, San Diego on December 2 and Richmond on December 9. See our California apostille guide.

Sources: California Secretary of State, current processing dates, Los Angeles office and apostille pop-up events, read on September 28, 2026.

September 14, 2026: Illinois vital records reopens at a new Springfield address

The Illinois Department of Public Health closed its Division of Vital Records office at 925 East Ridgley Avenue in Springfield on September 9, 2026, and opened the new office at 110 West Lawrence Avenue on September 14. The office and its phone line were closed from September 9 to 11. IDPH says requests take approximately 12 weeks from receipt and that it sends no updates in the meantime. If you need a new certified copy for an Illinois apostille, a county clerk may be quicker. See our Illinois apostille guide.

Source: Illinois Department of Public Health, birth, death and other records, read on September 28, 2026.

September 3, 2026: Utah opens online ordering

Utah's Lieutenant Governor now takes orders through ApostilleXpress, a secure online platform for uploading documents, choosing delivery and receiving status notifications. Mail-in and digital requests must be submitted online, and the paper form is only for in-person appointments. This follows changes to appointments, mail-in procedures and fees that took effect on July 1, 2026. Today the office takes in-person requests by appointment only, with no walk-ins, and charges $5 per mailed paper document and $20 for a same-day, in-person paper document.

Sources: Utah Lieutenant Governor, authentications news and Utah authentications FAQ, read on September 28, 2026.

March 2, 2026: Kansas raises its fee to $10

The Kansas Secretary of State's fee for an apostille or authentication rose to $10 per document as of March 2, 2026. Requests still go to Topeka with Form DC and the original document or a certified copy. With us, the state fee is already inside the package price. See our Kansas apostille guide.

Source: Kansas Secretary of State, apostilles and authentications, read on September 28, 2026.

September 2, 2025: Connecticut moves every order online

The Connecticut Secretary of the State launched its online Apostille Application on September 2, 2025. Every order now has to be placed through it, and paper order forms are no longer accepted. The original document still travels to Hartford by mail or courier with a prepaid return envelope or label, and the online account gives real-time order tracking.

Sources: Connecticut Secretary of the State press release and apostille page, read on September 28, 2026.

Cutoff of January 1, 2025: Hawaii wants newer vital records

Hawaii's Lieutenant Governor accepts birth, death and marriage certificates issued after January 1, 2025 directly for an apostille. If yours was issued before that date, you must order a new certificate from the Hawaii Department of Health first. The certificate should carry the State Registrar's signature and the Department of Health's embossed seal. See our Hawaii apostille guide.

Source: Hawaii Lieutenant Governor, apostille and certification application, read on September 28, 2026.

Every state page on our site lists its office, fee and current quirks. Start from the apostille by state directory, or read our Secretary of State apostille guide for how state and federal offices split the work.

Spain ends its Golden Visa

Spain closed its Golden Visa to new applicants on April 3, 2025. Organic Law 1/2025 of January 2, 2025 removed the investor residence articles from Spain's Law 14/2013. Applications filed before that date are decided under the old rules, and existing permits stay valid, with renewals decided under the rules in force when they were first granted.

April 3, 2025: Spain's investor residence route closes

The law was published in Spain's official gazette, the BOE, on January 3, 2025, and took effect on April 3, 2025. Its twenty-first final provision left articles 63 to 67 of Law 14/2013, the investor residence rules, without content. Two transitional provisions protect people already in the system. Investors and family members who applied before the law took effect can receive their visa or permit under the rules in force when they applied. Investor visas and permits valid on that date keep their validity for the period granted, and renewals are processed under the rules in force when the first permit was granted.

Source: Organic Law 1/2025, consolidated text in the BOE, read on September 28, 2026.

What it means for your documents

If you were planning a Spanish Golden Visa, you need a different residence route, and your lawyer will set the new document list. Spanish residence files commonly ask for an apostilled FBI background check and apostilled vital records, and Spanish offices usually want a translation by a sworn translator. If you already hold an investor permit and are renewing it, ask your lawyer which U.S. documents the renewal needs. We are not a law firm and do not give immigration advice, but we can apostille whatever the list includes. See our guides for Spain and for Golden Visa applicants in other countries.

What has not changed

The fundamentals are the same. An apostille still certifies the signature, capacity and seal on a public document, never its content. The office of the state that issued the document, or the U.S. Department of State for federal records, still issues it. And an apostille still does not expire, although the office receiving it may want a recent document.

• Who issues it. The Secretary of State of the state that issued the document or commissioned the notary, the Lieutenant Governor in Alaska, Hawaii and Utah, and the Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia. See our Secretary of State apostille guide.
• Federal records. An FBI background check, a naturalization certificate, a DD-214, an IRS or Social Security letter and a USCIS notice take the federal route only, through the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications at $20 per document. A notarized copy of one of these records cannot be apostilled. See federal and immigration documents.
• ID copies. A properly notarized copy of a passport, driver's license, green card or Social Security card can be apostilled by the state where the notary is commissioned. See passport copy apostilles.
• What an apostille is. On paper or electronic, it has 10 numbered fields, and it does not translate the document. See what an apostille is.
• Expiry. An apostille does not expire. The receiving office may still want a recently issued document, so confirm with the consulate, court or lawyer. See do apostilles expire.
• Non-Hague countries. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt and other non-members still need embassy legalization. See legalization for non-Hague countries.
• Timing. Most of the wait is the office queue and the mail, not the certificate itself. See how long an apostille takes.

How to check whether a change affects your document

Check three things: whether the Convention is in force for the destination today, what the office that will certify your document currently requires, and what the office receiving it abroad accepts. The first two are public. The third takes a question to the consulate, court or lawyer. Or send us a photo, and we check all three for you.

1. Find the destination on the HCCH status table. Read the entry-into-force date, not the date the country joined. A past date means an apostille, and a future date means legalization until then. Our Hague apostille country list shows how to read it.
2. Read the issuing office's own page. Fees, appointment rules and ordering systems changed in several states this year. Each of our state pages links to the official office, starting from the apostille by state directory.
3. Ask the receiving office three questions. Does it accept an electronic apostille, does it need a translation, and how recently must the document have been issued?
4. Get a free review. Send us a photo and the destination, and we confirm the office, the route and the price before you pay anything.

Tracking an apostille order

Once you order with us, you can follow every stage in our online order tracker, from the free document review to the return shipment. Some state systems also report progress. Connecticut's online application gives real-time order tracking, Utah's ApostilleXpress sends status notifications, and California publishes the date of the mailed requests it is working on. The Illinois vital records office, by contrast, says it sends no updates while a request is processed.

Words you will see in these updates

Terms such as e-Apostille, e-Register, competent authority and legalization are defined in our apostille and document authentication glossary, with a link from each term to the guide that covers it.

Apostille Depot company news

Apostille Depot is a private document authentication service in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, a Neighborhood Parcel company founded in 2012 by Hanson Webb. We have worked with more than 2,200 clients and sent documents to more than 120 countries. Our earlier announcements, published on independent press release sites, are listed below.

Our prices today, with the government fee included: Economy $149.95 (1 to 3 weeks), Express $199.95 (1 to 5 business days in most states) and FBI report apostilles $199.95 (2 to 6 weeks). Same-day rush for Massachusetts and New Hampshire documents is $385.95, and embassy legalization is quoted per country. See how it works and all of our apostille services.

Media and press inquiries

Journalists and partners can reach us at (978) 424-4629, Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern, or through our contact page. Mention that it is a press inquiry. More about the company is on our about us page and in Hanson Webb's profile.