Miami Apostille offers Apostille services in Florida. We are located in the Miami area. An apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document. In Miami, these services are provided by notaries and organizations authorized by the State of Florida. The process involves the legalization of various documents such as diplomas, school records, bills of sale, contracts, marriage certificates, birth certificates, and others. The Florida Department of State is the designated Competent Authority to issue apostilles in the state of Florida.
The Florida Department of State has also implemented an online Notary, which could be used while requesting Apostille for private documents that need to be valid abroad.
What types of documents can be apostilled by Miami Apostille Service?
In Miami, various types of documents can be apostilled, including but not limited to:
- Birth certificates
- Marriage certificates
- Death certificates
- Diplomas
- School records
- Bills of sale
- Contracts
- Court documents
- Powers of Attorney
- Wills
- Photocopy authentications (e.g., passports & ID’s)
- Commercial documents
What is the validity period of an apostilled document ?
The validity period of an apostilled document issued by the Florida Department of State is generally indefinite once the apostille has been attached. An apostille is intended to certify the authenticity of the issuing official’s or notary public’s signature on a public document for international use.
The Florida Department of State is the Competent Authority in Florida for issuing apostilles, and they provide this certification for various documents, including birth certificates, marriage certificates, diplomas, school records, and more. The mail order processing time for an apostille in Florida is typically 3 weeks. However, we provide expedited services, sometimes as fast as 48 or even 24 hours service. Please contact us to confirm if this service is available for your document.
Once the apostille is attached, the document is considered valid for international use in member countries of the Hague Convention.
There are countries that limit the validity of the Apostille to 12-24-36 or even 48 months. You must check with the foreign authorities. On provate documents, another factor that limits the validity of the Apostille is the expiration date shown on the Notary Seal.
MIAMI APOSTILLE SERVICE IS A MULTI-LINGUAL CO
Certainly, Miami Apostilla Services Multilingualism. We can provide services in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and other languages. We also provide Translation services for all of the previous languages and more.
Puntos Clave
- Miami Apostille processes apostille certifications for over 12 document types, including birth certificates, marriage certificates, diplomas, powers of attorney, and commercial documents.
- Apostilled documents issued by the Florida Department of State carry an indefinite validity period, though some foreign countries limit acceptance to 12, 24, 36, or 48 months.
- Miami Apostille offers expedited processing as fast as 24 or 48 hours, compared to the standard Florida mail-order processing time of 3 weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does an apostille from Florida actually stay valid?
Once attached, a Florida apostille is generally valid indefinitely — it certifies the signature of the issuing official, not the document's content. The catch: some countries impose their own expiration windows of 12, 24, 36, or even 48 months, so you must verify with the foreign authority receiving the document. On notarized private documents, validity is also capped by the expiration date printed on the notary seal itself. Always confirm destination-country rules before submitting.
Can you apostille a photocopy of a passport or ID in Florida?
Photocopy authentications — including passports and IDs — are listed among the document types Miami Apostilla processes for apostille certification. The key rule to know: for vital records like birth, marriage, death, and divorce certificates, only original documents qualify. Notarized copies of those specific records do not meet the standard. For passport and ID copies, a notary certifies the copy first, then the apostille is attached to authenticate that notary's signature for international use.
How fast can you get an apostille in Miami — is same-day or 48-hour service actually possible?
Standard mail-order processing through the Florida Department of State typically takes about 3 weeks. Miami Apostilla offers expedited options, sometimes as fast as 24 or 48 hours, though availability depends on the specific document. Contact Dagoberto Rodriguez directly at (305) 896-5896 to confirm whether rush processing applies to your document type. Federal documents (excluding USCIS immigration records) can generally be apostilled within 1 week.
What languages does the apostille service in Miami handle?
Miami Apostilla handles services in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and other languages, and also provides certified translation services for those languages. This matters practically because many clients submitting documents for use in Latin America, Spain, Italy, or Brazil need both the apostille and a certified translation in the same workflow. Reaching a multilingual team directly — rather than coordinating between separate providers — reduces turnaround time and the risk of translation errors on official documents.
Can you apostille FBI background checks and federal government documents?
Miami Apostilla processes federal apostilles for a wide range of agencies, including FBI criminal records (Department of Justice), IRS Form 6166 tax residency certifications, FDA free sale certificates, USDA animal and plant certifications, USPTO trademark certificates, and SSA income letters, among others. The notable exception is USCIS immigration documents like naturalization certificates — those follow a different process. Most federal apostilles are completed within 1 week. Contact miamiapostilla.com for document-specific requirements.
Last reviewed: August 3, 2026
Sobre el Autor / About the Author
Dagoberto Rodriguez is the founder of Miami Apostilla, with 18+ years of experience in apostille services, certified translations, and notary public services in Florida. Serving clients throughout Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Located near the Florida Department of State in Tallahassee. Google rating: 5.0 stars with 199 reviews.