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Apostille vs notarized: what is the difference?
Apostille vs notarized is the mix-up we correct most. A notary attests that a signature is genuine; the apostille authenticates the notary’s own seal, so the document is accepted abroad. Many documents need both, in that order, and only the state issues the apostille.
Updated 7 September 2026
What it is, and when you need one
The basics: what an apostille certifies, when it is required and when it is not.
What is an apostille? A standardised certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document: the signature, the capacity of the signer and the seal. It does not validate the content. Created by the 1961 Hague Convention and accepted by its member countries. Do I need an apostille for USCIS? No. USCIS requires a certified translation, not an apostille. Apostilling a document for a US immigration filing is money spent on nothing. We tell you before you pay. Is an apostille valid everywhere? Only in Hague Convention countries. For the rest, the route is consular legalization, which Roxo does not handle today. Who issues the apostille? The authority of the country that issued the document. A Florida document goes to the Florida Department of State; a Brazilian one to a registry authorized by the CNJ. Roxo is the facilitator, never the issuing authority. Does an apostille expire? The apostille itself does not expire. The document underneath it can. Many Brazilian certificates are only accepted within 90 days of issue. The receiving authority decides.
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Send the scan of your document. We answer the question and check whether it can be apostilled, before anything is charged.