TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

Please read the Terms and Conditions before you mail in your documents for processing.
We reserve the right to update our Terms and Conditions at any time, with or without notice.

Your Information:

Your documents are handled with the strictest level of confidentiality, treated with the utmost care and respect. We make every effort possible to meet or exceed your expectations. We physically store your personal information (Notary Request Forms & Apostille Request Form, Payment Form, supporting documentation, copies of your documents, etc.) for up to three (3) years. After three years, they are destroyed by a professional shredding service (e.g. The Shredders). Information emailed to us may be stored for up to five (5) years. We are very careful with information received and take strict precautions to protect your sensitive information. Information shared with third-parties, independent contractors, and affiliates (e.g.. translators) are also held to the highest security standards. Your information will not be sold.

Tracking Software (Cookies):

When you provide us your information, you agree to allow us to contact you by email, phone, and text messages. You also agree that we may add you to our business contact list. When you visit our website, you agree that tracking software may be placed on your computer (cookies) from third-party companies (e.g. Google) and our company, which will allow us to provide you relevant and helpful information and advertising.

Acceptance of Your Documents by Another Country:

It is not our responsibility to have knowledge, and be aware of your specific document requirements by your accepting agent or agency. We are not responsible for documents rejected by your accepting agency for such things as incorrect versions, out of date range, or any other reason a document is rejected by your requesting agency. Prior to submitting your documents to us, you should check with your requesting agency what the requirements are for all of your specific documents. We cannot guarantee that another country will accept your documents even if the Secretary of State has attached an Apostille. We also cannot guarantee that another country will accept your documents once they have been certified by the Secretary of State, the US Department of State (if required), and the Embassy or Consulate office. When you mail in your documents to our office, you agree that you have verified them with the country requesting them. As long as the State attaches the Apostille or Certificate (Non-Hague Country) to your documents, we have fulfilled our obligation of service. We recommend that you check with the people requesting your documents in order to confirm that they will accept the documents that you plan to mail to our office for processing. Even though an Apostille does not have an expiration date, some countries may request your documents to be no older than a specific period of time (i.e. three months or less). Please, double check with the country requesting your documents in order to avoid any delays or additional costs.

Return Shipping:

Our current shipping carriers of choice are FedEx and UPS. We provide FREE FedEx/UPS overnight return shipping for completed orders in it’s entirety within the USA. If you choose to have some of your documents returned before the entire order is complete, their will be an additional FedEx/UPS return shipping fee of $35.00 for each shipment. If your return address is a business address, you can elect to have your documents delivered without a signature. Once your order has been completed and dropped off at the FedEx/UPS shipping center, we cannot be held responsible for how long FedEx/UPS will take to deliver the documents back to your return address nor can we make a promise that FedEx/UPS will deliver the documents on time. Be sure to include your email address on the order form so FedEx/UPS can provide you an update by email regarding your shipping. Due to Company policy, we are unable to change the return address listed on the Apostille Request Form. Also, please note that FedEx/UPS do not deliver to a P.O. Box address. If your package is undeliverable and returned back to our office, you agree to pay $35.00 for the FedEx/UPS return fee and $35.00 for the FedEx/UPS return shipping fee back to your return address (US Addresses). Documents returned internationally will incur a $200.00 FedEx/UPS return fee in addition to another $100.00 FedEx/UPS international shipping fee to ship the document back to you. If you should have any questions regarding your FedEx shipment, please call FedEx Customer Care at: (800) 463-3339. UPS can be reached at (800) 742-5877.

Saturday Shipping:

If you choose to have your documents delivered on a Saturday, the additional cost is $75.00. Once your order is dropped off at the FedEx/UPS shipping center, we cannot be held responsible on how long FedEx/UPS will take to deliver the documents back to your return address nor can we make a promise or guarantee that FedEx/UPS will deliver on time and/or on a Saturday. There is no refund for this service even if FedEx/UPS is not able to deliver your documents on-time. If you should have any questions regarding your FedEx shipment, please call FedEx Customer Care at: (800) 463-3339. UPS can be reached at (800) 742-5877.

International Shipping:

If you choose to elect to have your documents shipped outside of the USA, you will be charged a flat rate fee of $100 (International priority shipping). Delivering to some countries may cost more (i.e. Ukraine, Russia, etc.) We can ship documents to most return addresses outside of the United States (International Shipping). We do not provide international overnight shipping. Please note that your return address must be written in English. Once your order is complete, it will be dropped off at the FedEx/UPS shipping center. Once your order is dropped off at the FedEx/UPS shipping center, we cannot be held responsible on how long FedEx/UPS will take to deliver the documents back to your return address nor can we make a promise that FedEx/UPS will deliver on time. There is no refund for this service if FedEx/UPS is not able to deliver your documents on-time. In order to avoid an international shipping fee, you can mail in a pre-paid and pre-printed FedEx, UPS, or DHL shipping label. Please note that there is a one-day delay in shipping out your documents if your air-bill is from DHL. If you should have any questions regarding your FedEx shipment, please call FedEx Customer Care at: (800) 463-3339. UPS can be reached at (800) 742-5877.

Charge-Backs:

If you believe you are a victim of fraud or if you are having trouble with your order, please email: [email protected]. You can also contact us at (213) 400-7622. Our operating hours are 24/7, by appointment. Our Mid-Wilshire office is open Monday – Thursday from 9am to 4pm and our Downtown / Echo Park office is open Everyday (24/7), by appointment only. If you do contact your credit card company and initiate a charge-back, please note that we will submit all documentation to the merchant processor/bank, including a copy of your Apostille Request Form, Payment Form, Translation Request Form, copy of all of your documents, copy of the Apostille or State Certificates, the FedEx/UPS delivery confirmation, all e-mail communications, and any other documents we deem necessary in order to justify the charge. Furthermore, your case will be tendered to our attorney for review if we are unsuccessful in collecting amounts owed. We may also send your file to a collection agency.

Bounced Checks:

If your check is returned unpaid, for any reason whatsoever (bounces), you agree to pay a penalty fee of $45 for each check.

Processing Documents:

Please only mail in the documents you want us to process with any order request forms we request from you (i.e. Apostille Request Form, Payment Form, Certified Translation Request Form, etc.). Do not mail in documents you do not want us to process. You are responsible to pay for all the documents you mail in for processing. We are unable to obtain originals or certified copies for you, and can only process what you mail in. Please mail in the originals issued by the County, Court, State, or U.S. Federal Government. Do not mail in photocopies of your documents. If for some reason we are unable to process your documents, we will contact you with instructions. We are not responsible for delays in document processing resulting from any type of processing delay by any government agency, Consulate or Embassy, or by extreme weather conditions. Please note that during the Summer Season (June to September) and the Christmas Season (November to January), there can be delays in processing your documents. Please also note that due to Covid-19, you can expect delays to all government response times.

Fraud:

Do not attempt to defraud us. If we suspect we are victim of fraud, we will void your documents with the Secretary of State (or Lieutenant Governor), the U.S. Department of State, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Department of Justice, and report the fraud to the local Consulate or Embassy office. We will also report the fraud to the FBI, the Department of Justice from the State your documents originate from, and the local law enforcement agency near you. We will invalidate your Apostille and report it to the Country that requested it. Furthermore, your case will be tendered to our attorney for review, and we will seek damages in State or Federal court.

Cancellations:

There are no refunds or cancellations once we receive your order. If you decide to cancel before your order is delivered to our office, please contact the shipping company and request that your documents be rerouted back to you. We cannot cancel orders we have not received. You are responsible to pay for every order that you mail in for processing. Also, orders we are unable to process will be returned by regular USPS first class mail. You can also provide us a prepaid and pre-printed UPS/FedEx airbill and we will drop off your documents at the shipping center.

Apostille Fees:

You will be quoted the price to Apostille your documents when you request Apostille service.

Incorrect Certification / Apostille by the State:

Apostille and State Certificates are attached by the State office (Secretary of State or Lieutenant Governor). If the State makes an error and attaches a Certificate instead of an Apostille or vice-versa, or if the State makes an error, you agree to mail back your documents to our office for correction at your expense. There are no refunds or credits issued for this error. We will correct the mistake with the State at our expense and return the documents back to you by FedEx/UPS at no additional cost. You will be responsible to ship the documents back to our office at your expense.

Embassy and Consulate Fees:

The cost to Certify and Legalize documents varies with each country (non-Hague countries). Please note that our Embassy Fees are non-refundable. If we are unable to Legalize your documents at any Embassy or Consulate Office, we will refund you the Embassy or Consulate Fees paid for each document. Please note that we cannot be held responsible if another country does not accept your documents for any reason. You agree to provide the Embassy or Consulate all documentation they request to complete your order including a certified translation of your document. The fees quoted are estimated and can increase at any time with or without notice. If the Embassy or Consulate charges more than what we quoted you in the estimate, you agree to pay the difference.

Estimated Processing Time:

Our processing time is estimated and is not guaranteed. We are not responsible for delays in document processing resulting from any type of processing delay by any government agency, Consulate or Embassy, or by extreme weather conditions. We cannot be held responsible if the State, U.S. Federal Government, Embassy, Consulate or the shipping company takes longer to process or ship your documents than we estimated. nor will we issue a discount or refund. Once your order is complete, it will be dropped off at the local FedEx/UPS shipping center for overnight delivery to most addresses within the United States. Please Note: Processing times are good faith estimates and may change depending on the volume of work received at our offices and the resources available at the respective government offices. The number of business days does not take into consideration the FedEx/UPS shipping to and from the government office and the FedEx/UPS shipping back to your return address. We recommend that you do not book any appointments or make any reservations until your documents are completed and delivered back to your return address. Please note that during the Summer Season (June through September) during the Christmas Season (November to January), there can be delays in processing your documents. Due to Covid-19, expect delays to all government response times.

U.S. Federal Court and State Court Documents:

Please note that documents originating from the U.S. Federal Court requires U.S. Department of Justice Authentication and U.S. Department of State Apostille (two steps) or alternatively, documents originating from the U.S. Federal Court can be Apostilled by the Clerk of the Court (an authorized Competent Authority). Dual Authentications for documents originating from the U.S. Federal Courts through both the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of State are the most requested method that takes longer and requires additional steps, perhaps because the U.S. Department of State Authentication looks more official and is commonly practiced. Both methods generate documents with the same power. Documents issued by the U.S. Federal Court cannot be processed through any State office nor can it be notarized. State Court-issued documents can only be processed from the State your documents originate from (i.e. California State Court documents can only be processed through the State of California). It is your responsibility to know if your documents originate from a State Court or U.S. Federal Court. If you mail in your documents with the wrong information, there will be additional fees and processing time.

Oversized Documents:

Please contact us if your documents are larger than 8.5” x 14” and or weigh more than 0.50 lbs. Please note that all documents returned to you that are larger than 8.5” x 14” will be folded in order to fit the FedEx/UPS legal size envelope. This includes diplomas larger than 8.5” x 11.5.” Documents heavier than 0.50 lbs. may incur additional return shipping fees.

Diplomas:

All diplomas larger than 8.5” x 11” will be folded in order to fit the FedEx/UPS return priority envelope. Please do not mail in the glass frame or the leatherette cover that your diploma is placed in by the High School, College or University. Do not mail in a laminated diploma. Please note that your diploma will be folded, stapled, stamped, and handled by several people. We recommend that you contact the school and order a fresh new copy so you can display on your wall. Your diploma will need to be notarized by the school’s registrar before you mail it in for processing.

Order of Documents:

Please staple your documents together before you ship them to our office. If your documents arrive unstapled, they will be stapled together before they are processed. The Secretary of State will not accept unstapled documents.

Money-Back Guarantee:

If we are unable to obtain an Apostille for your document(s), we will refund you 100%. Please note that if your documents are rejected because of improper notarization, you agree to pay us a $125.00 non-refundable fee for each State/County Office. Please Note: Documents improperly notarized and returned by the State/County Office are assessed a $125.00 non-refundable fee. We will do our best to check your documents with the State/County before we process them. If your documents require notarization, please be sure to find an experienced notary public with a minimum of 5 years of service and one who fill follow the notarial laws of their State. If the Notary makes a mistake, your documents will be rejected by the State/County and you will have to start over, costing you time and money. We recommend that you find a Notary who is a member of the National Notary Association and one who will follow the notarial laws of their State, such as Jim the Notary and Apostille’s notaries. We do provide Notary services in California.

Lost Documents:

You agree to hold us harmless for documents which are lost beyond our control. We only have control when documents are in our physical possession. Documents in the possession of an affiliate, virtual office, shipping company (UPS, FedEx, DHL, USPS, etc.), Secretary of State’s Office, U.S. Federal Government Office, Embassy Office and/or Consulate Office, is beyond our control and we cannot be held responsible if they lose, damage, keep, alter or destroy your documents. We recommend that you have a second set of each original or Certified Copy in case there is an issue with the first set. We are not responsible for documents lost, stolen, damaged, destroyed, or delayed documents in transit with a delivery service. Documents returned to you or in transit between destinations for processing via our courier service carries a maximum $100 cumulative total loss liability. We are not responsible for courier and/or postal service loss, damaged or destroyed mail beyond the liability that is covered by the courier service. It is strongly recommended that you always have a backup copy of your documents.

Missing Documents:

If you have been charged for the service and your documents have gone missing from the Secretary of State’s Office or with UPS/FedEx, you agree to allow us 21 calendar days to locate your documents after we have discovered they are missing. If after 21 calendar days we are unable to locate your documents, we will issue you a full refund. Ninety-nine percent of the time, missing documents are returned within two weeks. This refund does not apply to documents that are marked as delivered to the return address listed on the order forms you complete (your return address).

Translation of Documents:

In order to translate your completed documents, please download and complete our Certified Translation Request Form. The translation processing time is estimated at 1 to 3 business days (excluding weekends and major holidays). If translating your documents takes longer than three business days, we will contact you with an update. Your documents will be submitted for translation once we have authenticated your original documents through the County, State, and Federal Government Offices. We will then ship your original authenticated documents back to you by FedEx or UPS before we submit them for translation. Once your translation has been completed, it will be e-mailed to you. The cost is $65 for up to 250 words or less, one-sided, and on a standard 8.5” x 11” dimension page or smaller. Each page is counted individually and it is not based on a cumulative total. Any excess over 250 words per page (one-sided), will be billed an additional $65 per 250 words per page one-sided. The cost for the translation service will be billed separately from the Apostille Services. Please note that all Certificates/Apostilles attached by the County, Court, State, and Government will also be translated. We can only translate documents we Apostille or Certify. Please Note: Documents you obtain from the County, Court, State or U.S. Federal Government offices must first be Apostilled or Certified through the State or Federal Government office before they can be translated. Our translators are not international lawyers or representatives of other countries. They do not know the laws of other countries or the specific requirements of the Embassy or Consulate offices. The translator’s responsibility is to only translate your documents into the language you choose. The translation will not be notarized nor will it be printed on any special paper. Difficult to read documents cannot be translated. Once the translation is complete, it will be e-mailed to you. The translation will not delay the processing of your original documents as they will be shipped back to you by FedEx/UPS once done. There are no refunds for the translation service, but we will do our best to fix your translation if any errors are found.

Improper Notarizations:

We cannot provide legal advice regarding your documents; please consult with an attorney for all legal issues. All notarized documents must have proper notarial wording and adhere to the respective state notary guidelines, rules, and laws. All notarized documents must bear the original signatures of all parties whose signatures are being notarized. All copies will be rejected, thus resulting in processing delays. The signature and stamp/seal of the Notary must be original. Notary signature, name, and expiration date must all match with what is in the file at the county and state level for the Notary. Documents improperly notarized and returned by the State are assessed a $125.00 non-refundable fee. We will do our best to check your documents with the State before we process them. If your documents require notarization, please be sure to find an experienced notary public with a minimum of 5 years of service. If the Notary makes a mistake, your documents will be rejected by the State and you will have to start over costing you time and money. We recommend that you find a Notary who is a member of the National Notary Association and one who will follow the State’s notarial laws, such as Jim the Notary and Apostille’s notaries.

County Clerk Authentication:

In certain situations, your documents may require additional Authentication (County, Court, Health Department, etc.) before it can be Apostilled. The cost to Authenticate a document from the County, Court, or Health Department is $125.00 for the first document and $75.00 for each additional document sent to the same County agency. An additional inter-office overnight FedEx/UPS fee is $25.00. Call or email us for a good-faith estimate in cost and processing time.

Independent Contractors:

We reserve the right to hire independent contractors and third-parties to assist us in our day-to-day operations.

Submitting Apostille Requests:

Documents submitted for processing must be accompanied with our “Apostille Request Form,” and MUST include full payment for our services. We accept many forms of payment: American Express, Bank Wire Transfer, Business Check, Cash, Cashier’s Check, Discover, Google Checkout, MasterCard, Money Order, PayPal, Visa, and Western Union. Payment not received with order will delay processing until payment has been received. Returned (“bounced”) checks will delay delivery of documents, until full payment is made. If your check bounces, you agree to pay a penalty fee of $45.00 for each check and will result in delaying document delivery, until full payment is made. No document will be released without full payment of services. Submitting documents to us implies you have reviewed and accept our Terms and Conditions of Service.

Company Holiday's Observed:

Our offices are open every day of the year (by appointment).