If you hold a birth certificate, marriage license, or corporate document issued in Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or another U.S. territory, you might assume that the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., is the office to contact for an apostille. That assumption would be incorrect—and costly in terms of time. Under the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961, each U.S. territory is treated as its own separate "jurisdiction" for authentication purposes. This means that a document issued in Puerto Rico must be apostilled by the Puerto Rico Department of State, not by the federal government. Sending a territorial document to the U.S. Department of State will result in a rejection and weeks of lost time. This guide provides the exact competent authority, fee, processing time, and step-by-step instructions for each U.S. territory, so you can get your apostille right the first time.
Key rule for U.S. territories: An apostille must be issued by the competent authority of the same jurisdiction that issued or notarized the document. For U.S. territories, this means the territorial government—not the federal government in Washington, D.C. The only exception is if the document was issued by a U.S. federal agency (e.g., FBI background check) or a federal court sitting in the territory.
U.S. Territories Are Separate Apostille Jurisdictions—Here's Why
The United States is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, and its participation extends to all U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and "other U.S. jurisdictions". These "other jurisdictions" include the five inhabited U.S. territories: Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. Each territory has designated its own competent authority to issue apostilles, generally the territorial equivalent of a Secretary of State.
This territorial autonomy has a critical implication: a document issued in Puerto Rico cannot be apostilled by the California Secretary of State, and it cannot be apostilled by the U.S. Department of State. The issuing jurisdiction and the apostille-issuing jurisdiction must match exactly. If you send a Puerto Rico birth certificate to the U.S. Department of State's Office of Authentications, it will be returned unprocessed, and you will lose both time and postage costs.
It is also important to note that an apostille is not required for documents moving between the U.S. mainland and its territories for domestic purposes. For example, a birth certificate from Puerto Rico used to obtain a U.S. passport or to enroll in a school in Florida does not need an apostille—the apostille is only for international use, when the document will be presented to a foreign authority.
Puerto Rico Apostille: Process, Fee, and Processing Time
Puerto Rico is the most populous U.S. territory and has a high volume of apostille requests, particularly for documents used in Spain, Latin America, and Europe. The competent authority is the Puerto Rico Department of State (Departamento de Estado de Puerto Rico) in San Juan.
Issuing Office: Puerto Rico Department of State, San Juan, PR 00902
State Fee: Approximately $10 per document, plus Internal Revenue stamps (Code R5120) at $3.00 each
Processing Time: Routine processing takes 1–2 weeks; expedited service can be 3 business days. Commercial services report 15–45 days for standard mail-in processing.
Common Documents: Birth, marriage, and death certificates (new format required—issued from July 2010 onward), criminal background checks, court judgments, notarized private documents (affidavits, deeds), diplomas and transcripts.
Step-by-step process for Puerto Rico:
- Obtain the document in the correct format. For vital records, Puerto Rico requires the new format certificates (issued from July 2010 onward)—birth certificates are blue, marriage green, and death red. Older certificates are not apostilled.
- Ensure notarization (if required). Private documents must be notarized by a Puerto Rico notary public. Documents issued outside Puerto Rico cannot be apostilled by the Puerto Rico Department of State.
- Purchase Internal Revenue stamps. You will need Code R5120 stamps for $3.00 per document.
- Submit to the Puerto Rico Department of State. You can submit in person, by mail, or through a licensed attorney or commercial service.
- Receive the apostille. The apostille will be affixed to your document, certifying it for use in any Hague Convention member country.
Guam Apostille: Process, Fee, and Processing Time
Guam's apostille authority is the Department of Administration (DOA), working in coordination with the Secretary of State/Lieutenant Governor of Guam. Apostille requests are by appointment only, and the processing time is a minimum of 7–10 business days.
Issuing Office: Guam Department of Administration, Director's Office, ITC Building 2nd Floor, Suite 224, P.O. Box 7420, Tamuning, Guam 96931
Fee: $50.00 per document, payable by cash, check, or money order to "Treasurer of Guam"
Processing Time: Minimum 7–10 business days, processed in the order received
Appointment: Required—available Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
Key requirements for Guam:
- All documents must be notarized before submission
- Documents in a foreign language must be translated into English by a certified translator and notarized as a true translation
- Birth, marriage, and death certificates cannot be certified as "true copies" by a notary—these must be certified by the Secretary of State, the Director of DOA, or the Lieutenant Governor
- All seals and signatures must be originals—copies are not accepted unless they are "true certified copies" from a notary public
- You must present a paid receipt at the time of pickup to receive the completed apostille
Contact the DOA Director's office at (671) 475-1101 option #8 for more information.
U.S. Virgin Islands Apostille: Process, Fee, and Processing Time
The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. The competent authority is the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.
Issuing Office: Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Apostille Section
Fee: $25 per document
Processing Time: 5–7 business days
Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Identification is required for entry.
Requirements:
- The document must be an original with a visibly raised seal
- A completed Request Form for Apostille or Certificate of Authentication must accompany the document
- Documents from other parts of the United States do not need an apostille for use in the USVI—the apostille is only for international use
Documents that can be apostilled include birth, death, and marriage certificates, court documents, and other public records.
Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa Apostille
The Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is also a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. The competent authority is the Office of the Secretary of State (or equivalent territorial authority). Documents from other parts of the United States do not need an apostille for use in the CNMI—the apostille is only for international use.
Common documents that can be apostilled include birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, diplomas, background checks, and corporate documents. The process generally involves obtaining an original certified copy and then submitting it to the territorial competent authority.
American Samoa has its own apostille authority: the Office of the Secretary of American Samoa. The fee is $25.00 USD per document/notary signature. Documents must be notarized in American Samoa or signed by an approval authority commissioned by the American Samoa Government. All apostilles issued after April 1, 2024, must use form SAS # 001-2024.
For both territories, if you are unsure of the exact competent authority, the HCCH website provides contact details for each jurisdiction.
Critical Mistakes to Avoid with Territorial Apostilles
Because territorial apostilles are less commonly understood than state apostilles, applicants make specific errors that can be costly and time-consuming. Avoid these pitfalls.
- Sending territorial documents to the U.S. Department of State. This is the most common mistake. The federal government will not apostille a Puerto Rico birth certificate—only the Puerto Rico Department of State can do that. Sending it to Washington, D.C., will result in a rejection and weeks of delay.
- Assuming one territory's apostille works for another territory's document. A document issued in Guam must be apostilled by Guam. You cannot take a Guam birth certificate to the Puerto Rico Department of State and expect them to apostille it.
- Using an outdated Puerto Rico vital record. Puerto Rico requires the new format certificates (issued from July 2010 onward). Older certificates are not accepted for apostille.
- Not notarizing private documents before submission. For Guam, all documents must be notarized before submission. For Puerto Rico, private documents must be notarized by a Puerto Rico notary.
- Failing to translate foreign-language documents. Guam explicitly requires that documents in a foreign language be translated into English by a certified translator and notarized as a true translation.
- Forgetting the appointment for Guam. Guam apostille requests are by appointment only—walk-ins are not accepted.
- Not including the correct payment. Each territory has its own fee structure and payment methods. Guam requires payment to the "Treasurer of Guam"; Puerto Rico requires Internal Revenue stamps; the USVI charges $25; American Samoa charges $25.
If you are using a commercial apostille service, ensure they have specific experience with territorial documents. Not all services understand the jurisdictional rules, and some may incorrectly advise you to send documents to the federal government.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can the U.S. Department of State apostille a document issued in Puerto Rico?
A: No. The U.S. Department of State only issues apostilles for documents issued by federal agencies (e.g., FBI background checks, federal court documents). Documents issued by the Puerto Rico government must be apostilled by the Puerto Rico Department of State.
Q: Do I need an apostille for a Puerto Rico document if I am using it in another U.S. state?
A: No. An apostille is only for international use. Documents moving between U.S. states and territories do not require an apostille. A Puerto Rico birth certificate is valid in Florida without any authentication.
Q: How much does a Puerto Rico apostille cost?
A: The state fee is approximately $10 per document, plus Internal Revenue stamps (Code R5120) at $3.00 each. Commercial service fees are additional.
Q: What is the processing time for a Guam apostille?
A: Guam processes apostilles in a minimum of 7–10 business days, in the order requests are received. Requests are by appointment only, available Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Q: Can I get an apostille for a document from the Northern Mariana Islands?
A: Yes. The Northern Mariana Islands is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. You must obtain the apostille from the territorial competent authority, not from the U.S. Department of State.
Q: What if my territorial document was issued by a federal agency located in the territory?
A: If the document was issued by a U.S. federal agency (e.g., a federal court in Puerto Rico), it may need to be apostilled by the U.S. Department of State. The key factor is the issuing authority, not the physical location. Confirm with the issuing agency.