Certificate of Origin Apostille
Notarized certificates of origin, apostilled for export and customs
In short: A certificate of origin used abroad usually has to be notarized and then apostilled before a foreign customs authority, buyer, or bank will accept it. Because we are a notary and an apostille service, we notarize your certificate correctly and route it straight to the Illinois Secretary of State — and return it anywhere.
What this is
A certificate of origin states the country in which goods were produced. Exporters need it for customs clearance, to satisfy the terms of a letter of credit, or because a foreign buyer or government requires proof of origin. When the destination country wants that certificate authenticated, it must be notarized and then apostilled.
Who needs one apostilled
Illinois manufacturers, distributors, and freight forwarders shipping abroad; companies fulfilling a letter of credit that requires an apostilled certificate; and businesses whose foreign customer or customs broker has asked for an authenticated certificate of origin.
The one-stop advantage
Because we are a notary and an apostille service, we notarize your certificate for international use and submit it to the Secretary of State ourselves — avoiding the most common failure, a notarization the state won't authenticate. Related commercial documents (invoices, packing lists, and a certificate of free sale) can be handled in the same submission.
How it works — a 100% remote process
- Tell us what you need. Call or text 847-436-5222 or request a quote. We confirm exactly which document you have and where it's going.
- Send us your document. Mail or courier it to our Naperville office.
- We submit to the Illinois Secretary of State. Standard by mail, or we hand-carry it to the Chicago counter for expedited processing.
- We return it, tracked. Back to you or straight to your recipient, domestic or international, with status you can follow the whole way.
Cost & turnaround
Notarized commercial documents start at $99 per document (notarization included if done by us); return shipping at cost, or you provide a prepaid label. Standard 5–7 business days at the state; expedited hand-carry typically 2–5 business days. Shipping multiple documents together lowers the per-document cost — ask about volume pricing.
Apostille or authentication?
Goods going to a Hague Apostille Convention country get an apostille; a non-member country needs authentication and embassy legalization. See apostille vs. authentication vs. legalization, and we'll confirm which your destination requires.
Why Efficient Biometrics
We're a licensed and insured service with a real, staffed office in Naperville (682 Illinois Route 59) — not a P.O. box — a notary on site, document-level tracking so you always know where your originals are, and local proximity to the Chicago Secretary of State counter for genuine expedited service. Call or text 847-436-5222.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you handle a letter-of-credit certificate of origin?
Yes. We notarize and apostille the certificate to meet the terms your bank or buyer specified, and we can turn it around on the expedited hand-carry track when a deadline is tight.
Can you apostille the invoice and packing list at the same time?
Yes — related commercial documents can go in the same submission, which lowers the per-document cost.
Our buyer is in a country that doesn't use apostilles — can you still help?
Yes. For a non-Hague country we handle the authentication step and guide you through embassy legalization.