Certificate of Naturalization Apostille
A federal document — apostilled by the U.S. Department of State
In short: A U.S. Certificate of Naturalization is issued by a federal agency (USCIS), so it is apostilled by the <strong>U.S. Department of State</strong>, not Illinois. We coordinate the federal apostille and advise whether your destination needs the original, a USCIS-certified copy, or a notarized copy.
Why this is a federal apostille
Because a Certificate of Naturalization is a federal document, only the U.S. Department of State can apostille it — the Illinois Secretary of State cannot. People need it apostilled to prove U.S. citizenship abroad: for dual citizenship, residency, marriage, a foreign pension or benefit, or to satisfy a foreign government office.
The copy question — handled correctly
Your certificate is a controlled document, and how it gets apostilled depends on the destination. Some accept an apostille coordinated on the document itself; others want a USCIS-certified copy (Form N-565) or a properly notarized copy. Getting this wrong is the usual reason these are rejected — tell us the country and we'll confirm the right path before anything is submitted.
How it works — a 100% remote process
- Tell us what you need. Call or text 847-436-5222 or request a quote. We confirm the exact document and the destination country.
- Send us your document. Mail or courier it to our Naperville office.
- We coordinate the U.S. Department of State apostille. Federal documents are authenticated in Washington, D.C., not by Illinois — we handle the submission and follow it through.
- 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
Our service starts at $99 per document; return shipping is billed at cost, or you provide a prepaid label. Federal processing at the U.S. Department of State is currently running about 9 business days once received, plus shipping each way — typically about two weeks door to door. Timelines shift at the federal level; call or text 847-436-5222 for today's estimate.
Apostille or legalization?
For a Hague Apostille Convention country, the federal apostille is enough. For a non-member country, the certificate needs authentication and then embassy legalization — we handle that path too. See apostille vs. authentication vs. legalization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you apostille my Certificate of Naturalization?
Yes. It's a federal document, so we coordinate the U.S. Department of State apostille and advise whether your destination needs the original, a USCIS-certified copy, or a notarized copy.
Is it legal to copy a naturalization certificate for this?
Copying for a lawful purpose such as authentication is permitted; what's prohibited is copying to deceive. We handle the copy the way your destination country requires.
How long does it take?
Federal processing at the U.S. Department of State is currently about 9 business days once received, plus shipping — roughly two weeks door to door. Call us for today's estimate.