Need an Indiana Apostille? Here's the Fastest Way to Get One

Yolanda Owens
Jun 11
2 min read

If you need to use an official Indiana document in another country, you'll need an apostille — and you'll probably need it faster than the standard process allows.

Here's what you need to know, and how to skip the hassle.

What Is an Indiana Apostille?

An apostille is an official certification that makes your Indiana document legally recognized in foreign countries. It's required for things like:

Birth, marriage, and death certificates
Educational transcripts and diplomas
Power of attorney documents
FBI background checks
Corporate documents for international business

If the destination country is part of the 1961 Hague Convention (most are), an apostille is what you need.

Indiana State vs. Federal Apostille — Know the Difference

Indiana state apostilles cover documents issued at the state level — birth certificates, notarized documents, court records, etc. These are processed through the Indiana Secretary of State.

Federal apostilles are for federally issued documents like FBI background checks, and go through the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.

Sending your document to the wrong office means rejection and lost time. We make sure it goes to the right place.

Why Use a Professional Apostille Service?

The DIY route sounds simple — until your document gets rejected because:

The notarization was incomplete or expired
You submitted a copy instead of a certified original
Your document needed to go federal, not state (or vice versa)

A rejection means starting over, and that can cost you weeks.

How Owens Document Services Does It Differently

We're based in Indianapolis — approximately 15 minutes from the Indiana Secretary of State's office. That proximity lets us offer something most online apostille services can't: same-day and next-day turnaround.

Here's how it works:

Submit your request online — takes just a few minutes
We review your documents and catch any issues before submission
We hand-deliver to the Secretary of State — no mail delays
Your completed documents are returned via pickup, delivery, or expedited mail