“When a document is to be used in another country, it may be necessary to have the document authenticated. This is known either as an “apostille” or “certificate of authentication.”
An Apostille is an authentication of a public document issued pursuant to the 1961 Hague Convention abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents. The Convention provides for the simplified certification of public (including notarized) documents to be used in countries that have joined the convention. Under the Hague Convention, signatory countries have agreed to recognize public documents issued by other signatory countries if those public documents are authenticated by the attachment of an internationally recognized form of authentication known as an Apostille. The Apostille ensures that public documents issued in one signatory country will be recognized as valid in another signatory country.
The Department of State only authenticates public documents issued in New York State which are signed by a New York State official or county clerk.”
~ From the New York Department of State Apostille or Certification of Authentication website
It's very important to be sure you require the Apostille before starting the process.
Many overseas agencies and schools will accept documents with a College Seal and notarization, and do not require authentication by the County Clerk or Department of State. Regarding Apostille diplomas, many overseas agencies will allow an authenticated e-diploma rather than the Apostille diploma, so it is important to know which particular document you need before making any requests. E-diplomas can be authenticated online – eliminating the need for the Apostille diploma in many cases.
The process takes a considerable amount of time (4–8 weeks), especially if the Apostille is ultimately being mailed to a foreign country. Processing times vary, so it is difficult to predict precisely how many days the process will take as there are many steps taken to obtain an Apostille.
Steps to get an Apostille/Certificate of Authentication
- Provide clear copies or originals of the diploma and/or transcript to the Office of the Registrar.
- Authentication must be certified by SUNY Potsdam Registrar staff attesting that the diploma and/or transcript is an official record or a true copy of the original document.
- SUNY Potsdam Registrar staff’s signature is notarized by an on-campus notary public.
- SUNY Potsdam Office of the Registrar mails the notarized documents including a completed New York Department of State Apostille/Certificate of Authentication Request form, pre-paid mailers, and checks/money orders, to the St. Lawrence County Clerk's office in Canton, NY.
- The notary public’s signature is certified by the St. Lawrence County Clerk.
- The documents, including the completed NYS DoS Apostille/Certificate of Authentication Request form, pre-paid mailer, and check/money order will then be sent to the NYS DoS in Albany, NY by the St. Lawrence County Clerk using a pre-paid mailer.
- The NYS DoS processes the Apostille.
- The Apostille and documents are returned to you or your designee using a pre-paid mailer.
The length of time can be greatly reduced if the alum or their designee is able to:
- Personally collect the notarized documents from SUNY Potsdam’s Office of the Registrar.
- Bring the documents directly to the St. Lawrence County Clerk’s office in Canton, NY to be certified.
- Bring the certified documents to a NYS DoS Licensing Customer Service Center that offers walk-in service (currently New York City, Albany, Buffalo, and Utica only).
- Carry or express mail the Apostille and authenticated diploma(s) and/or transcript(s) to their final destination.
- Complete the SUNY Potsdam Apostille/Certificate of Authentication Request form (PDF).
- Complete the New York Department of State Apostille/Certificate of Authentication Request form
- For the notary public certification by the St. Lawrence County Clerk, the alum needs to prepare a check or money order drawn on U.S. bank made out to the St. Lawrence County Clerk. The fee is $3 for each document to be authenticated. If both a diploma and a transcript need an Apostille, the check/money order should be for $6 total.
- For the Apostille by the NYS DoS, the alum needs to prepare a check or money order drawn from a U.S. bank made out to the NYS Department of State. The fee is $10 for each document that is to be authenticated. If both a diploma and a transcript need an Apostille, the check/money order should be for $20 total.
- Prepare TWO (2) pre-paid mailers
- The first pre-paid mailer should be addressed to:
New York Department of State
Division of Licensing Services
Apostille and Authentication Unit
P.O. Box 22001
Albany, NY 12201-2001
- The first pre-paid mailer should be addressed to:
Registrar staff will forward this pre-paid mailer to the St. Lawrence County Clerk with your documents. The St. Lawrence County Clerk’s office will use this mailer to forward your documents to the NYS DoS for the Apostille.
- The second pre-paid mailer should be self-addressed or addressed to another U.S. address. The St. Lawrence County Clerk’s office will forward this pre-paid mailer to the NYS DoS with your documents. The NYS DoS will use this mailer to return the documents to you or another other designee (family member, friend, etc.).
- All of the above materials should be mailed to:
Bethany Parker
Office of the Registrar
Raymond Hall 3rd Floor
SUNY Potsdam
44 Pierrepont Ave
Potsdam, NY 13676
- Complete the SUNY Potsdam Apostille/Certificate of Authentication Request form (PDF) and submit it using the Registrar’s secure file upload.
- Make an appointment with Bethany Parker, parkerba@potsdam.edu or (315) 267-2809, to collect the notarized documents. Be sure to bring your picture ID with you.
- If you will have someone other than yourself picking up the documents on your behalf, you will also need to complete a FERPA Information Release form (PDF) and submit it using the Registrar’s secure file upload. Be sure the 3rd party has their picture ID to present when collecting the documents on your behalf.
- Bring the notarized documents to the St. Lawrence County Clerk to have the notary public’s signature certified. Be prepared to pay the $3 fee per document.
- Once certified by the St. Lawrence County Clerk, bring the documents to a NYS DoS Licensing Customer Service Center that offers walk-in services (currently New York City, Albany, Buffalo, and Utica only). Be sure to complete the New York Department of State Apostille/Certificate of Authentication Request form and be prepared to pay the $10 fee per document.
- Carry or express mail the Apostille and document(s) to their final destination.
- The NYS DoS Apostille/Certificate of Authentication form requires the name of the country where the documents will be used.
- Alum can provide a clean, clear, scanned copy of their original diploma for authentication, incurring no cost. The scanned copy of the diploma can be emailed or submitted using the Registrar’s secure file upload.
- The Office of the Registrar can produce a black and white copy of the diploma on regular printer paper, free of charge.
- A duplicate replacement diploma printed on high quality parchment paper needs to be ordered through Parchment, SUNY Potsdam’s official diploma vendor. The fee is $10 for a replacement diploma and takes 2–4 weeks to be received by mail once an order is placed.
- Official transcripts for Apostille purposes will be issued free of charge.
- Official transcripts and a black and white copy of the diploma are printed on regular 8.5” x 11” paper only and cannot be printed on A4 paper or other paper sizes.
- It is strongly recommended the Apostille and documents are mailed to a U.S. address (yourself, friend, relative) after the NYS DoS completes the authentication. Once received, the Apostille and documents can then be express-mailed to an international address by the third party.
- There are providers who offer Apostille services for a fee. Be sure they are based in New York and do your research to be sure they are a legitimate, reputable business.
- Once the documents are mailed to the St. Lawrence County Clerk, SUNY Potsdam has no way to track or provide updates on the progress of the documents.
- Bethany Parker
Coordinator of Academic Records
Office of the Registrar
parkerba@potsdam.edu
Telephone: (315) 267-2809
Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- St. Lawrence County Clerk
48 Court Street
Canton, NY 13617
Telephone: (315) 379-2237
Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Closed all major holidays including the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve
- New York State Department of State
Mailing address (USPS) -
New York Department of State
Division of Licensing Services
Apostille and Authentication Unit
P.O. Box 22001
Albany, NY 12201-2001
Telephone: (518) 474-4429
There are four NYS DoS Licensing Customer Service Centers that offer walk-in services (currently New York City, Albany, Buffalo, and Utica only). Please review the contact information on the NYS DoS Apo