Working Abroad? Get Help Preparing Your U.S. Documents for International Use
A job offer abroad usually comes with a document checklist — often a background check, a degree, and proof of identity — that must be verifiable outside the United States.
Apostille or authentication is what makes those U.S. records usable abroad. We review your set, confirm the correct agency for each item, and manage the submissions.
Why this comes up for people in your position
Work-permit offices and overseas HR departments verify credentials through the certificate attached to your document, not through the document itself. That is why a photocopy of a diploma or an unauthenticated background check is usually rejected.
Requirements often arrive in two waves: one list from the employer and a different one from the immigration authority issuing the work permit. They overlap but rarely match exactly, so it helps to collect both before ordering anything.
Not every overseas role requires apostilled paperwork. Confirm the exact list with your employer's mobility team and the consulate handling your visa, then bring both lists to us.
Exact document requirements are determined by the foreign authority, consulate, or organization receiving your paperwork, and they vary by country, purpose, and document. Always confirm their written list before ordering or authenticating anything.
Documents that may be requested
This is not a required checklist — it is a list of items people in this situation are commonly asked for.
Frequently required for work permits.
Verifies the degree behind your role.
Requested when coursework must be evaluated.
Notarized copies can often be authenticated.
Used for identity and dependent visas.
Needed when a spouse relocates with you.
How the process works
- 1Tell us what you're trying to accomplish
Share the destination country, the purpose of the document, and your deadline. That context drives every other decision.
- 2We review your document situation
We look at what you have, who issued it, and whether a certified copy, notarization, or replacement is needed first.
- 3We determine the appropriate authentication route
State apostille, federal authentication, or embassy legalization — the route depends on the issuing office and the destination country.
- 4Your documents are submitted and returned
We prepare and submit the package, track it, and return your documents by mail, courier, or local hand delivery.
Mobile Notary Philadelphia assists with review, notarization, preparation, and submission. The apostille or authentication certificate itself is issued by the appropriate government authority, not by our office.
Where was your document issued?
The route depends on which office issued the document. State-issued records go to that state, and federally issued records are authenticated at the federal level. If your documents came from more than one place, they travel separate paths.
Records issued in Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia County vital records.
Records issued in New Jersey, including South Jersey counties.
Documents issued by U.S. federal agencies.
The FBI Identity History Summary route.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Sending an unofficial or emailed PDF transcript instead of a registrar-issued copy
- Ordering an FBI check too early and letting it fall outside the country's recency window
- Assuming a state apostille applies to a federally issued record
- Forgetting dependents' documents until after your own are finished
- Not asking whether the employer needs originals or will accept scans first
Services that may help
Working Abroad — FAQ
Not Sure Where to Start?
Tell us what document you have, where it was issued, the destination country, what the document will be used for, and your deadline. We'll explain the next step.