Home / Services / How Long Are Apostilled Documents Valid?

How Long Are Apostilled Documents Valid?

An apostille itself does not expire. The document under it often does, in the eyes of the office reading it. Here is how recent each common document usually needs to be, and where countries differ.

Start My Order

Free Document Review

The apostille certifies a signature, and it stays valid as long as the document does. But many foreign offices only accept documents issued recently, because they want a current picture: no new criminal record, no new marriage, a company still in good standing.

So the real question is how old the document is on the day you hand it in. An FBI check is commonly accepted for three to six months from the date it was issued. A single status affidavit, around 90 days. A birth certificate usually has no limit, except where a country says otherwise, as Portugal and Brazil do for marriage. Plan around those dates with the deadline planner.

At a glance

Apostille expiryNone, but the document may

FBI checkCommonly 3 to 6 months

Single statusCommonly 90 days

Good standing30 to 90 days

Birth certificateUsually no limit

Plan my dates

The usual rule, document by document

Document	Usual maximum age	Notes
FBI background check	3 months	Commonly accepted for 3 to 6 months from issue; we plan for 90 days unless the country is known to allow longer.
Birth certificate	No usual limit	Usually any certified copy, but marriage and nationality offices in several countries want a recent one.
Marriage certificate	No usual limit	Usually any certified copy.
Single status affidavit	3 months	Commonly expected to be under 90 days old.
Divorce decree	No usual limit	Usually any certified copy of the final decree.
Diploma or transcript	No usual limit	No usual limit.
Pension or Social Security letter	3 months	Income letters are commonly expected to be under 3 months old.
Certificate of good standing	30 days	Banks and registries commonly want one issued within 30 to 90 days; we plan for 30.
Power of attorney	No usual limit	No usual limit, though some banks want it recently signed.

Age is counted from the date the document was issued to the date you submit it, not from the apostille.

Countries with their own rules

Country	Document	Maximum age	Rule
Spain	FBI background check	6 months	Spanish consulates accept FBI checks issued within 6 months.
Spain	Birth certificate	3 months	Civil registries often want birth certificates issued within 3 months.
Portugal	FBI background check	3 months	Treated as current for about 90 days.
Portugal	Birth certificate	6 months	Marriage and nationality matters want birth certificates issued within 6 months.
France	Birth certificate	3 months	Mairies commonly want civil records issued within 3 to 6 months; we plan for 3.
Brazil	Birth certificate	6 months	Cartórios reject documents issued more than 6 months earlier.
Brazil	Single status affidavit	3 months	The single status declaration is valid for 90 days.
Colombia	Birth certificate	3 months	Many notarías want birth certificates issued within 90 days.
Costa Rica	FBI background check	6 months	Police certificates must be issued within 6 months.
Costa Rica	Birth certificate	6 months	Residency documents are commonly expected within 6 months.
Costa Rica	Pension or Social Security letter	6 months	The pension letter must be issued within 6 months.
South Korea	FBI background check	6 months	The FBI check must be issued within 6 months of the visa application.
Vietnam	FBI background check	6 months	Work permits need a criminal record issued within 6 months.

Checked against consulate and registry guidance in October 2026. Individual offices can be stricter; your consulate’s own checklist always wins.

Things worth knowing

A new apostille does not refresh an old document. If the document is too old, you need a newly issued one, then a new apostille.
Translations follow the document. A translation of an out-of-date certificate is out of date too.
Order the short-lived documents last, and the long-lived ones first.
Some states reissue quickly, some do not. If you need a fresh certified copy, we can order it.

How Long Are Apostilled Documents Valid?: common questions

Does an apostille expire?

No. An apostille has no expiry date. What expires, in practice, is the document underneath, because many offices only accept documents issued within a recent window.

How long is an FBI background check valid?

The FBI prints no expiry. Receiving countries commonly accept it for three to six months from issue, and some, such as Portugal, treat it as current for about 90 days.

Do I need a new birth certificate?

Usually not, unless the country or office sets a recency rule, as Portugal and Brazil do for marriage, or the state only apostilles recent copies. Check the table above.

My document expired before my appointment. What now?

Order a freshly issued one and have it apostilled again. The old apostille cannot be transferred. Use the deadline planner to time it.

Ready to get started?

Need a fresh document and the apostille? We order and certify both in one go.

Start My Order

Talk to a Specialist