Introduction
Hey there! If you need to use a New Jersey-issued document abroad, you’ve probably heard about needing an apostille or legalization — and if you’re not sure what that means, you’re not alone!
Here at Virtual Same Day Marriage, we help clients across the country navigate this process daily. Recently, we’ve had more and more people asking about:
👉 Non-Hague apostille
👉 Apostille alternatives
👉 Apostille + translation services
In this blog post, I’ll explain exactly how to get an apostille in New Jersey, what to do when dealing with non-Hague countries, and why you might need apostille + translation for your documents. Let’s dive in!
What Is an Apostille?
An apostille is an official certificate issued by the government that verifies the authenticity of a U.S. document for use in another country — but only if that country is part of the Hague Apostille Convention.
👉 Without an apostille, most foreign governments won’t accept your New Jersey-issued documents for official purposes.
👉 Common documents that require apostille or legalization include:
✅ Birth certificates
✅ Marriage certificates
✅ Divorce decrees
✅ School transcripts
✅ Court judgments
✅ Business documents
✅ Powers of attorney
Non-Hague Apostille — What Does That Mean?
👉 If your destination country is NOT a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, the term non-Hague apostille is sometimes (informally) used — but technically, there’s no such thing.
👉 Instead, what you’ll need is legalization, a multi-step process that ensures your documents are legally valid abroad.
👉 For non-Hague apostille situations, the process typically looks like this:
✅ New Jersey Secretary of State certification
✅ U.S. Department of State authentication
✅ Final embassy or consulate legalization
👉 We handle this full process for our clients so you don’t have to deal with the headaches of international document processing.
Apostille Alternatives — What Are They?
👉 If you’re dealing with a non-Hague country, you’ll need to pursue apostille alternatives, meaning:
✅ Full legalization through the U.S. and the country’s embassy or consulate
✅ Notarization + consular legalization for certain document types
✅ In some cases, apostille + translation (if required by the foreign country even for Hague members)
👉 Countries that typically require apostille alternatives include:
✅ China
✅ UAE
✅ Qatar
✅ Vietnam
✅ Egypt
✅ Saudi Arabia
👉 We help clients figure out which path applies to their specific situation — because every country is a little different.
Apostille + Translation — When You Need Both
👉 Many foreign countries require documents to be both apostilled and translated into the official language of the destination country.
👉 Our apostille + translation service includes:
✅ Getting your New Jersey document properly apostilled or legalized
✅ Coordinating certified translation by a professional translator
✅ Preparing the final, ready-to-submit document package for your foreign process
👉 We see frequent apostille + translation requests for:
✅ Marriage certificates for immigration
✅ Birth certificates for dual citizenship applications
✅ Academic transcripts for foreign universities
✅ Business documents for foreign corporate registration
👉 If you’re unsure whether you need apostille + translation, just ask — we’re happy to advise!
How to Get an Apostille in New Jersey — Step by Step
1️⃣ Identify Which Documents Need Apostille or Legalization
👉 For non-Hague apostille, apostille alternatives, or apostille + translation, the most common documents we process include:
✅ Birth certificates
✅ Marriage certificates
✅ Divorce decrees
✅ School transcripts and diplomas
✅ Business documents
✅ Court judgments
✅ Powers of attorney
👉 Not sure which documents you need? Just reach out — we can help you figure it out.
2️⃣ Prepare Certified or Notarized Copies
👉 Vital records must be certified copies from the New Jersey Department of Health or county registrar.
👉 School records often require notarization of the registrar’s signature.
👉 Notarized documents must be notarized by a New Jersey notary public.
👉 We review and prepare documents for all our clients — which is especially critical when handling apostille + translation requests.
3️⃣ Submit to the New Jersey Department of Treasury
👉 For Hague countries, submit your documents to the New Jersey Department of Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services for apostille processing.
👉 For non-Hague countries, the process is:
1️⃣ New Jersey Secretary of State certification
2️⃣ U.S. Department of State authentication
3️⃣ Embassy or consulate legalization (an apostille alternative)
👉 We handle this entire process — including coordinating apostille + translation if required.
Why Use a Professional Apostille & Legalization Service?
Here’s what can go wrong when clients try to manage this alone:
❌ Submitting the wrong version of documents
❌ Not knowing when to use apostille vs apostille alternatives
❌ Forgetting to arrange apostille + translation when needed
❌ Delays that can derail immigration cases, visas, or business deals
✅ When you use Virtual Same Day Marriage, here’s what you get:
✅ We verify your documents are ready for apostille or legalization
✅ We handle non-Hague apostille, apostille alternatives, and apostille + translation daily
✅ We manage all paperwork and coordinate translations
✅ We offer fast turnaround, including expedited options
✅ We keep you updated every step of the way
How Long Does It Take?
👉 New Jersey Apostille (Hague countries): 1–3 weeks standard; expedited in 3–5 business days
👉 Legalization for non-Hague countries: 3–6 weeks standard; expedited options available
👉 Apostille + translation: 5–10 business days depending on language and document type
👉 We can often complete non-Hague apostille and apostille + translation requests faster than clients trying to manage it on their own.
How Much Does It Cost?
👉 New Jersey apostille fee: $25 per document
👉 U.S. Department of State fee: $20 per document (for non-Hague legalization)
👉 Embassy/Consulate fee: varies by country (typically $40–$100 per document)
👉 Professional service fee: $100–$300 depending on processing speed and complexity
👉 Certified translation fee: $50–$150 per page depending on language and content
👉 See our full guide: How Much Does an Apostille Cost?
Internal Link Suggestions
👉 How to Apostille a Passport Copy
👉 How to Apostille School Transcripts
👉 How to Apostille Corporate Documents
👉 How Much Does an Apostille Cost?
External Link Suggestions
👉 New Jersey Apostille & Authentication Information
👉 Hague Apostille Convention — Official Country List
👉 U.S. Department of State — Authentication Requirements
FAQ Section
1. How do I get an apostille in New Jersey?
Prepare certified or notarized documents, then submit them to the New Jersey Department of Treasury — or use a professional service for faster and more accurate processing.
2. What is a non-Hague apostille?
Non-Hague apostille is an informal term. Countries that are not part of the Hague Apostille Convention require legalization — a multi-step process involving U.S. and embassy or consulate approvals.
3. What are apostille alternatives?
Apostille alternatives are required when a country does not accept apostilles — meaning you need to go through full legalization instead.
4. What is apostille + translation?
Apostille + translation refers to getting your document properly apostilled or legalized, and then having it certified translated into the required language for your destination country.
5. Can Virtual Same Day Marriage help with apostille and translation?
Absolutely! We handle non-Hague apostille, apostille alternatives, and apostille + translation daily — quickly, professionally, and with full tracking.
Conclusion
If you need to get an apostille in New Jersey, or you’re trying to figure out how to handle non-Hague apostille, apostille alternatives, or apostille + translation — we can help.
👉 We provide trusted apostille and legalization services for all types of New Jersey-issued documents.
👉 We offer fast turnaround with expedited options to meet your deadlines.
👉 We guide you through the entire process — and handle the paperwork so you don’t have to.
👉 Ready to get started? Contact Virtual Same Day Marriage today — we’ll help you get your documents apostilled, legalized, or translated quickly and correctly.
Alt Text Suggestions
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