Apostille software that checks the route and tracks the document at every hop
An apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document, confirming the signature, the capacity of the signer and the seal so it can be accepted abroad without further legalisation. It comes from the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, which now has more than 120 contracting parties, and US federal documents are authenticated under 22 CFR part 131 with fees set at 22 CFR 22.1. Neurobird checks prerequisites at intake and tracks the physical document through every hop.
- Returned to clientpending
- Submitted to authoritypending
- Prerequisites checkedpending
- Order intakepending
Advance a step to see what the client sees.
Neurobird Apostille Service in short
- Check prerequisites at intake so a document is not rejected 3 weeks later
- Route each document to the correct authority: county, state or federal
- Track the physical document through every hop with courier references attached
- 1961 The Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, concluded on 5 October 1961, created the apostille and replaced the older consular chain between its parties. HCCH, Apostille Section
- 120+ The convention now binds well over 120 contracting parties, and whether the destination is one of them decides the entire route a document takes. HCCH, Apostille Convention status table
- Pricing runs 55 to 240 US dollars per month across 3 tiers. Early access is free.
What apostille and document authentication agencies actually deal with
Why it stays broken
The work is a routing problem across 50 state offices, a federal office and a set of consulates, each with its own fee and form. Agencies run it on a spreadsheet and a shelf of envelopes, because no system models a physical document moving between jurisdictions.
A prerequisite missed at intake costs about 21 days and a second round of state fees.
As a result, an e-Apostille is just as valid as a paper Apostille and must be accepted by all Contracting Parties to the Apostille Convention.
How authentication actually works
Useful if you are handling international documents or scoping an agency. Each source links out.
The Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, concluded on 5 October 1961, created the apostille and replaced the older consular chain between its parties.
HCCH, Apostille SectionThe convention now binds well over 120 contracting parties, and whether the destination is one of them decides the entire route a document takes.
HCCH, Apostille Convention status tableThe federal regulation governing authentication of documents by the US Department of State, including what the certificate covers and what it does not.
eCFR, 22 CFR part 131The State Department schedule of fees sets the charge for authentication services, so the cost side of a federal route is published rather than negotiated.
eCFR, 22 CFR 22.1State level apostilles are issued by each state's secretary of state, which is why fee, form and turnaround differ across the country.
National Association of Secretaries of StateNeurobird Apostille Service Client Portal
Decide the route at intake, then track the physical document rather than the order status. Everything else follows from knowing where the paper is.
- 1Check prerequisites at intake so a document is not rejected 3 weeks later
- 2Route each document to the correct authority: county, state or federal
- 3Track the physical document through every hop with courier references attached
- 4Answer client status questions from the record rather than from memory
What changes with Neurobird Apostille Service?
The same work, read left to right: how it runs today, and how it runs once the record is in one place.
| Today | With Neurobird Apostille Service |
|---|---|
| Half the orders arrive with the wrong prerequisite: an uncertified copy, a notarisation missing the county clerk step, or a federal document sent to a state office | Check prerequisites at intake so a document is not rejected 3 weeks later |
| Every state secretary of state has its own fee, form, turnaround and mailing rule, and the client asks for a status update on day 3 of a 30 day process | Route each document to the correct authority: county, state or federal |
| Documents are physical and irreplaceable, so a lost order is not a refund problem, it is a client who has to re request a death certificate | Track the physical document through every hop with courier references attached |
Who is this for?
Same certificate, three different operations.
You handle consumer orders
Birth certificates, marriage certificates and background checks. You need prerequisites checked on day 1 and a status answer without a phone call.
You run several processors
Orders across many states at once. You need per state fees and forms as data rather than in someone's head.
You serve law firms
Corporate documents, multi document sets and consular chains. You need the chain modelled and the client able to see progress.
How does Neurobird Apostille Service work?
Check prerequisites at intake
Document type, issuing authority and destination country decide the route, and the missing certified copy is caught on day 1 rather than day 21.
Route to the right authority
County, state secretary of state, federal authentications office or consular legalisation, with the current fee and form attached to each.
Track the paper, not the ticket
Every hop carries a courier reference and a date, so a client status question is answered from the record.
Apostille service software questions, answered
Key terms
- What is an apostille?
- An apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document, confirming the signature, the capacity of the signer and the seal, so the document can be accepted in another country without further legalisation. It comes from the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, which now has more than 120 contracting parties.
- What is the difference between an apostille and legalisation?
- If the destination country is a party to the 1961 Convention, an apostille is sufficient. If it is not, the document has to go through the longer consular legalisation chain: state authentication, then federal authentication, then the destination country's embassy or consulate. Getting this wrong at intake costs weeks.
Who issues an apostille in the United States?
It depends on the document. State issued and notarised documents are apostilled by the secretary of state of the issuing state. Federal documents such as FBI background checks and documents signed by federal officials go to the US Department of State authentications office, whose fee is set in the schedule at 22 CFR 22.1.
Why do documents get rejected?
Almost always a prerequisite. A photocopy where a certified copy was required, a notarisation without the county clerk certification some states demand first, an expired official signature on file, or a document sent to the wrong level of government. These are all checkable at intake.
Does this replace the courier or the state portal?
No. The states and the federal office keep their own processes. This is the order file: prerequisites, routing, fees, courier references and status, so nothing sits in a drawer between hops.
Why we are building this
Apostille work is a routing problem wearing a paperwork costume. The rules are public: the 1961 convention decides whether it is an apostille or a legalisation, and the document type decides which office issues it.
What makes it hard is that the object is physical. A lost certified copy is not a refund, it is a client re requesting a vital record from a county 2,000 miles away.
We would rather build this with people who process these orders every day. Tell us how yours run, and where we have got it wrong.
Where the requirement comes from
The convention and the federal rules behind authentication.
- HCCH, Apostille Section The official source on the 1961 convention, including how apostilles are issued and what they certify.
- HCCH, Apostille Convention status table The current list of contracting parties, which decides whether a destination needs an apostille or full legalisation.
- eCFR, 22 CFR part 131 authentication of documents The federal rule on authentication of documents by the US Department of State.
- eCFR, 22 CFR 22.1 schedule of fees The published fee schedule covering authentication and related consular services.
How much does Neurobird Apostille Service cost?
Priced per processor seat because throughput is limited by hands, not by order volume. Unlimited orders on every tier.
- Order intake
- Prerequisite checks
- Route selection
- Status tracking
- Email support
- Everything in Solo agent
- Per state fee and form data
- Courier reference tracking
- Client status page
- Named contact
- Everything in Agency
- Consular legalisation chains
- Corporate client portals
- Turnaround reporting
- Onboarding included
Get free early access
If you process apostilles, tell us where orders go wrong and how you answer a status question today.
Straight answer on where this is: In development. Early access gets the working preview, influence on what ships first, and early access pricing. It does not get you a login today.
Prefer email? Write to office@neurobird.com and a person will reply. No autoresponder.