How do I obtain apostilles for use in the adoption process or personal use?
Adoption documents for a foreign country often require apostilles or authentications. The Delaware Division of Corporations can apostille or authenticate documents notarized by a Delaware Notary, certified vital records from the State of Delaware, and official State documents (e.g., background checks). When such services are requested for personal use (such as an adoption) the Division discounts its fees to $30.00 for any documents that are presented simultaneously. This fee structure enables prospective international adoptive parents to minimize their costs by having all of their apostille and authentication documents processed at one time. As a further convenience, requests received via mail are typically processed on the same business day and hand delivered requests will be completed within 2 hours. To help expedite your request, mailed requests must include a cover memo clearly stating the purpose of the request (e.g. adoption in China). Documents may be either hand delivered, mail