Apostille of the Hague Procedure

1. Read the instructions, and print and complete an Authentication/Apostille Request" form.

Note that with your Apostille request you must include:

1. a self-addressed Return Mailer including appropriate postage as indicated on the form, and
2. a check or money order from a U.S. bank in the amount of $10 for each document that is to be authenticated (i.e., if both a diploma and a transcript need an Apostille, the check should be for $20).
3. The student needs to write a letter to the SUNY Potsdam Registrar requesting a duplicate copy of her/his diploma or an official copy of her/his transcript, requesting that it be notarized, certified by the County Clerk, and sent to the New York State Department of State for an Apostille of the Hague for the country in which it will be used.This letter must be signed and dated.
4. For a duplicate copy of the diploma the student needs to send us a check or money order in U.S. funds made out to SUNY Potsdam for $10 - alternatively, the student can send us a clear Xeroxed copy of their diploma which we can verify. There is no charge for an official transcript.
5. For the certification by the County Clerk, the student needs to send us a check made out to the St. Lawrence County Clerk for $3 for each document to be authenticated (i.e., if both a diploma and a transcript need an Apostille, the check should be for $6).
6. All of the above materials should be sent to: Bethany Parker, Registrar's Office, SUNY Potsdam, Potsdam, NY 13676.
7. This process takes a considerable amount of time, especially if the Apostille is being mailed to a foreign country, sometimes as much as a month. The steps in the process are as follows:
    
   • A duplicate diploma or transcript is printed by the SUNY Potsdam Registrar's Office
   • A letter verifying that the signatures on the document are "true and correct" is written by the Registrar
   • The letter is notarized on campus
   • The materials are mailed to the St. Lawrence County Clerk's office in Canton, NY
   • The County Clerk certifies the notarization of the materials
   • You MUST send a pre-paid mailer to the Registar's Office with your material. This pre-paid mailer should be addressed to:
     NYS Department of State
     Division of Licensing Services
     Apostille and Authentication Unit
     P.O. Box 22001
     Albany, NY 12201-2001
     
     The Registar will then forward your pre-paid mailer to the County Clerk with your other documentation. The mailer and other material will then be sent to the New York State Dept. of State in Albany, NY by the County Clerk.
   • The New York Dept. of State processes the Apostille
   • The Apostille is sent to its final destination.
     
     The amount of time can be reduced if the student is able to pick up the certified document and take it to the Department of State Office in Albany and then carry or express mail it to its destination. Note: the Registrar's Office does not offer express mailing services, but will be happy to use prepaid express mail envelopes (for mailing from Potsdam to Canton and Canton to Albany) if these are included with the Apostille request materials.
8. Please contact Bethany Parker at parkerba@potsdam.edu or (315) 267-2809 if you have specific Apostille questions.