Okay, I’m going to say this once. Well, actually, I’ll probably say it a hundred more times, but for now, lean in close because this is important…

Stop asking your Secretary of State if you can “do” apostilles in your state.

Of course they’re going to say no. That’s like asking a maître d’ if you can cook dinner in their five-star kitchen. The answer is no, honey, because that’s not your role.

But, and it’s a big but, you’re asking the wrong question.

Let me break it down for you.

Only a Competent Authority (usually the Secretary of State’s office) can issue an apostille.

That’s true. That’s how it works. No argument there.

But what we apostille agents (or facilitators, if you’re feeling fancy) do is entirely different and entirely legal. We guide, manage, track, and shepherd our clients’ documents through the authentication process.

Because let me tell you, it is not always a walk in the park.

Here’s what the public doesn’t know, and what you, as a trained apostille agent, should:

• Some documents have to go to one state, others to another.

• Some countries are Hague, some are non-Hague. That changes everything.

• Sometimes, what looks like a birth certificate isn’t valid for apostille at all.

Oh, and don’t get me started on documents from U.S. territories.

This is where YOU come in.

You shine a light on the confusion. You untangle the red tape. You step in and say, “I’ve got this,” and your client breathes a sigh of relief.

So when I hear, “But Judi, my Secretary of State said I can’t do apostilles…”

I say, “Of course they did, sweetheart. They’re answering the question you asked.”

Ask better questions. Learn more. Train up.

Because this is what you really need to know if you’re going to tap into the millions of apostilles that are being processed every year:

You can facilitate apostilles in every. single. state.

Let me say that again louder for the people in the back:

You can help your clients get documents apostilled in ANY state across the country. You’re not issuing them. You’re helping people navigate the system. And they need your help.

That’s why training is so important. That’s why a national network of trained facilitators matters. And that’s why I do what I do.

So please, for the love of passports and paper trails, stop doubting yourself.

You CAN do apostilles.

Just not the way you thought you could.

Now, go help someone out there who’s drowning in paperwork.

I’ll be here cheering you on.

Need training? That’s what I do. I’ve partnered with Bill Soroka at Notary Coach to deliver the industry's most comprehensive training and certification course. Plus, I’m in it with you every day. You get my personal cell phone number. I have a one-on-one business launch call with you as soon as you're certified. Join us already!

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