University diploma and graduation cap prepared for apostille and a Korean E-2 teaching visa
KoreaHague Apostille member
Documents for Korea · San Jose

Apostille for Korea in San Jose
marriage, family & property papers

Sending a power of attorney or marriage record to Korea? We notarize, arrange certified Korean translation, and apostille it in one San Jose visit.

Is Korea a Hague country? Yes

South Korea belongs to the Hague Apostille Convention, so a single California Secretary of State apostille makes your U.S. documents valid there — no Korean consulate or embassy legalization needed. We notarize, arrange certified Korean translation, and apostille diploma, FBI, birth, marriage, single-status, and power-of-attorney documents in San Jose.

Book Appointment Call (408) 766-3528
No consulate step In by 10 AM, ready by 6 PM Korean translation
1 Step
Apostille, No Consulate
Same-Day
Apostille Available
Any Language
ATA-Certified Translation
CA Sec. of State
Official Authentication
What you’ll need apostilled

Every document Korea asks for
handled in one place

Whatever you’re doing in Korea, the document needs a California apostille first. Here’s what we apostille most — tap any one for the details.

Single Status Affidavit

Proof you’re free to marry — required for marriage registration with Korean authorities.

Single status apostille →

Birth Certificate

For Korean dual citizenship, residency files, and marriage registration.

Birth certificate apostille →

Marriage Certificate

To register or recognize a U.S. marriage with Korean authorities.

Marriage certificate apostille →

FBI Background Check

Required for the E-2 teaching visa and most long-stay visas. We handle the federal apostille for you.

FBI apostille for your visa →

Power of Attorney

To buy property, manage banking, or sign on your behalf in Korea.

Power of attorney apostille →

Diploma & Degree

For the E-2 teaching visa, employment, and study programs in Korea.

Diploma apostille →
Apostille vs. legalization

For Korea, you need an apostille
not consulate legalization

Korea has been part of the Hague Apostille Convention for decades — which decides your whole process: U.S. documents need one authentication, a California apostille, to be accepted across Korea. There’s no second trip to a Korean consulate for legalization.

Documents headed to a non-Hague country need a longer consular-legalization chain. Because Korea is a member, an apostille for Korea is faster, cheaper, and final — and Korean immigration generally prefers a paper apostille, which is what we issue. Many Korean offices also want a certified Korean translation, which we arrange and apostille together.

Not sure which path your country needs? See our guide to apostille vs. legalization.

FBI Identity History Summary prepared for a federal apostille and a Korean E-2 teaching visa
The short answer

Korea = apostille. One California Secretary of State apostille (or a federal apostille for your FBI report), optionally with a certified Korean translation, and your document is ready for any Korean registry, immigration office, or court — no consulate step.

How it works

Four steps to a document
Korea will accept

1

Bring or prepare the document

We notarize affidavits and powers of attorney on site, or you bring certified vital records and your FBI report.

2

Certified Korean translation

Many Korean offices require it. We arrange a certified translation and keep it paired with your original.

3

Apostille it

State documents go through the California Secretary of State; FBI reports get a federal apostille. You handle neither.

4

Pick up or ship

Collect in San Jose the same day on rush service, or we ship it tracked to you or to Korea.

On a deadline in Korea?

Walk in today, leave with
an apostilled, translated document

Same-day California apostille and certified Korean translation under one roof. Call or book and we’ll tell you exactly what to bring.

Book Appointment Call (408) 766-3528
Why people need it

Common reasons you’ll need
a Korea apostille

Getting married in Korea

Single-status and birth certificate apostilled for the marriage registry or F-6 spousal visa.

Teaching English on an E-2 visa

University diploma and FBI background check apostilled — what every E-2 application needs.

Korean dual citizenship

Apostilled U.S. birth certificate to register a child in the Korean family registry.

Buying property in Korea

Power of attorney apostilled so someone can sign or close on your behalf.

Long-stay residency (F-visa)

Vital records and FBI background check apostilled for an F-series residency file.

Working or studying there

Diploma and degree apostilled for Korean employers, universities, and licensing boards.

Simple pricing

Standard apostille from $85
call or come in for the rest

Every order includes a document reviewed for the receiving office and the California Secretary of State authentication. For priority, rush, same-day, certified Korean translation, and notarization, call or visit and we’ll quote it on the spot — no surprises.

$85Standard, starting
Book Appointment Call (408) 766-3528

Prefer mail? Order an apostille online and ship your documents to us.

Why choose us

One office for
the whole document

Most services authenticate the paper and stop — you still hunt for a notary, then a translator. We do all three in San Jose, and partner with TruPoint Legal for deeper legal needs.

Multilingual staff greeting a customer at the San Jose apostille, notary, and translation office

Notarize, translate & apostille in one place

No running between a notary, a translator, and Sacramento — built right the first time.

Same-day when you can’t wait

Same-day California apostille keeps tight travel and consulate dates on track.

Korean translation, certified & attached

We arrange ATA-certified Korean translation and apostille it with your document — and our staff speaks English, Vietnamese, Cantonese, and Spanish.

Bonded California notary in-house

Quinnie Do reviews each document for the receiving office, which means fewer rejections in Korea.

“My E-2 visa needed my diploma and FBI background check apostilled on a tight deadline. They notarized, arranged the Korean translation, and apostilled everything in one visit.”

— Daniel K., San Jose
Quinnie Do, owner of Fingerscan Digital and bonded California notary in San Jose
Prepared by

Quinnie Do

Owner, Fingerscan Digital Inc.

Bonded & commissioned California Notary Public, IRS Certifying Acceptance Agent, and registered California Immigration Consultant. Quinnie and her multilingual team have handled Bay Area apostilles for marriages, residency, and immigration since 2020.

Related services

Single Status Affidavit Apostille → FBI Apostille for Korea (E-2 & Visas) → Order an Apostille by Mail → All Apostille Services →
Common questions

Apostille for Korea
questions, answered straight

Is Korea part of the Hague Apostille Convention?
Yes. Korea is a member, so U.S. documents only need a single apostille from the California Secretary of State to be accepted there. You do not need a separate legalization from a Korean consulate or embassy.
Do I need a Korean consulate to legalize my documents?
No. Because Korea accepts apostilles, the California apostille is the final step — there’s no consulate legalization. That’s faster and cheaper than the chain non-Hague countries require.
Do my documents need to be translated into Korean?
Usually yes. Most Korean registries and immigration offices want a certified Korean translation. We arrange the translation, attach it to your original, and apostille them together as one package, so nothing is rejected at the counter.
What documents do I need apostilled to get married in Korea?
Typically a single status affidavit and your birth certificate, both apostilled and translated. Requirements vary by office, so confirm with the Korean registry handling your case, then bring the documents to us.
What documents do I need for a Korean E-2 teaching visa?
An E-2 application typically requires your university diploma and an FBI background check, both apostilled and often translated into Korean. We notarize, obtain and apostille the FBI report, and apostille your diploma in one place — see our FBI apostille for Korea page for the full process.
How fast can I get a Korea apostille?
Standard runs about 30 days, with priority, rush, and same-day options for tighter deadlines. On same-day service you can walk in and leave with the finished, translated document the same day.
How much does an apostille for Korea cost?
Standard is $85 (about 30 days), Priority $200 (about 2 weeks), Rush $350 (3 to 5 business days) and Same-Day $450 when you drop off by 10 AM. Extras, such as certified Korean translation and notarization, are quoted when you call or come in — so you get an exact price for your documents, with no surprises. The seal is identical at every speed, so if your date is months out, take the standard tier and keep the money.
My E-2 contract starts in six weeks. Will everything arrive?
The diploma and background check travel different routes at different speeds, and that is what catches teachers out. Your diploma takes a California apostille. Your FBI report takes a federal one, which runs 9 business days when the document is in our office by Wednesday (12 business days if it arrives after Wednesday) on the expedited route before it even gets back to you. Tell us the contract date first and we will tell you honestly whether it holds.
Why do I need two different apostilles?
Because two different authorities issued the documents. A diploma is a state-level record and goes to the California Secretary of State. An FBI Identity History Summary is federal and is authenticated in Washington, D.C. There is no single office that does both, and sending one down the other route gets it returned unprocessed.
The recruiter says my degree needs to be notarized first. Is that right?
Often yes. A diploma usually needs to be notarized as a true copy before it can be apostilled, unless the university issues a sealed copy directly. Which one your school wants depends on the school, so bring what you have and we will tell you which route it needs before you pay.
How recent does my FBI report need to be for Korea?
Korean schools and immigration generally want a recently issued report, and the apostille does not reset that. A new seal on an old report does not make the report new. If yours has been sitting for months, check the age requirement with your school before paying to apostille it.
My spouse is coming on an F-3. Do they need documents too?
Usually a marriage certificate, apostilled, and sometimes birth certificates for children. Those are state records and take the California route. We handle both sets in one visit so the family packet is ready together rather than in stages.
Something came back on my FBI report. Can you still apostille it?
Yes. The apostille authenticates the document, not its contents, and we do not assess what it says. What the Korean immigration office or school does with the information is their decision — and if it concerns you, one worth discussing with an immigration attorney before you file.
I am renewing rather than applying for the first time. Same documents?
Renewals usually need less, but requirements change and vary by office. Ask your school or the immigration office for their current list rather than reusing what you needed last time, then bring it in — we will tell you which items are ours to handle.
Can I send my documents in rather than coming to San Jose?
Yes for the state apostille and for the federal one if you already hold your FBI report — mail or courier the originals and we return the sealed documents. Only fingerprinting needs a visit, and if you already have your report, you do not need that step.
What usually gets a Korea document refused?
A photocopy where a certified or notarized true copy was needed, a translation attached before the seal rather than after, or a federal document sent to the state office. Each one costs weeks, which is why we check before submitting rather than after.
Ready when you are

Get your documents ready
for Korea, in San Jose

Walk into our San Jose office to notarize, translate, and apostille in one visit, or order online and we’ll ship it back — same-day available.

Book Appointment Call (408) 766-3528

California Secretary of State apostille service by Fingerscan Digital Inc. · 434 Blossom Hill Rd, San Jose, CA 95123 · (408) 766-3528 · Serving San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Milpitas and the Bay Area. For business and bulk document authentication, visit fingerscan-digital.com. Last updated June 2026.

Call Now Book Appointment
Document guides

Which document are you authenticating?

Requirements differ by document type. Each guide covers what counts as a certified copy, whether notarization is needed first, and how long the California route takes.