Renewing an Apostille: When and How to Do It
A common question Miami Dade Apostille receives is: does my apostille expire? The short answer is that apostilles themselves do not have an expiration date — but the underlying document may need to be recent, and some countries or institutions impose their own recency requirements. Understanding the difference is important before you invest in the apostille process.
Do Apostilles Expire?
The Hague Apostille Convention does not set an expiration date for apostilles. Once issued, an apostille is technically valid indefinitely as a certification of the document's authenticity. However, the institution receiving the document — a foreign government agency, university, employer, or court — may require that the underlying document be recent.
When Recency Requirements Apply
The most common recency requirements apply to:
- FBI background checks: Many countries require the FBI Identity History Summary to have been issued within the past 3–6 months. An older FBI letter — even if apostilled — may be rejected.
- Criminal record certificates: State-level criminal record certificates are often subject to recency requirements for visa and residency applications.
- Medical certificates: Health certificates for immigration or employment purposes typically have short validity windows.
- Powers of attorney: Some foreign notaries and registries require powers of attorney to be recent, particularly for real estate transactions.
How to "Renew" an Apostille
There is no renewal process for an apostille itself. If a document needs to be re-apostilled because the underlying document is too old, the process is the same as the original: obtain a new or updated version of the document, then submit it for apostille. For FBI background checks, this means obtaining a new Identity History Summary and submitting it to the US Department of State.
Checking Requirements Before You Start
Before requesting an apostille, Miami Dade Apostille advises clients on the recency requirements for their specific destination country and institution. This prevents the situation where a client obtains an apostille on a document that will be rejected as too old. Check requirements by country.
Check requirements before you start
Send us a scan of your document and tell us your destination country. We'll advise on recency requirements and whether you need a new document before apostille.
Ready to move forward? Book an appointment or call us directly at 1-800-631-9171.