You know those moments when you do something on a whim that later turns out to be incredibly fortunate? That’s exactly what happened when I decided to get my university degree certified and apostilled before moving to Spain—without even knowing how valuable that decision would be. Find out below how I obtained my apostilled university diploma and why it made the difference.
After graduation and receiving my original diploma, something in my brain clicked, and I thought, “Maybe I should get an official copy of this.” Little did I know that this random thought would save me months of bureaucratic headaches later.
I reached out to my university’s registrar office, and by some stroke of luck, they knew exactly what to do. I later learned this isn’t always the case—many universities are unfamiliar with the proper certification process, which can lead to a lot of back-and-forth and wasted time. My school’s registrar office, however, provided me with a certified copy that included all the crucial elements on a copy of my diploma: the university seal, a signature from the registrar, and crucially, a statement attesting that the signatory was authorized to issue such documents, and signed before an Illinois notary public.
After getting the certified copy, I decided to take it one step further and get it apostilled by the Illinois Secretary of State. Again, this was pure intuition rather than informed planning. I was already exploring the apostille process when gathering my documentation for my visa to Spain (they still accepted state background checks at that time!), so I just added my degree to my document checklist. The process was surprisingly straightforward:
- I used the walk-in office in Chicago.
- Filled out their authentication request form
- Paid the $2 per document authentication fee (Illinois has one of the lowest fees in the country!)
- Received my apostilled document the same day for in-person service. The first time I completed the process, I waited around 20 minutes. The second time, it was about an hour. They will inform you upfront.
Fast forward a year, and I found myself in Spain, freshly employed as a Junior Immigration Consultant, and my boss asked me for my apostilled degree to verify with the Immigration authorities the correct way to authenticate an American diploma…and they confirmed that it was correctly done! That’s when I realized the true value of my random preparation. While other expatriates (our clients) were scrambling to get their documents in order and meeting Spanish expectations (which do not always match American ones)—a process that can take months when done from overseas—mine was done without any worry.
For those who may need to go through this process, here’s what I learned about getting it right:
First, contact your university’s registrar office and specifically request a certified copy of your diploma for international use. Emphasize that you need it for apostille purposes. The copy must include:
- The university’s official seal which may be a visible or invisible stamp (not visible when scanned, but can be seen on physical copy)
- An original signature from an authorized official (usually the registrar)
- A statement certifying that the signature is genuine and the signer has the authority to issue such documents
- Notary public recognition, stamp, and signature
If your university seems unsure about the process, be persistent. Some might need guidance that the certification must be done in a way that will be accepted for apostille by the Illinois Secretary of State office. My diploma had this stated on a copy of my diploma; others are letters detailing this same information and confirming graduation details with a copy of the diploma attached, and signed before a notary public. Each will be slightly different but all points must be present.
Once you have the certified copy, you have several options for getting it apostilled in Illinois:
- Visit the Index Department in person in Springfield or Chicago
- Mail it to the Index Department (though in-person is much faster)
- Use an apostille service company if you can’t do either of the above
- If mailing your documents, send them to: Secretary of State Index Department 111 East Monroe Springfield, IL 62756. Do NOT mail them to the Chicago office.
The whole process typically takes 2-4 weeks if done by mail, though you can get same-day service if you go in person. Illinois is actually one of the more efficient states for this process, with their $2 fee being remarkably reasonable compared to other states that charge $10-20 or more.
Looking back, I’m amazed at how this random bit of preparation saved me so much time and stress and already allowed me to help my clients and my colleagues understand how the American system worked. Sometimes, the best preparation happens by accident.
For anyone considering international work or study, I’d strongly recommend getting your degree certified and apostilled well in advance. Even if you don’t have immediate plans to use it, having an apostilled copy of your degree ready can save you significant time and hassle down the road. After all, you never know when an opportunity might arise that requires it.
Funny thing is, I never truly needed my apostilled diploma until I registered for a Master’s degree in Spain. Again, I was happy to think back on my luck before even making my life here.
Have you had your diploma legalized? Was it straight forward? Or did the Secretary of State’s Office or Spanish administration send you back for an improved copy? Feel free to contact me if you are lost in the communications with your Registrar’s office!
