FAQs
Q: What’s the difference between a notary, an apostille, and an authentication?
A notary public verifies signatures on documents within Missouri. ($5 per notarization by state law)
An apostille is a special certificate from the Missouri Secretary of State for use in countries that are members of the Hague Convention.
An authentication is required for non-Hague countries and involves multiple steps (MO Secretary of State → U.S. Dept. of State → Embassy).
Q: Why do your fees cost more than the state fee?
Missouri charges $5 per notarization and $10 per apostille, but those are state-only costs. Our fees cover:
Preparing correct cover letters and forms
Submitting documents to the right offices
Tracking progress and ensuring no rejection
Handling shipping/courier services
Saving you weeks of delays or errors
This is why professional apostille and authentication facilitation is valuable.
Q: How long does the process take?
Mobile Notary: Same day service available (by appointment)
Apostille (mail-in): 7–14 business days
Apostille (priority): 3–7 business days
Authentication (MO only): 1–2 weeks
Authentication (MO + Federal): 3–6 weeks
Full Legalization (Embassy): 4–8 weeks
Q: Apostille - Can I do this myself?
Yes — you can mail your documents directly to Jefferson City. However, if your paperwork is even slightly wrong (wrong notarization wording, uncertified copy, missing payment, wrong return label, embassy errors), the entire packet will be rejected, and you’ll lose weeks. Clients hire us to avoid these pitfalls.
Q: Do you serve my area?
Big River Notary serves St. Francois County, Ste. Genevieve, Iron, Washington, and Madison Counties for mobile notary services. Apostille and authentication work can be handled statewide via mail.
Q: Do you provide shipping labels?
Yes. You can either provide prepaid shipping labels or we’ll generate labels for you at carrier cost (USPS, UPS, or FedEx).
Q: Do you offer translation services?
We do not provide translations.
Q: Are you insured?
Yes. We carry Errors & Omissions Insurance and operate in full compliance with Missouri state law.
Q: How do I get started?
Tell us your destination country and type of document.
We confirm whether it needs an apostille (Hague) or authentication (non-Hague).
We prepare the packet, collect fees, and handle submission.
Your certified documents are returned to you securely.