New Mexico Apostille

New Mexico Secretary of State apostilles documents issued, recorded or notarized in New Mexico, for $3 per document (statutory fee). Pick the document and the country to see what it needs first and how to send it. This runs in your browser and stores nothing.

New Mexico office checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.

This runs in your browser. Nothing you pick is sent, saved or added to the page address.

Pick the state where the document was issued, recorded or notarized, not the state you live in.

Choose who issued the document, the kind of document and the country to see the steps.

Who issues apostilles in New Mexico

Apostilles and authentication certificates for documents issued in New Mexico come from New Mexico Secretary of State (Business Services Division). Official page

Fees

  • Apostille: $3 per document (statutory fee). (source)
  • Certificate of Appointment (for countries outside the Apostille Convention): $3 per document (same statutory fee). (source)

How to send a request

  • By mail (Santa Fe): file the authentication request online first, then mail it with the original documents; foreign returns need a prepaid international air bill and envelope (source)
  • In person (Santa Fe): in person at the Business Services Division; requests are processed Monday to Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (source)
  • Online: the authentication request must be filed and paid online (card or e-check) through the state business filing portal; the original documents still go by mail or in person (source)

What New Mexico needs first, by document

Birth, death or marriage certificate

  • Get certified birth and death certificates only from the State Registrar of Vital Records (Vital Records & Health Statistics, Santa Fe); a notary may not photocopy them. (source)
  • The office also certifies public documents issued by New Mexico County Clerks. (source)

Court document (divorce decree, court order)

  • Send the certified court document or divorce decree; the certificate verifies the New Mexico official who certified it. (source)

Notarized document (power of attorney, affidavit, consent letter, translation)

  • Send the notarized original; the office verifies that the notary held a New Mexico commission at the time. (source)

School diploma or transcript

New Mexico Secretary of State does not say on its page whether this kind of document needs a step first. Ask the office before you mail an original.

Other state-issued document (business certificate, state background check)

  • Send the certified recorded instrument issued by the New Mexico government agency; the office verifies the certifying official. (source)

Countries outside the Apostille Convention

For a country outside the Apostille Convention, New Mexico Secretary of State issues its Certificate of Appointment instead of an apostille. Then:

  • For a country outside the Convention, send the state-certified document to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications, with Form DS-4194 and the $20 fee per document. (source)

Last, the destination country’s embassy or consulate in the United States legalizes it; ask it about its own steps, fees and timing before you send anything.

What the office will not accept or handle

  • Notary photocopies of birth, death or marriage certificates or other publicly recordable documents. (source)

Checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.

What this page does not do

  • It does not file anything. Requests go to New Mexico Secretary of State.
  • It does not cover documents from another state or a federal agency; those go to their own office.
  • It does not list embassy legalization rules for countries outside the Convention.
  • It does not promise processing times; fees and forms change, so check the office's page before you send originals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I get an apostille in New Mexico?

New Mexico Secretary of State issues apostilles for documents issued, recorded or notarized in New Mexico. The fee is $3 per document (statutory fee). Requests can be mailed to the office in Santa Fe. The office also serves people in person; check its page for hours and any appointment rule before going. The office also takes requests online.

How do I apostille a birth certificate from New Mexico?

Get certified birth and death certificates only from the State Registrar of Vital Records (Vital Records & Health Statistics, Santa Fe); a notary may not photocopy them. The office also certifies public documents issued by New Mexico County Clerks. Then send it to New Mexico Secretary of State with the $3 fee.

Does a document notarized in New Mexico need a county clerk certification first?

Send the notarized original; the office verifies that the notary held a New Mexico commission at the time.

What if the country is not in the Apostille Convention?

New Mexico Secretary of State issues its certificate of appointment instead of an apostille. Send it next to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications (Form DS-4194, $20 per document); the destination country's embassy or consulate then legalizes it.

How do I get an apostille for an FBI background check?

An FBI Identity History Summary is a federal document, so a state office cannot apostille it. The U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications handles it: send Form DS-4194, the document and the $20 fee per document. The form asks for the country where the document will be used.

Do I need a paid apostille service?

No. Every office on this page accepts requests directly from the public by mail, and some take them online. A service can only file the same request with the same office for you.

Sources

New Mexico office checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.

Know someone who could use this? Share this free tool:

Share: