MISSISSIPPI · APOSTILLE & TRANSLATION
Apostille & Certified Translation in Mississippi
Apostilles and authentications in Mississippi are issued by the Secretary of State's Notary Division in Jackson, and at $5.00 per document the state fee is one of the lowest in the country. The catch is timing: your certified translation and your apostille have to be sequenced correctly, or the destination country (or USCIS) will send it back. Translation HelpDesk delivers ATA-standard certified translation at $0.05/word — about $15-25 for a one-page civil document — in 24-48 hours, so it never becomes the bottleneck. We serve all of Mississippi from our nearshore team in Chihuahua, Mexico, and we will tell you exactly whether to translate before or after your apostille.
Updated July 11, 2026 · Guidance only — confirm current fees and steps with the Mississippi Secretary of State — Notary Division (Apostilles & Authentications), Jackson, MS.
HOW IT WORKS IN MISSISSIPPI
Getting an Apostille in Mississippi
In Mississippi, apostilles and authentications are issued by the Secretary of State's Notary Division in Jackson. You submit the original notarized document (or a document signed by a Mississippi public official), a completed Apostille Certification Request Form, and the $5.00-per-document fee by check or money order payable to "Secretary of State." Requests are accepted by mail, courier (FedEx/UPS), or in-person drop-off at 660 North Street, Jackson, MS (mailing address P.O. Box 136, Jackson, MS 39205-0136, Attention: Notary/Apostille/Authentication) — always include a prepaid, self-addressed return envelope so your documents come back. One important limit: a Mississippi notary cannot certify a copy of a vital record (birth, death, or marriage certificate), so those must be obtained as a certified copy from the Mississippi State Department of Health Vital Records before the state will apostille them; please confirm the current fee and address on the SOS website before mailing.
TRANSLATION + APOSTILLE
Where Certified Translation Fits
Sequence matters, and the mistake we fix most often is doing these steps out of order. For a Mississippi document going to a Hague country (e.g., Mexico), apostille the English original FIRST, then have BOTH the document and the apostille certificate translated — many people translate first and leave the one-page apostille untranslated, and the receiving consulate rejects it. Going the other way, a foreign document (like a Mexican birth certificate) used for USCIS or a US court does NOT get a Mississippi apostille at all — Mississippi can only apostille Mississippi-notarized or Mississippi-issued documents. In that case USCIS simply wants a certified English translation, which is what we provide.
Translation HelpDesk provides the certified English translation with a signed Certificate of Accuracy (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)) that USCIS accepts, and can advise on whether you need the apostille before or after translation for your specific document and destination.
FEES & TIMING
Cost & Turnaround
Apostille fee: Mississippi charges a $5.00 state fee per document for an apostille or authentication through the Secretary of State — among the lowest in the nation; verify the current amount on the SOS site before mailing. Certified translation from Translation HelpDesk is separate: $0.05/word, roughly $15-25 for a standard one-page civil document such as a birth, marriage, or death certificate.
Typical processing: State processing is generally about 2 business days after the Secretary of State receives your documents; allow several weeks total for a mail-in request once round-trip shipping is included. Certified translation from Translation HelpDesk is delivered in 24-48 hours.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues apostilles in Mississippi?
The Mississippi Secretary of State's Notary Division, in Jackson, issues both apostilles (for Hague Convention countries) and authentications (for non-Hague countries). The office is at 660 North Street, Jackson, MS, with a mailing address of P.O. Box 136, Jackson, MS 39205-0136.
How much does a Mississippi apostille cost and how long does it take?
The state fee is $5.00 per document, paid by check or money order to the Secretary of State. The Notary Division typically processes documents in roughly a couple of business days after they arrive, but you should budget several weeks total for mail-in requests once shipping both ways is included. Confirm the current fee and any expedited options on the SOS website before sending.
Should I translate my document before or after the apostille?
For a Mississippi document going abroad, get the apostille first, then translate both the document and the apostille certificate. Translating first is the most common error, because people forget the apostille page itself also needs to be translated for the receiving country.
Do I need a Mississippi apostille on my Mexican birth certificate for USCIS?
No. Mississippi can only apostille Mississippi-issued or Mississippi-notarized documents, and USCIS does not require an apostille on foreign civil records anyway. What USCIS requires is a certified English translation with a signed statement of accuracy — that is exactly what we deliver, backed by our USCIS Rejection Pledge.
Can you translate a foreign-language document so Mississippi will apostille it?
Yes. When a foreign-language document must be apostilled in Mississippi, it first has to be translated by a certified translator and notarized as a true and correct translation; the Secretary of State then apostilles the notary's signature. We provide the certified translation and can coordinate the notarization step for you.