NEW HAMPSHIRE · APOSTILLE & TRANSLATION
Apostille & Certified Translation in New Hampshire
Yes — in New Hampshire, apostilles and authentication certificates come from one place: the Office of the Secretary of State in Concord, at Room 204 of the State House. Whether your birth certificate is heading to Mexico or your foreign diploma is heading to USCIS, the apostille and the certified translation are two separate steps, and doing them in the wrong order is the single most expensive mistake we see. Translation HelpDesk provides USCIS-accepted certified translations at $0.05/word (most civil documents run $15–25), backed by our USCIS Rejection Pledge, so your apostilled document reads correctly in the destination country's language. Start with a free 250-word sample and 24–48-hour turnaround — message us by email at info@translationhelpdesk.com.
Updated July 11, 2026 · Guidance only — confirm current fees and steps with the New Hampshire Department of State, Office of the Secretary of State (Secretary of State David M. Scanlan) — apostilles and certificates are issued from Room 204 of the State House, 107 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301.
HOW IT WORKS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
Getting an Apostille in New Hampshire
In New Hampshire, apostilles and certifications are issued only by the Secretary of State's Office in Concord — not by county clerks or notaries. You need the original certified or notarized document first: for vital records like birth, marriage, or death certificates, request an original notarized copy from your town/city clerk or the NH Division of Vital Records Administration; for notarized documents (translations, affidavits, powers of attorney), have a New Hampshire notary complete the acknowledgment. Then submit the document with the state's Apostille/Certification Request Form. You can go in person to Room 204 of the State House, 107 North Main Street, Concord, Monday–Friday 8:00 am–4:15 pm, or mail it with a check and a self-addressed, prepaid return envelope. The state issues an apostille if the destination country is party to the Hague Convention, or a certification (often needing further consular legalization) if it is not.
TRANSLATION + APOSTILLE
Where Certified Translation Fits
Sequence matters. If a New Hampshire document (birth certificate, diploma, court order) is going abroad, apostille the original English document first, then have the certified translation done so the translator can render the apostille certificate too — many consulates reject files where the apostille itself was left untranslated. If instead you have a foreign document that already carries an apostille from its home country and you need it for USCIS or a U.S. court, do NOT send it to Concord — foreign apostilles are not re-apostilled here; you simply need a certified English translation of the document and its apostille. The most common mistake we fix is people translating first, apostilling second, and ending up with an untranslated apostille — or paying to apostille a document the receiving party only wanted translated.
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: New Hampshire's state fee is about $10 per apostille or certification (per document). Bringing 10 or more documents to wait for in person adds an expedited charge of roughly $25 per 10 documents. Because state fees change, confirm the current amount with the Secretary of State's Office before mailing your check. These are government fees only and are separate from Translation HelpDesk's certified translation pricing of $0.05/word (most civil documents $15–25).
Typical processing: The New Hampshire Secretary of State typically processes apostilles in about 2 business days; in-person requests are often same-day for small batches, while mailed requests add round-trip postal time. Translation HelpDesk delivers certified translations in 24–48 hours, so translation is rarely the bottleneck.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues apostilles in New Hampshire?
Only the New Hampshire Department of State, Office of the Secretary of State, issues apostilles and certifications. They are processed at Room 204 of the State House, 107 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301 — county clerks and notaries cannot issue them. You can submit in person Monday–Friday, 8:00 am–4:15 pm, or by mail with the request form, a check, and a prepaid return envelope.
Should I translate my document before or after the New Hampshire apostille?
If a New Hampshire document is going abroad, apostille it first, then translate — the certified translation should include the apostille certificate itself, because many foreign authorities reject an untranslated apostille. If you already hold a foreign document with its own apostille and need it for USCIS or a U.S. court, you skip Concord entirely and just get a certified English translation of the document and its apostille.
How much does a New Hampshire apostille cost?
The state fee is about $10 per document, with an added expedited charge (roughly $25 per 10 documents) for large in-person batches. Fees can change, so verify the current amount with the Secretary of State before paying. That government fee is separate from certified translation, which Translation HelpDesk charges at $0.05/word — most civil documents like birth or marriage certificates run $15–25.
Does New Hampshire apostille a certified translation?
New Hampshire apostilles the notarized signature on a document, not the translation's accuracy. If a receiving country wants the translation authenticated, a New Hampshire notary can notarize the translator's certification and the Secretary of State can then apostille that notary's signature. In most cases, though, you apostille the original public record and translate it — including the apostille — rather than apostilling the translation.
Will USCIS accept my document if it only has an apostille?
No. USCIS requires a full English translation of any foreign-language document, with the translator's certification of accuracy and completeness — an apostille authenticates the origin of the document, not its language. Translation HelpDesk's certified translations meet USCIS requirements and are backed by our USCIS Rejection Pledge. Send us a free 250-word sample request first by email at info@translationhelpdesk.com.
Can I get a New Hampshire apostille by mail from out of state?
Yes. Mail your original certified or notarized document to the Secretary of State's Office, Room 204, 107 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301, with the completed Apostille/Certification Request Form, a check for the fee, and a self-addressed, prepaid return envelope. Because Translation HelpDesk works remotely from Chihuahua, Mexico serving all of the USA, we can handle the certified translation side no matter where you are.