Terms & Conditions

Effective date: August 31, 2025

Plain-English summary: We provide a professional courier and document handling service for U.S. federal apostilles. We are not a government agency nor a law firm. By placing an order, you agree to the terms below, including our Fair Refund Policy.

1) Who We Are & What We Do

Federal Apostille, LLC (“Company,” “we,” “us,” “our”) is a U.S.-based private service provider. We facilitate the apostille/authentication of federally issued documents by preparing, reviewing, couriering, submitting and collecting documents from the U.S. Department of State (DoS) Office of Authentications and returning scans and, if purchased, physical copies.

We are not the U.S. Department of State, any government office, or a law firm, and do not provide legal advice. Our service is a logistics and document-handling solution.

2) Eligibility & Good-Faith Use

  • You must be at least 18 years old to use our service.
  • You represent that your request is made in good faith and not for illegal or fraudulent purposes.
  • You agree to provide accurate information, including document destination country, contact details, and special instructions.

3) Orders, Pricing & Payment

  • Our flat-rate fee (shown at checkout) includes the U.S. Department of State fee for each federal apostille and digital scans of completed documents.
  • Physical shipping is optional and billed separately: $20 within the United States; international shipping is quoted case-by-case.
  • Prices, timeframes, and availability may change without notice due to government policy or factors outside our control. We will honor the price you agreed to at checkout for your order.
  • You authorize us (or our payment processor) to charge your selected payment method for all fees, taxes, and shipping you approve.
  • Charges will appear on your credit card or bank statement as US Document Services LLC.

4) Fair Refund Policy

Once work has begun (any of: document review, preparing/printing, courier drop-off, or submission to the U.S. Department of State), the order is considered in process and is not eligible for cancellation or immediate refund.

You agree to give us every reasonable opportunity to complete the apostille. If, after our full attempt, the apostille cannot be completed, we will issue a 100% refund.

Refund timing. Refunds for non-delivery are processed 60 days after the estimated delivery date (not the order date). This window allows for DoS backlogs and re-attempts when appropriate.

Non-refundable situations include (without limitation):

  • Incorrect, incomplete, or ineligible documents provided by the client (including wrong document type for a federal apostille);
  • Government rejections or delays outside our control;
  • Client’s change of mind after work has begun; or
  • Successful apostille on the document provided (even if the document later proves unusable for the client’s purpose).

Chargebacks. You agree to contact us first and allow up to 10 business days to resolve any issue before initiating a chargeback or dispute. Unauthorized chargebacks may be contested with documentation of services performed.

5) Turnaround Times & Delays

Quoted timelines (e.g., “~10 business days”) are good-faith estimates based on current conditions. Actual timing depends on the DoS schedule (e.g., DoS business days count Mon–Fri; the public counter accepts/picks up Mon–Thu), federal holidays, volume, security closures, and other events beyond our control. We are not responsible for government or carrier delays.

6) Document Accuracy & Client Responsibilities

  • You are responsible for obtaining the correct underlying federal document (e.g., FBI background check PDF, federal court record, FDA/USDA/HHS certificate, USPTO document) and ensuring it meets DoS requirements (original/certified, proper signatures/seals where applicable).
  • If you send an ineligible/incorrect document and DoS still issues an apostille (e.g., for the exact item submitted), it counts as “delivered.”
  • We may advise when a state apostille is more appropriate; however, the final decision and accuracy of the chosen document remain your responsibility.

7) Scans, Shipping & Retention

  • Digital scans of completed apostilles are included and delivered via email/portal.
  • Physical copies. If purchased, we ship to the address you provide. U.S. shipping is $20; international shipping is quoted.
  • Physical document handling: unless the law requires a longer hold, we securely shred physical materials 7 days after completion/shipment.
  • Electronic records (e.g., intake data, correspondence) are retained and then purged on a rolling basis within 3 years or earlier, subject to legal holds.

8) No Legal Advice

We do not provide legal advice. Information on our website, emails, or staff communications is general information about processes and logistics. For legal questions or country-specific requirements, consult the destination authority, consulate, or a licensed attorney.

9) Privacy & Security

We take reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect your information. No system is 100% secure. Use of the service is also subject to our Privacy Policy.

10) Acceptable Use

You agree not to submit content that violates law or third-party rights, or to use our service to misrepresent identity, forge documents, or deceive authorities. We may refuse or terminate service for suspected abuse.

11) Disclaimers

Except as expressly stated, services are provided “as is” and “as available.” We disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including fitness for a particular purpose. We do not control government actions, policies, or processing times.

12) Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, our total liability arising from or related to your order shall not exceed the total fees you paid for that order. We are not liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages.

13) Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its employees/contractors from claims, damages, and expenses arising out of your misuse of the service, inaccurate information, unlawful purpose, or breach of these Terms.

14) Force Majeure

We are not liable for delays or failures caused by events beyond our reasonable control (e.g., government closures, pandemics, severe weather, labor issues, supply or carrier disruptions, emergencies).

15) Dispute Resolution & Governing Law

  • These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to conflict-of-law rules.
  • Exclusive venue and jurisdiction: state and federal courts located in Fort Bend County, Texas.
  • Each party consents to personal jurisdiction in those courts.

16) E-Signature & Communications Consent

By clicking “Continue to Secure Checkout,” typing your name, or submitting payment, you agree these actions constitute your electronic signature and acceptance of these Terms. You consent to receive service communications by email, SMS, or phone.

17) SMS Messaging Program Terms

Program Name: Federal Apostille Alerts

Description: Upon opting in, you may receive SMS messages related to your interactions with Federal Apostille, including order status updates, account notifications, customer support messages, appointment reminders, service notices, and limited promotional offers.

Opt-Out Instructions

You can cancel the SMS service at any time. Simply text STOP to the number you receive messages from. After you send STOP, we will send a confirmation message to verify your unsubscribe status. Following this confirmation, you will no longer receive SMS messages from us.

Rejoining Instructions

To rejoin, opt in again through our website forms or by contacting support. Upon re-enrollment, we will resume sending SMS messages to you.

Help Instructions

If you experience issues with the messaging program, reply with the keyword HELP for assistance, or contact us at support@federalapostille.com or +1 (202) 900-0877.

Carrier Liability Disclaimer

Wireless carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

Message Frequency & Rates

Message frequency varies based on your activity and interactions. Message and data rates may apply for messages sent to you from us and to us from you. For questions about your text plan or data plan, please contact your wireless provider.

Privacy

For information about how we collect, use, and safeguard your information, please review our Privacy Policy.

Compliance

Our SMS program is designed to comply with applicable industry standards and guidelines, including CTIA best practices, and with applicable U.S. laws and regulations. By opting in, you agree to abide by these Terms and all applicable laws.

Legal

Use of the SMS program is subject to these Terms and all applicable U.S. laws and regulations. We reserve the right to change or discontinue the SMS program at any time.

18) Changes to the Service or Terms

We may update these Terms at any time. The version posted at the time of your order governs that order. Material changes to general policies will be posted on our website with a new “Effective date.”

19) Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full force and effect.

20) Contact

Questions or concerns? We’re happy to help.

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