Certified Translation
Certified translations coordinated with the apostille, so both arrive together and neither holds up the other. Serving Tampa, Hillsborough County and the wider Tampa Bay area.
Overview
An apostille proves a document is genuine. It does not make it readable. Most foreign authorities need both — the authenticated original and a certified translation into the local language — and when the two arrive separately, or in the wrong order, the filing gets held up.
We coordinate the pair. The document is apostilled first in almost every case, then translated with the apostille included, so what lands on the foreign desk is a complete package. Given the Tampa Bay market, Spanish and Portuguese are the languages we handle most, but Italian, French, German, Korean, Arabic and Mandarin are all routine.
Common Pairings
Spain, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Argentina and Brazil generally require a certified Spanish or Portuguese translation alongside the apostilled original.
Jure sanguinis applications require every U.S. vital record apostilled and translated into Italian, often with the translation certified at the consulate.
Diplomas and transcripts headed to European and Asian universities are usually required in both apostilled original and certified translation.
Death certificates and estate documents filed with a foreign court almost always require a certified translation into the court's working language.
Gulf and East Asian work permits commonly require translated and apostilled degrees and police clearances.
Powers of attorney for foreign property are frequently drafted in the local language and notarised here, then apostilled and returned.
Our Method
We work by appointment, which means no queue and no wasted trip. Ring us and we'll confirm a time within the hour.
We check that what you have is actually apostillable — certified copy, correct seal, complete notarization — and that it matches what the receiving country asks for.
A person carries your document to the state counter in Tallahassee. That single decision is what removes the multi-week postal queue from the timeline.
Your originals come back apostilled inside 5 business days, available for collection at the office, with a call the moment they arrive.
FAQ
No. The apostille certificate is a standardised multilingual form recognised across all Hague Convention countries. What usually needs translating is the document underneath it — the birth certificate, decree or diploma written in English.
Apostille first, in almost every case. The apostille attaches to the original document, and the translation is then made of the apostilled original so the foreign authority can read the whole package. A few countries want it the other way around — tell us the destination and we'll confirm.
Spanish and Portuguese most often, given the Tampa Bay market, along with Italian, French, German, Korean, Arabic and Mandarin. If you need something less common, ask — we can usually source it.
Not quite. A certified translation carries the translator's signed statement of accuracy and completeness. Some consulates additionally want that statement notarised, and occasionally apostilled itself. We'll tell you which level your destination requires.
Yes — foreign birth certificates, marriage records and academic documents are regularly translated into English for U.S. immigration and university use. That direction doesn't involve a Florida apostille, but we handle the translation the same way.
Typically two to three business days for standard documents, running in parallel with or after the apostille. Longer documents and rarer languages take more. We'll give you a firm date when you book.
Resources
Related
Tell us the destination country and we'll confirm exactly what it requires.
A single figure per document, with the Florida Department of State's fee already included. Bundles bring the per-document rate down from there.
Each figure includes the state's $10 filing fee per document, hand delivery to the Department of State counter, and all handling from drop-off to return. Notarization, where a document needs it first, is a separate add-on.
Grab the Apostille and Notarial Certificate Request Form from the Florida Department of State here. There's no need to fill it out ahead of time — we'll complete it with you at your appointment.
Florida apostille services for Hillsborough County residents and businesses. Appointment-only office on West Kennedy Boulevard in Tampa's Westshore district, serving the wider Tampa Bay area.
© 2026 Hillsborough County Apostille and Notary Services. All rights reserved. · Florida-Commissioned Notary · Established 2011
Hillsborough County Apostille and Notary Services is a private document handling business and is not affiliated with the Florida Department of State, the U.S. Department of State, or any government agency. We do not provide legal advice. Apostille fees include the $10 Florida Department of State filing fee per document.