Apostille for South Korea
Apostille for Documents Going to South Korea
South Korea has accepted apostilles since 2007, and degree and background check documents travel by two different routes.
South Korea authentication facts
- Accepts an apostille
- Yes
- In force since
- 14 July 2007
- Illinois issued documents
- Illinois Secretary of State
- Federally issued documents
- United States Department of State, Office of Authentications
Entry into force date from the HCCH status table for the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, checked 10 September 2026.
One Document Set, Two Different Authorities
The Republic of Korea has been a party to the Hague Apostille Convention since 14 July 2007. An Illinois document bound for South Korea therefore generally needs an apostille rather than consular legalization.
The defining feature of a typical Korea bound document set is different. These sets almost always contain both a university issued document and a federally issued document, and those two do not travel together. They cannot be submitted to the same authority, and treating them as one package is where most self managed attempts go wrong.
Documents Most Commonly Requested for South Korea
- Degree certificates and diplomas
- Academic transcripts
- Criminal background checks issued by the FBI
- Birth certificates
- Marriage certificates
- Corporate documents
Which Route Your Document Takes
Degree certificate or diploma
- Issuing authority
- University registrar
- Authentication route
- Notarization where required, then Illinois Secretary of State
FBI criminal background check
- Issuing authority
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Authentication route
- United States Department of State, not the Illinois Secretary of State
Academic transcript
- Issuing authority
- University registrar
- Authentication route
- Notarization where required, then Illinois Secretary of State
Illinois birth certificate
- Issuing authority
- Certified copy from the county clerk, the local registrar, or the Illinois Department of Public Health
- Authentication route
- Illinois Secretary of State
Illinois marriage certificate
- Issuing authority
- Certified copy from the county clerk
- Authentication route
- Illinois Secretary of State
Illinois divorce decree
- Issuing authority
- Certified copy from the circuit clerk
- Authentication route
- Illinois Secretary of State
A document already signed by a circuit clerk or a circuit judge must not be notarized. It must already carry that official's own seal, signature, printed name, and title before it can be authenticated.
Corporate or commercial document
- Issuing authority
- The company
- Authentication route
- Notarization where required, then Illinois Secretary of State
State Route or Federal Route
Document sets prepared for South Korea commonly contain both a state route document and a federal route document. The two are submitted separately to different authorities, and Illini Notary sequences and tracks both rather than leaving you to coordinate them. That is an operational description of what we do, and nothing more.
Sequencing matters, and it is the most useful thing this page can tell you. The two routes run on different clocks, and by the authorities' own stated figures the federal route takes substantially longer than the Illinois route. Where a set contains an FBI criminal background check, that document governs the overall timeline and should be started first, with the Illinois documents following behind it.
What Determines the Timeline
Authentication does not run on a fixed schedule, and no honest provider quotes one. These are the factors that decide how long a particular document takes.
- Which authority issued the underlying document
- Whether an original or a newly issued certified copy must be ordered first
- Whether a notarization is required before authentication
- Mail transit in both directions
- The processing time of the authenticating authority
The processing figures published by each authenticating authority are collected in one place, with their attribution and their limits, so you can read them in context.
What It Costs, by Route
Documents bound for this destination may travel by different routes, and Illinois documents have several handling options. The figures below separate the professional service fee from the government fee, so you can see exactly what belongs to which.
Illinois issued documents
From $145 plus government fee, shipping quoted at cost
The $145 is Illini Notary's own case management and document processing charge for the first document. It excludes the Illinois Secretary of State's fee of $2 per document, which is stated separately and passed through at cost.
Priority Illinois apostille, next counter run
From $220 plus the Illinois Secretary of State's $2 per document fee
The document is hand-carried to the Champaign counter on the next scheduled business day rather than mailed.
Same-day apostille submission
From $295 plus the $2 government fee
Documents must be received and confirmed eligible by 1:00 p.m. Central on weekdays. This is a submission promise, not an issuance promise. Illini Notary controls when the document is presented, not when the state issues it or how long the queue runs that day.
Saturday priority or same-day run
$35 weekend scheduling upcharge: $255 plus government fee for priority, or $330 plus government fee for same-day
Saturday scheduling requires advance notice and confirmation by Illini Notary. Capacity is limited during the shorter Saturday window and seasonal UIUC demand periods, so Illini Notary may decline a requested Saturday run.
Federal documents, such as an FBI background check
From $245 plus shipping
This figure already includes the United States Department of State fee of $20 per document. Only shipping is additional. Where Illini Notary obtains the FBI Identity History Summary itself, the FBI's own $18 direct request fee applies on top. Where an FBI approved channeler is used instead, the channeler sets its own fee, which is separate and quoted at intake.
Documents issued by a state other than Illinois
From $200 plus the issuing state's own fee and shipping
Illini Notary identifies the issuing state's competent authority and manages that submission on your behalf.
Embassy and consular legalization, for destinations outside the Apostille Convention
From $295
The final price depends on the destination country and the document, and is quoted per case once both are known.
Prices shown are estimates. Your exact quote is confirmed once we have the full scope of your documents and service needs.
Government fees are stated by route and passed through at cost. An Illinois issued document carries the Illinois Secretary of State fee of $2 per document. A federal document carries the United States Department of State fee of $20 per document. A single order may contain both routes and therefore both fees. Shipping, courier, fingerprint capture, channeler fees, translation, and the Illini Notary professional service fee are itemized separately.
Questions About Documents Going to South Korea
Notarization and apostille are separate steps performed by separate authorities. Authentication is issued by a government authority, not by a notary. Handling times are subject to Illinois Secretary of State processing times. We do not guarantee acceptance of a document by any foreign government, consulate, court, agency, or receiving party. Confirm your receiving party's current requirements before ordering.
Related Pages
Illinois Apostille Services
The full explanation of Illinois authentication, pathways, and government fees.
Remote Online Notarization
Sign before an Illinois notary by secure video from anywhere.
International Document Authentication Guide
How the process works for every destination, apostille or legalization.
Apostille Processing Times
Why the federal route and the state route run on different clocks.
Next Step
Start an Apostille Request.
Tell us the document and the destination. We confirm the requirement against current official sources before the work is quoted.
Prices shown are estimates. Your exact quote is confirmed once we have the full scope of your documents and service needs.
Illini Notary and Signing Services is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Notarial acts are performed in accordance with the Illinois Notary Public Act.
Please do not send document contents by email.