Based in the Washington, DC area. Submits federal and Pennsylvania apostille documents in person on behalf of clients nationwide.
Who runs Michael's Courier Service
Michael Snider (Owner / Courier). I run Michael Courier DC as a solo practice. There is no call center, no subcontractor, and no offshore team — every email is answered by me and every document is hand-carried by me to the issuing office.
I am based in the Washington, DC area, which gives me direct, in-person access to the U.S. Department of State's Office of Authentications and the Pennsylvania Department of State in Harrisburg. Submitting documents in person is the reason my federal turnaround (typically 2–3 weeks) beats the standard 6-week federal mail-in backlog.
What an apostille is, in plain English
An apostille is a standardized certificate attached to a U.S. document so that foreign governments recognize it as authentic. The apostille was set by the 1961 Hague Convention, which the United States later joined. Apostilles are commonly required for:
- FBI Identity History Summary Checks used for immigration, foreign employment, or adoption abroad
- U.S. birth, marriage, and death certificates used for dual citizenship or family-based immigration
- Court documents, including divorce decrees and name-change orders
- Federal agency correspondence such as a USCIS Certificate of Non-Existence or a NARA Negative Search
An apostille must be issued by the same level of government that issued the underlying document. That is why an FBI Background Check is apostilled by the federal Office of Authentications in Washington, DC, while a Pennsylvania birth certificate is apostilled by the Pennsylvania Department of State in Harrisburg. See the apostille process page for a step-by-step walkthrough.
What I do differently
- Single point of contact.
- You email me; I handle every step. There is no queue, no ticket system, and no handoff between sales and operations.
- In-person federal submission.
- Federal documents are submitted in person at the Office of Authentications, which puts each request ahead of the 6-week federal mail-in queue.
- Transparent flat pricing.
- $75 per federal document, $75 per Pennsylvania state document (3-document minimum), $100 for the first mail-in apostille plus $25 per additional. Government fees and return shipping are included. See services and pricing.
- All document types handled.
- Federal, Pennsylvania, and any U.S. state via mail-in. FBI Background Checks, vital records, NARA records, USCIS correspondence, and certified court documents.
- One contact for the whole run.
- Updates at every state change. Scanned apostille delivered the day your documents ship back. Priority return shipping with tracking.
Service area
Anywhere in the United States. Digital documents (FBI Background Checks, USCIS correspondence) are accepted by email; physical originals are accepted by mail at the address on the contact page. Return shipping to all U.S. states is included.
What I don't do
To set expectations clearly: I am not a notary, I do not apostille documents originating outside the United States, and I do not provide legal advice on which documents you need. If you are unsure whether your document is eligible, email me first — I review eligibility before any payment is taken.
Get started
Email info@michaelcourierdc.com with the country the documents will be used in, the type of document, and how many documents you need apostilled. I reply with a flat quote and turnaround, usually the same business day.
Or read the frequently asked questions first — most pricing, eligibility, and shipping questions are answered there.