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Replacement Diploma and Apostilles

REPLACEMENT DIPLOMA

For replacement diplomas, please check back here in June 2024.

APOSTILLES

Under the Hague Convention of 1961, signatory countries have agreed to recognize public documents issued by other signatory countries if those public documents are authenticated by the attachment of an internationally recognized form of authentication know as an “Apostille.” The Apostille ensures that public documents issued in one signatory country will be recognized as valid in another signatory country.

There are three steps that occur for your diploma to be authenticated/legalized:

  1. Your transcript, diploma, or copy of your diploma must be certified by Union College and notarized by a notary public in Schenectady County.
  2. The diploma must then be presented to the Schenectady Country Clerk’s office to certify the authenticity of the notary public.
  3. The diploma is then sent onto the New York State Department of State for apostille/authentication.

Note: If you are using the diploma in a country not listed in the signatory countries, you will need to contact the Embassy or Consulate of the country where you intend to use the document to discuss their authentication requirements. Some non-signatory countries may accept an Apostille. Others may require further steps.

To request an apostille/authentication of your document, you must first determine what type of document you need (transcript, diploma, replacement diploma, or photocopy of diploma). The Registrar's Office will not know what type of document you need.

  • If you need to request an official transcript, you must complete a transcript request online.
  • If you need to order a replacement diploma, you must complete a Replacement Diploma Form. You will need to determine if the diploma needs to be an original or if a copy will suffice. If an original diploma is required and you no longer have the original, a duplicate diploma can be ordered at the time of your Apostille request.

What you need to submit to the Registrar's Office:

  1. Brief cover letter explaining what you need that includes how we may contact you (mailing address, telephone number, and email).
  2. Either the document you require to be authenticated or a request form for a transcript or request form for a replacement diploma.
  3. Completed Apostille form for the New York State Department of State.
  4. Check or money order made out to New York State Department of State ($10.00 in U.S. currency per document - check or money order only). You may also pay this fee by credit or debit on the Apostille Request Form.
  5. A pre-addressed, postage-paid envelope. This envelope will be used by the NYS Secretary of State to mail the document to the address provided by you. The document may be sent back to you or to the final recipient - this is your choice, or it may be dictated by the final recipient. It is your responsibility to supply this information and to ensure that the postage affixed is adequate.

Mail all required documents to:

Union College Registrar's Office
807 Union Street

Schenectady, NY 12308


Once all the above documentation is received, the Registrar's Office will:

  • Verify the student’s record to ensure there are no holds that would prohibit processing.
  • Notarize the document.
  • Present the notarized document (with payment) to the Schenectady County Clerk’s office for authentication.
  • Mail the notarized document with the completed NYS Department of State Apostille/Certification of Authentication Request form with your payment and pre-addressed, postage-paid envelope to the NYS Department of State.

The Apostille process can be very complicated and will usually take two to three weeks (if you require a replacement diploma to be printed, it can take more than a month). We are happy to help you navigate through this process. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns about your request.

Questions? Contact the Registrar's Office at (518) 388-6109 or email registrar@union.edu.

A comprehensive description of the Apostille is available at the NYS Secretary of State or the U.S. Department of State, Authentications Office websites.