Quick answer
For Haiti, the translation is usually into French, since many Haitian offices work in French. Florida issues an authentication certificate for Haiti, not an apostille — $220, 5–7 business days.
- Issued by
- The translator, signing an affidavit of accuracy before a Florida notary who is not the translator.
- Florida state fee
- $10 — included in $220
- Route
- Florida authentication → U.S. Department of State → Haiti embassy
- Online notarization
- Available as an add-on
- Consulate serving Florida
- Consulate General of Haiti in Miami (Haiti also has a Consulate General in Orlando)
- Translation
- Haiti's official languages are French and Haitian Creole.
How a Florida certified translation is used in Haiti
For Haiti, the translation is usually into French, since many Haitian offices work in French. If you translate in Florida, the translator signs a certificate of accuracy before a notary who is not the translator, and that notarized translation is authenticated in Florida with the original so it carries its own certificate. Ask the receiving office whether a French translation made in Florida is acceptable or whether it must be done in Haiti.
Getting a certified translation Florida will authenticate
The complete translation bound to the translator's affidavit (name, languages, document translated, statement of accuracy and competence), sworn before a different Florida notary with a complete jurat. As a rule, the translation is certified, notarized and apostilled in Florida so it carries its own apostille, while the original document gets its own apostille first.
Ask the receiving authority whether it accepts a translation made in the U.S.; some countries may also or instead require their own sworn or official translator (for example, a traductor jurado in Spain, a sworn translator in Germany or a perito traductor in Mexico). The translator can sign through our online notarization add-on: $40 for the first document ($10 notarization fee + $30 technology platform fee) and $20 for each additional document. Translation and notarization fees are not included in our $220, and we don't translate.
State fee for this document: $10 — included in our price. Full details on the certified translation page.
What happens after the Florida certificate — Haiti
After we return your document with its Florida authentication certificate, it goes to the U.S. Department of State for authentication; Haiti's embassy says its consular service will only legalize documents already authenticated by the U.S. Department of State. The last U.S. step is legalization by Haiti's Embassy in Washington, D.C. or one of its Consulates General, including those in Miami and Orlando. Ask the office in Haiti receiving your document whether it also needs a stamp from Haiti's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We don't handle, arrange or refer anyone for these steps.
We don't handle or arrange the U.S. Department of State or embassy steps. See how non-Hague authentication works.
Who receives it in Haiti — and translation
In Florida, Haiti is represented by its Consulates General in Miami and Orlando; the Embassy of Haiti in Washington, D.C. also legalizes U.S. documents. In Haiti, Florida documents typically go to civil-status officers (officiers de l'état civil), Haitian notaries (notaires) who handle property sales and estates, the courts, and schools or employers.
Haiti's official languages are French and Haitian Creole. Many Haitian offices work with documents in French, so ask the notary, court or registry receiving your English document whether it needs a French translation. If you translate in Florida, the translator certifies the translation and signs before a different notary, and the translation is authenticated in Florida along with the original, so it carries its own certificate.
We could not find a published Haitian rule on document age. Haitian notaries and registries may still ask for recent certified copies, so order fresh Florida records rather than reusing old ones, and ask the receiving office how recent they must be.
Consular office serving Florida: Consulate General of Haiti in Miami (Haiti also has a Consulate General in Orlando).
Four steps, one week
Order online
Pick the document and destination country on the order form and pay by card. After we review your documents, FedEx emails you a prepaid label.
Send it — or sign online
Drop the envelope at any FedEx location. Not signed yet? Add online notarization and there is nothing to ship.
We file in person
We review it, then walk it to the Florida Department of State in Tallahassee for the authentication certificate.
Returned to you
Back in 5–7 business days — anywhere in the U.S., or abroad for a flat $100.
Why certified translations get rejected
- Translator notarized their own affidavit
- Certificate of accuracy with no notarization
- Translation stapled to the certified original before it was apostilled
- Destination required its own sworn translator
What it costs for Haiti
$220 per document, $380 for two and $160 each for three or more — the state fee, request form, in-person filing in Tallahassee and FedEx shipping inside the U.S. are included. Shipping the finished authentication to Haiti is a flat $100 per order.
Not included: whatever the issuing office charges for the certified copy or certificate, and notarization (online notarization is $40 for the first document — $10 notarization fee + $30 technology platform fee — and $20 for each additional one).
