When a Teaching Opportunity Abroad Meant Navigating Two States and a Tight Deadline

Moving to another country is exciting. It is also overwhelming. There are houses to sell, belongings to pack, goodbyes to say, and a thousand details that demand attention all at once. The last thing anyone wants to think about during this time is paperwork.

But paperwork is often what stands between you and your new life abroad.

This is the story of one client who came to us in the middle of planning an international move. He had a teaching position waiting for him in the Czech Republic, a family counting on him to make it happen, and a stack of documents that needed to be apostilled from two different states. He had weeks, not months. And he had no idea where to start.

A Dream Opportunity with a Paperwork Problem

Our client was a teacher who had been offered a position at a school in the Czech Republic. It was the kind of opportunity that does not come around twice. He accepted, and suddenly everything was in motion.

The school required authenticated copies of several vital documents before he could finalize his employment and visa. Specifically, he needed apostilles on his birth certificate, his divorce decree, his daughter's birth certificate, and his marriage certificate.

Here is where it got complicated.

His birth certificate and divorce decree were issued in Oklahoma. His daughter's birth certificate and his marriage certificate were both issued in New Mexico. That meant dealing with two different states, two different sets of requirements, and two different timelines.

To make matters worse, he only had a certified copy of his own birth certificate. For the marriage certificate, divorce decree, and his daughter's birth certificate, all he had were photocopies of vital records. Photocopies cannot be apostilled. An apostille can only be placed on an official certified copy issued by the appropriate government agency. That meant we would need to obtain fresh certified copies from vital records offices and clerks of court in two different states before the apostille process could even begin.

And he simply did not have time.

Between selling his house, coordinating the move, and preparing his family for life in a new country, he could not afford to spend days on the phone with government agencies or take time off to drive to New Mexico. He needed someone who could handle all of it for him.

That is when he reached out to The Sheridan Company.

Understanding the Challenge

When someone needs an apostille, the process seems straightforward on the surface. You get your document, you send it to the Secretary of State, and you receive it back with the apostille attached. Simple enough.?

Real life is rarely that simple.

In this case, we were dealing with multiple layers of complexity. First, there was the multi-state issue. Oklahoma and New Mexico each have their own Secretary of State office, their own procedures, and their own processing times. A document issued in New Mexico cannot be apostilled in Oklahoma. It must go through the state where it was originally issued.

Second, there was the issue of the photocopies. Our client had his own Oklahoma birth certificate, but for the other three documents, he only had photocopies of vital records. Many people do not realize that a photocopy of a vital record cannot be apostilled, no matter how clear or official it looks. An apostille can only be placed on a certified copy issued directly by the government agency that holds the original record. We would need to obtain fresh certified copies of the marriage certificate, divorce decree, and his daughter's birth certificate before we could proceed.

Third, there was the matter of authorization. Government agencies do not release vital records to just anyone. To request documents on someone else's behalf, you need proper legal authorization.

Finally, there was the deadline. International moves operate on fixed timelines. Flights are booked. Leases are signed. Schools are expecting new teachers to arrive on specific dates. There is no room for delays.

We knew what needed to happen. The question was whether we could make it happen in time.

Building the Solution

The first step was establishing the legal authority to act on our client's behalf. We prepared a Power of Attorney that authorized The Sheridan Company to request vital records and handle document processing for him. Once that was signed, we could move forward.

Next, we began the document retrieval process. His Oklahoma birth certificate was already in hand as a certified copy, so we could move forward with that one immediately. For the divorce decree, we coordinated with the appropriate Oklahoma court to obtain a certified copy. For the New Mexico documents, we contacted New Mexico Vital Records to retrieve his daughter's birth certificate and went to the Clerk of Court in the corresponding county to obtain a certified copy of the marriage certificate.

This is where having working knowledge of each state and its agencies makes all the difference. We understand the specific requirements, procedures, and timelines for vital records offices and clerks of court across the country. We know who to contact, what forms are needed, and how to navigate the process efficiently. Our client did not have to make a single phone call or visit a single office.

Once the certified copies arrived, we moved immediately to the apostille phase. The Oklahoma birth certificate and divorce decree went to the Oklahoma Secretary of State. The New Mexico documents went to the New Mexico Secretary of State. We tracked each submission carefully, monitoring progress and ensuring nothing fell through the cracks.

Within the timeframe our client needed, all four documents were apostilled and ready.

What This Meant for Our Client

When we delivered the completed documents, our client had everything he needed to move forward with his employment paperwork and visa application. He did not have to take time away from his family during an already hectic period. He did not have to figure out the requirements for two different states. He did not have to worry about whether his documents would arrive in time.

He handed the problem to us, and we solved it.

That is what we do. We take the complexity out of the apostille process so our clients can focus on what matters most to them. In this case, that meant preparing for an exciting new chapter in the Czech Republic.

Why Multi-State Apostilles Are More Common Than You Think

his client's situation might sound unusual, but it is actually more common than most people realize. Americans are mobile. We are born in one state, get married in another, earn degrees in a third, and build careers in a fourth. By the time we need documents apostilled for international use, those documents are often scattered across the country.

Consider a few scenarios:

A woman born in California who got married in Nevada and now lives in Texas needs apostilles for a job in Germany. That is three states.

A man pursuing dual citizenship through his grandparents needs apostilles on birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates spanning multiple generations and multiple states. That could be four or five states.

A family adopting a child internationally needs apostilles on documents from the state where each parent was born, the state where they were married, and the state where they currently reside. Another multi-state situation.

Each of these scenarios requires coordinating with multiple Secretaries of State, each with their own procedures and timelines. It is a logistical challenge that can quickly become overwhelming, especially when deadlines are involved.

The Value of Having One Point of Contact

When you are juggling documents from multiple states, the last thing you need is to manage multiple relationships with multiple agencies. You need one point of contact who understands the big picture and can coordinate everything on your behalf.

That is the service we provide at The Sheridan Company.

When you work with us, you tell us what documents you need apostilled and where they need to go. We handle everything else. If you do not have certified copies, we obtain them. If your documents are from different states, we coordinate with each Secretary of State. If you need international shipping, we arrange it and track the package until it arrives.

You get updates along the way. You know exactly where things stand. And when the process is complete, you receive your apostilled documents ready for whatever comes next, whether that is a new job abroad, a visa application, a citizenship claim, or a wedding in another country.

One point of contact. One seamless process. That is how it should be.

Planning an International Move?

If you are preparing to relocate abroad, there is a good chance you will need apostilles on important documents. Birth certificates, marriage certificates, diplomas, background checks, and other vital records often require authentication before foreign governments will accept them.

The Czech Republic, like most European countries, is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. This means U.S. documents with a valid apostille are recognized as legally authentic. Without an apostille, your documents may be rejected, delaying your plans and adding stress to an already demanding process.

We encourage you to start thinking about your document needs early. Identify which documents you will need, determine which states issued them, and consider whether you have certified copies on hand. The sooner you begin, the more flexibility you have if unexpected challenges arise.

And if you would rather not navigate the process yourself, we are here to help.

About The Sheridan Company

The Sheridan Company provides apostille facilitation services for documents from all 50 states. Based in Oklahoma, we serve clients locally, nationally, and internationally. Whether you need a single Oklahoma birth certificate apostilled or a complex multi-state package coordinated under a tight deadline, we have the expertise and working knowledge of each state to make it happen.

We also offer certified document translation in over 150 languages, mobile notary services in the Oklahoma City and Edmond areas, and remote online notarization for clients anywhere in the world.

Our founder understands the challenges of navigating official documents and international processes firsthand. As an immigrant herself, she built The Sheridan Company to help others avoid the confusion and frustration that often accompanies this kind of paperwork. Every client receives personal attention, clear communication, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing their documents are in capable hands.

If you have questions about apostilles, document authentication, or any of our services, we invite you to reach out. We are happy to talk through your situation and help you understand your options.

The Sheridan Company Phone: (405) 960-2717 Website: www.thesheridanco.com

Every detail deserves excellence.