Many applicants who need an apostille once find they need one again within a few years - for a different country, a different purpose, or a renewed criminal record check. A few practices at the outset reduce the cost and complexity of future requests.

When ordering a birth or marriage certificate for one apostille submission, order two or three originals at the same time. The incremental cost at a Vital Statistics office is $20 to $50 per additional original. Having extras in hand eliminates the need to restart from the Vital Statistics application when the next need arises. Italian citizenship submissions require originals that are not returned - applicants who ordered only one copy before discovering this must reorder and re-apostille the entire set.

Once laminated, a certificate is permanently ineligible. Keep originals in an acid-free flat folder. Do not fold, punch holes in, or write on vital records.

Note: the authority used, the submission date, the tracking number, and the apostille certificate number when the document returns. If a foreign authority requests verification later, having the certificate number enables rapid confirmation through the online register.

If an apostilled document is lost in international transit, a photograph provides the certificate number for online verification and documentation of what was sent. Some applicants photograph every page of the apostilled package before it leaves their hands.

A criminal record check apostilled two years ago for one application may not satisfy a new application's 6-month recency requirement. The apostille remains valid - the check behind it may not be fresh enough. Check the receiving party's current requirements each time a document is submitted, even if it was previously accepted elsewhere.