Quick facts
- Category: Business / Corporate
- Apostilled by the California Secretary of State (Sacramento or Los Angeles)
- Fee: $20 per document (mail) or $26 (walk-in) at the California Secretary of State
- Free document review before you pay any government fee
- Tracked outbound and return shipping included
What to know
Issuing office: None — the company prepares the letter; a California notary public notarizes the officer’s signature. CA SOS Notary Public Section: (916) 653-3595. Notarized route (steps): Prepare the invitation on company letterhead with the visitor’s details, purpose, dates, and host-company information. The authorized officer signs in the physical presence of a California notary, with acceptable ID. The notary completes a current California acknowledgment, attaches it, and affixes the seal. Confirm legibility and that the commission number/expiration appear. Who can sign it: An authorized officer of the inviting company. Required forms: None statewide — the company’s own letter plus California notary acknowledgment wording. Cost + timeline for THIS step (verified June 2026): Up to $15 per signature (Gov. Code §8211). Mobile/travel fees unregulated. Usually same-day. What the SOS.
Frequently asked questions
Is this for a visa?
Often — a business-invitation letter supports a foreign visitor’s business-visa application or satisfies a foreign authority. Confirm whether it’s for use abroad (apostille) or inside the U.S. (not apostille-eligible).
Who signs it?
An authorized officer of the inviting company, before a California notary.
My invitation is for someone applying at a U.S. consulate — do I apostille it?
No — that use is inside the U.S.; apostilles are only for documents used abroad.
Is there a government fee?
No — it is a private document; the cost is the notary fee plus the apostille.
Common destinations
Countries this document is most often sent to (pulled from this page's own guidance). Every destination has its own rulebook — apostille (Hague) or full legalization (non-Hague).