Legally, a document issued in Obwalden falls under State Chancellery in Sarnen. In practice our standard route frees you from that counter: a notarized certified copy is made from your upload and the apostille goes on it — a copy suffices, whatever the canton. The original only enters the picture if your destination expressly requires the apostille on the original.
Order an apostille →Upload a PDF or photo; a notary establishes the certified true copy (included) and that copy receives the apostille — processed through our Vaud office. Nothing to post, and identical turnaround whether the document comes from Obwalden or anywhere else.
Some authorities insist the apostille sit on the original issued in Obwalden: we then file with State Chancellery in Sarnen. Send us the original by registered mail after ordering (address confirmed by e-mail) — it comes back apostilled.
Criminal records and other federal documents belong to the Federal Chancellery in Berne, not to Sarnen. Tick «federal document» in the form — we route it.
Documents issued in the canton of Obwalden come in German. That is exactly what Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein want, and no translation is needed for them. For France, Italy, Spain, Latin America or most of the Middle East, a certified translation will almost certainly be required on top of the apostille — plan for it from the start rather than discovering it after the file is refused.
Obwalden is administratively separate from neighbouring Nidwalden despite the shared history: Sarnen here, Stans there, two chancelleries, no transfers between them. The canton is also geographically split, with Engelberg detached from the rest — but that changes nothing about which chancellery applies.