Information concerning the Authentication and Legalization of documents at the U.S. Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State and Foreign Embassies.

Notarized documents - Tell us in which country each document will be used. If a document needs to be legalized for more than one country, you must submit a separate notarized original of the document for each country.

OR

Documents already certified by the Secretary of State of the state where the document was executed (notarized). Tell us in which country each document will be used.

We will obtain the U.S. State Department authentication and/or embassy legalization.

Note: Documents which are certified under the official seal of a Federal agency do not need to be notarized and certified by the Secretary of State. Tell us in which country it will be used and we will obtain the U.S. State Department authentication or federal apostille certification and embassy legalization.

Federal Apostille: Facts on Document Authentication and Legalization

Documents issued in one country to be used in another country must be "authenticated" and/or "legalized" before they can be recognized as valid in the foreign country. This is a process in which various seals and signatures are placed on the document.

The number and type of authentication certificates you will need to obtain depends on the nature of the document and whether or not the foreign country is a party to the multilateral treaty on "legalization" of documents.

If your document is intended for use in a country which is a party to a treaty called the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents ("Hague Legalization Convention"), obtaining a special "apostille" certificate is generally all that is required. Click HERE for list of countries that have joined the Hague Convention.

If the country where the document will be used is not a party to The Hague Convention, you will have to begin the cumbersome, time-consuming process of obtaining a series of certifications known as the "chain authentication method". This is literally a paper chase in which authorities will have to attest to the validity of a succession of seals beginning with your document and ending with the seal of the foreign embassy or consulate in the United States.

The following conditions must be met for all documents requiring authentication:

• All seals and signatures must be originals.
• All dates must follow in chronological order on all certifications.
• All documents in foreign text must be accompanied with a certified (notarized) English translation.
• Whenever a copy (if acceptable) is used, it must include a statement that it is a true and accurate copy.
• Foreign governments require the U.S. Department of State to authenticate documents in order for the documents to be considered legal.

Requirements for authentication for federal apostilles: (signed before a notary public)

• Certified by the Clerk of Court of the county in which the notary is commissioned*; and
• Certified by the Secretary of State of the state in which the document is executed.

* Not necessary if the authority in item 5c will certify directly to the notary.

STATE AND LOCAL DOCUMENTS

Certified originals

Certified by the Secretary of State of the state in which the documents are recorded. The Secretary of State should be requested to certify to the officials signing the document under the impressed Seal of the State.

FEDERAL AGENCY DOCUMENTS

Certified under the official seal of a Federal agency

ANIMAL HEALTH CERTIFICATES

Must be certified under the official Seal of the United Sates Department of Agriculture in the state in which the document originates.

APOSTILLE CERTIFICATION

If your document is to be used in one of the countries on “The Hague Convention” list, it should be:

Notarized

Certified by the Clerk of Court of the county

Certified with the Apostille by the Secretary of State of the state in which the document is being executed.

After the above steps have been fulfilled, the document requires no authentication by the U.S. Department of State. It is ready to go directly to the country of use. 

Documents requiring certification with the Apostille by the U.S. Department of State are the ones which have been executed under a Federal agency seal or certified by an American or foreign consul.

The most common types of documents submitted for authentication and legalization include:

• powers of attorney
• patents and patent applications
• trademarks
• certificate of free sale
• certificate of origin
• certificate of assignment
• certificate of analysis
• deeds of assignment
• Certificate to Foreign Government
• Certificate of a Pharmaceutical Product
• Food and Drug (FDA) Administration Documents
• Department of Health and Human Services Documents
• distributorship agreements
• bylaws
• corporate documents, such as:
• articles of incorporation
• merger agreements
• certificates of amendment
• marriage licenses
• birth certificates
• death certificates
• certificate of naturalization
• shipping documents (commercial invoice and certificate of origin)
• records required for adoption of non-U.S. citizen children
• certificates of non-marital status
• references and job certification
• FBI Fingerprint or Police Report
• U.S. Department of Justice Document
• Documents issued by the US District Court
• school records, including:
• diplomas
• transcripts
• letters relating to degrees

Services offered:

Authentication by the Secretary of State (of the state where the document was notarized)

Authentication by the U.S. Department of State

Legalization by a consulate/embassy (like Embassy of China, Embassy of Qatar, Embassy of Kuwait, Embassy of United Arab Emirates, Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Embassy of Vietnam, Embassy of Taiwan, Embassy of Thailand, etc.)

Federal Apostille certification by the U.S. Department of State or the Secretary of state where the document was notarized

Certification by the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce OR by the American Egyptian Cooperation Foundation

Translation Services

Federal Apostille Service of the FBI Background Check issued by the US Department of Justice

Apostille Service of a Certified Copy of the Certificate of Naturalization issued by the regional office of the Department of Homeland Security (Citizenship and Immigration Services) or INS - Form G-24, Certification of Documents.

Obtain authentication, legalization or apostille at the US State Department and/or the embassy for documents issued outside the USA (for example: corporate documents issued from Cayman Islands or the Bahamas needs to be used or legalize by the Embassy of United Arab Emirates)

Obtain authentication at the US Department of Justice for documents issued by a US District Court (like US Bankruptcy Court, etc.)

Obtain apostille for documents issued by the International Revenue Service (Department of Treasury) - Form 6166, etc.

Obtain apostille or authentication or legalization for documents issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services (like CFG - Certificate to Foreign Government, CPP - Certificate to Pharmaceutical Products, Certificate of Free Sale)

Obtain apostille or authentication or legalization for documents issued by the Social Security Administration Office

Obtain "apostille" on documents issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office (like Certified Copy of Assignments)

Obtain "apostille" for US Department of Agriculture document (USDA)

Retrieval of certificate of incorporation (like Delaware and Florida)

Retrieval of certified copy of a document from the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) - like certified copy of assignments)

Obtain an "Apostille" on the Consular Report of Birth (FS240)

Obtain "Certificate of Good Conduct" for Qatar

We can provide authentication and legalization of apostille of Affidavit of Single Status for China.

JOBS ARE STARTED AFTER YOUR INVOICE IS PAID