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Prepare Document for an Apostille Certificate
Learn how to prepare your U.S. document for legal use abroad. Countries that are in the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty may require an apostille certificate for documents issued by the U.S. federal government.
Federal documents
Get an apostille certificate if your document is signed by a:
- U.S. federal official
- U.S. consular officer
- Foreign consul registered within the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Protocol
- Military notary or judge advocate
Examples of federal documents that may need an apostille
- Animal and plant certifications or animal health certifications issued by U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Federal court documents and FBI background checks issued by U.S. Department of Justice
- Certificate of naturalization issued by U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- Certificate of foreign governments issued by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- Certificate of pharmaceutical product or export issued by HHS
- Patent and trademark applications issued by U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
- Certification of U.S. tax residency issued by Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- Other documents issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, Social Security Administration, or Office of Personnel Management
How to prepare your document for an apostille certificate from our office
- Make sure your document is an original or certified copy.
- Include a legible signature of the official’s name, printed name and title, and seal of the agency.
- Make sure seals and signatures are originals.
- The document must include the date it was issued.
- Use agency letterhead.
- Get a professional translation of the document and have the translated copy notarized, if the country or territory where you will use it requires it to be translated from English.
- Submit your request for authentication services. Include Form DS-4194, fees, and the documents you need authenticated.
Do not notarize your original document. Your document will no longer be valid if it is notarized.
State documents
Get your document certified by the state who issued it if you’re using it in a country that is part of the Hague Convention Treaty. You do not need an apostille certificate.
If you're using it in a country not in the Hague Convention Treaty, get an authentication certificate.