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Prepare Document for an Authentication Certificate

Learn how to prepare your U.S. document for legal use abroad. Countries not in the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty require authentication certificates to prove your documents are valid.

 

What authentication means:

Authentication does not verify the contents of a document. Authentication acknowledges the seal and signature of the official and not the document itself.

 

Federal documents

Get an authentication certificate if your document is signed by a: 

  • U.S. federal official 
  • U.S. consular officer 
  • Foreign consul registered with the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Protocol
  • Military notary or judge advocate 

Examples of documents that may need authentication

  • 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 federal document

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

Examples of documents that may need an authentication certificate

  • Birth certificates 
  • Marriage certificates 
  • Death certificates
  • Divorce decrees 
  • Probate wills 
  • Judgments
  • Affidavits
  • Agreements
  • Articles of incorporation
  • Bylaws
  • Commercial Invoices
  • Copy of a U.S. passport (bio page)
  • Diplomas and transcripts
    • Be aware that there are people and groups who issue fake academic credentials for a fee. 
    • An authentication certificate does not mean someone completed an academic program.
    • Check academic credentials in the U.S. Department of Education’s list.
  • Deeds of assignment
  • Home studies for adoptions
  • Income verification
  • Powers-of-attorney
  • Single status certificate (never married or divorced)
  • Authorization of agent
  • Declarations
  • Proof of employment
  • Incumbency
  • Medical report
  • Police record
  • Fingerprints
  • Financial documents

 

How to prepare your state document

  1. 1

    Get your document authenticated by the state who issued it

    • Ask the office that issued the document for the name of the authenticating authority if you do not know who to contact.
    • This could be the state’s secretary of state, a lieutenant governor, or other authority.
  2. 2

    Submit your request for authentication services

    • Include Form DS-4194, fees, and the documents you need authenticated with your request. 
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Last Updated: June 16, 2026

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