Kenya is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention — Not a party to the Apostille Convention (absent from HCCH status table); embassy legalization required.. An apostille will not be accepted. U.S. documents must be authenticated and then legalized: state authentication certificate (for state documents), U.S. Department of State authentication, and legalization at Kenya's embassy or consulate in the United States.
The route, step by step
- State authentication (state documents)
Request an authentication certificate from the state competent authority, naming Kenya as the destination.
- U.S. Department of State authentication
Submit the state-certified or federal document to the Office of Authentications with Form DS-4194 and $20 per document.
- Legalization at the Kenya embassy or consulate
Embassy of Kenya, Washington DC, after state Secretary of State and US Dept of State certification (three-step chain); embassy fee not verified this session.
- Translation
Confirm whether Kenya requires a translation and at which stage.
Using U.S. documents in Kenya
Kenya is not a Convention party. U.S. documents are authenticated by the state and the U.S. Department of State, then legalized at the Embassy of Kenya in Washington, D.C. Kenyan authorities — the Registrar of Companies, land registries, courts, the Directorate of Immigration and universities — require the embassy’s legalization stamp. Typical documents: corporate documents and POAs for company registration and land transactions, birth and marriage certificates for citizenship and dependent passes, degrees for work permits and professional registration (Kenya’s Commission for University Education also evaluates foreign degrees), and affidavits for court proceedings. English documents need no translation. The embassy publishes fees per document and requires a copy of the applicant’s passport and a cover letter.
Why U.S. documents are sent to Kenya
- work permit
- marriage in Kenya
- property and inheritance (power of attorney)
- business registration
- education
Kenya-specific points
- Non-Hague: notarize/state-certify, then US Dept of State authentication certificate (Form DS-4194, $20/doc, ~4 weeks by mail), then legalization at the destination country's embassy/consulate.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an apostille or legalization for Kenya?
Legalization. Kenya is not a Hague member; U.S. documents need the state (if applicable) and U.S. Department of State authentications followed by Kenya embassy legalization.
Who issues the apostille for Kenya?
There is no apostille. The final stamp comes from Kenya’s embassy or consulate after U.S. authentication.
Does Kenya require a translation?
Requirements vary by the receiving authority in Kenya; translate after the apostille with the translator type they specify.
