Section: Federal

The Office of Authentications issues apostilles and authentication certificates for documents signed by a U.S. federal official, a U.S. consular officer, a foreign consul registered with the State Department's Office of Protocol, or a military notary or judge advocate. Typical federal documents: USDA animal/plant and animal health certificates; DOJ federal court documents and FBI background checks; DHS/USCIS certificates of naturalization; HHS/FDA certificates to foreign governments and certificates of pharmaceutical product/export; USPTO patent and trademark documents; IRS certification of U.S. tax residency (Form 6166); and documents from EPA, SSA and OPM. Per 7 FAM 870 it can authenticate seals and signatures on public documents in paper or electronic form, and does NOT handle consular birth/marriage/death records (CRBA, FS-240), which go to Passport Vital Records.

How a federal apostille is obtained

1. Confirm the document is federal

   The signature must belong to a federal official (FBI, USCIS, IRS, SSA, VA/NPRC, federal courts, FDA, USDA, USPTO) or a U.S. consular officer. State-issued or notarized documents go to the state instead.

2. Use the original, unaltered document

   Originals or agency-certified copies with a legible signature, printed name, title, date and seal. Never notarize a federal document — the office treats a notarized federal document as invalid.

3. Complete Form DS-4194

   One form per person or company, listing each document and the country of use (Section 4). Continuation sheets for more than 15 documents.

4. Pay $20 per document

   Mail-in: check or money order payable to ‘U.S. Department of State’ (personal, corporate, certified, cashier’s or traveler’s checks accepted); print name and address in upper-left of check; check number must be over 100; no cash or card details by mail. Walk-in: credit/debit card (Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, Discover) or contactless (Apple/Google/Samsung Pay); cash, checks and money orders not accepted at the counter per the current request-services page. Fee set at $20 by 22 CFR 22.1 item 46 effective July 15, 2021 (was $8).

5. Submit by mail or in person

   Include a self-addressed, prepaid USPS or UPS return envelope (DS-4194 also lists DHL). FedEx return envelopes are not accepted. Documents returned to one address in one envelope only. Send request via USPS with tracking. Specify the country of use for each document in DS-4194 Section 4. One DS-4194 per individual or company; continuation sheets for more than 15 documents. In person: Drop-off and pick-up 7:30-9:00 a.m., Monday-Thursday, no appointment needed; processing about 7 business days. Max 15 documents per customer/company per walk-in submission (DS-4194). Office hours 7:00 a.m.-3:45 p.m. Mon-Fri; Fridays are processing-only (no walk-ins or appointments); closed federal holidays. Same-day appointments (10:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mon-Thu) only for life-or-death emergencies of an immediate family member with travel within 2 weeks; requires proof of travel and proof of emergency. Third party may drop off/pick up: name on receipt at drop-off, photo ID at pick-up.

6. Non-Hague destination? Add embassy legalization

   The office issues an authentication certificate instead of an apostille, and the document then goes to the destination country’s embassy or consulate for legalization.

Apostille or authentication certificate

If the destination country is party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, the office attaches an apostille and the chain ends there. If the destination is not a Hague party, the office issues an authentication certificate placed over the federal seal/signature, and the document must then be legalized by that country's embassy or consulate in the U.S. (7 FAM 879 chain: issuing official -> Office of Authentications -> foreign embassy). State-issued or notarized documents destined for a Hague country never come to this office; they get an apostille from the state. State documents for non-Hague countries must first be notarized/certified and certified by the Secretary of State of the commissioning state, then come to this office for the federal authentication certificate before embassy legalization.

Rules that cause most federal rejections

• Do not notarize a federal document: the office states the document 'will no longer be valid if it is notarized'.
• Signatures and seals must be originals; document must show a date of issuance, legible signature, printed name and title of the official, agency seal and agency letterhead.
• Originals or certified copies only; a 'certified copy' means a copy bearing a certificate stating it is a true copy from the custodian, not a notary-certified photocopy.
• Fee is per document, not per page, and is charged even when the office returns a rejection letter instead of a certificate.
• If translation is required by the destination country, use a professional translator and have the translation notarized (the notarized translation then follows the state route; the office does not certify translations).
• The office will refuse to certify a document when it has reason to believe the certification is sought for an unlawful or improper purpose (22 CFR 131.2).
• Walk-in limit is 15 documents per customer or company per day; mail-in requests over 15 need DS-4194 continuation sheets.
• Tracked mail is advised; a USPS 'delivered' scan reflects arrival at the Sterling, VA PO box, not at the DC processing office.
• The older travel.state.gov 'legal-considerations' pages still show $8 and other hours; the current request-services page and DS-4194 (01-2023) govern: $20, 7:30-9:00 a.m. Mon-Thu walk-in.

Federal document types