How to obtain the document
Schedule a notarial appointment at the U.S. embassy/consulate; the consular officer notarizes the document (fee per the consular fee schedule, 22 CFR 22.1; amount not verified on pages opened).
Why it goes to the U.S. Department of State
travel.state.gov lists documents signed by a 'U.S. consular officer' among those the Office of Authentications apostilles/authenticates; a consular notarization is a federal signature with no state record. Military notary and judge advocate notarizations follow the same federal route.
Format the Office of Authentications accepts
Original consular notarial certificate with the consular officer's signature and seal. If the document will be used in the U.S. or the host (Hague) country it may not need any further step; for third countries submit it to the Office of Authentications with DS-4194.
Filing the request
- Keep the document unaltered
Do not notarize it, write on it or remove staples. Originals or agency-certified copies only.
- Complete Form DS-4194
Name the destination country for each document. Download DS-4194.
- Pay $20 per document
Check or money order payable to ‘U.S. Department of State’ by mail; card at the counter.
- Mail or hand-deliver
Mail: U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications, 44132 Mercure Cir., PO Box 1206, Sterling, VA 20166-1206. Walk-in: Office of Authentications, 600 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20006, Drop-off and pick-up 7:30-9:00 a.m., Monday-Thursday, no appointment needed; processing about 7 business days. Max 15…
- Allow for processing
Mail-in: up to 5 weeks from receipt (tracking 'delivered' at the Sterling PO box does not mean processing has started; package takes several days to reach DC). Walk-in: about 7 business days.
Common reasons for rejection
- Notarization by a consular agent or other non-consular officer (only consular and designated diplomatic officers perform authentications).
- Document sent to a state Secretary of State.
Practical notes
- Consular authentications are never placed over an apostille (7 FAM 870).
- Foreign consuls registered with the DOS Office of Protocol are also handled federally.
Non-Hague destinations
For countries outside the Hague Convention the office issues an authentication certificate rather than an apostille, and the document must then be legalized at the destination's embassy or consulate in Washington. See embassy legalization.
Frequently asked questions
Can my state apostille a Consular Notarized Documents?
No. Only the U.S. Department of State authenticates federal signatures. A state can apostille a notarized copy, but many destinations will not accept that in place of the federal apostille on the original.
How much is the federal apostille fee?
$20 per document, payable to the U.S. Department of State. The fee is charged even if the request is returned unprocessed.
How long does it take?
Mail-in: up to 5 weeks from receipt (tracking 'delivered' at the Sterling PO box does not mean processing has started; package takes several days to reach DC). Walk-in: about 7 business days.
Should I notarize it first?
No. Notarizing a federal document makes it invalid for authentication at the Office of Authentications.
