Obtaining an Apostille For Federal Documents

For some documents issued by federal agencies, a foreign country may require the document to be authenticated. This process is called an apostille for federal documents, and it verifies the signatures on the document, the capacity in which they acted and the authenticity of any seals or stamps used on the document. The apostille is a certificate that is attached to the document, or can be printed on a separate page.

It is important to note that there are different authentication procedures for federal documents and state/county/city-issued documents. The country of destination determines the specific apostille/authentication process that is required. For instance, Maryland documents that are destined for countries that are members of the Hague Convention must undergo a full legalization procedure, which differs from the apostille process used for other countries. You can read more about the process of full legalization here.

Apostille for Federal Documents: Guidelines and Requirements

GSCCCA only authenticates documents issued by federal agencies that are signed by an authorized signatory (see the list of approved signatories here). It does not authenticate private, county or state-issued documents or documents that have been notarized.

It is important to understand the correct apostille/authentication process for each country of destination in order to avoid delays and potential rejection of documents by a foreign government. We highly recommend consulting with an immigration lawyer to ensure that the appropriate steps are taken to obtain an apostille for your documents. The Law Office of Parviz Malakouti specializes in citizenship by descent and investment cases for American citizens. contact us to schedule a consultation.