Get Your Federal Documents Apostilled

The Federal Government publishes a massive amount of information. Get your federal documents apostilled. Keep America informed by providing access to these publications online, in print and through other services. It combines conventional technology with state-of-the-art methods whether it is making electronic documents more user friendly, or producing and procuring printed publications that serve the information needs of Congress, Federal agencies, and the American public.

Get your federal documents apostilled

In order to use any document issued by the United States government abroad, it must first be authenticated or apostilled. The process for authentication varies depending on the type of document: private documents (individual or corporate) or state/county documents, as well as if it is federally-issued.

To determine which apostille/authentication process you need to follow, start by determining the document’s origin. If it is a federally-issued document, visit the U.S. Department of State Authentication Office website for costs, requirements, and address information. For example, a NYS criminal background check must be obtained from the Division of Criminal Justice Services and then authenticated by the New York Secretary of State before it can be apostilled.

Alternatively, if it is a state/county-issued document, visit the relevant authority for the state where the document was issued. For example, a Maryland state apostille can be ordered from the Secretary of State’s website here. Lastly, private documents can be apostilled by the state where they were issued, as long as that state is part of the Hague Convention.