Federal Apostilles / Legalization
Federal vs. State Apostilles: What’s the Difference?
The critical distinction lies in the origin of the document:
- State Apostille: Issued by the Secretary of State (or similar authority) in the U.S. state where the document originated. This applies to documents like birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, state court documents, diplomas, and notarized documents issued within a specific state.
- Federal Apostille: Issued by the U.S. Department of State‘s Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C. This is specifically for documents issued by U.S. federal agencies.
When Do You Need a Federal Apostille?
- You will need a Federal Apostille when your document was issued by a U.S. federal government agency and is intended for use in a country that is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Common documents requiring a Federal Apostille include:
- Us Department of Justice – DOJ
- FBI Back ground check
- S. Federal Court Documents
- S. Bankruptcy Court
- Petition for Name Change
- US Department of Agriculture – USDA
- Animal/Plant Certifications
- Animal Health Certifications
- Meat and Poultry Export Certificate of Wholesomeness
- S. Department of Homeland Security – DHS
- Certificate of Naturalization
- Certification of Documents – Form G-24
- Certification of Nonexistence of Record
- Social Security Administration – SSA
- Income and Benefits Letter
- Internal Revenue Service – IRS
- Form 6166 Apostille
- Federal Tax Return Apostille
- W2 Forms
- US Department of Health and Human Services – HHS
- Certificate to Foreign Governments
- Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product
- Certificate of Free Sale
- Certificate of Export
- S. Food and Drug Administration – FDA
- Certificate of Free Sale (Can also be issued by the local Chamber of Commerce or State office)
- Certificate of Origin (Can also be issued by the local Chamber of Commerce or State office)
- Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product – FDA
- US Department of Treasury – TRE
- Certificate of Free Sale / Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
- S. Patent and Trademark Office – USPTO
- Trademark / Patent
- United States Coast Guard – USCG
- Military Retiree’s Retirement Statement of Monthly Income (RASOMI)
- Environmental Protection Agency – EPA
- Federal Aviation Administration – FAA
- S. Department of Transportation – DOT
- National Archives and Records Administration – NARA
- Us Department of Justice – DOJ
Hillsborough Notary and Apostille facilitates obtaining these Federal Apostilles. We complete all forms, use Express Shipping to/ from Washington DC, and have our vetted, certified agents hand carry the documents to/from the US Department of State. Call us for details.
- Document Legalization for Non-Hague Convention Countries (Embassy Legalization)
- If the country where you intend to use your federal document is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, an Apostille will not be sufficient. Instead, your document will require “authentication” by the U.S. Department of State, followed by “legalization” by the embassy or consulate of the destination country. This process is often referred to as “Embassy Legalization” and typically involves more steps and can take longer.
- Hillsborough Notary and Apostille can also assist with these. We keep a database of current requirements for all non-Hague countries. We have agents in Washington DC that can present and pick-up these documents with the required embassy. Call us for details and pricing.
