Whether your document needs an apostille depends on the country where you plan to use it. The apostille, sometimes known as a certificate of authentication or a legalization, certifies the authenticity of the signature on a public document, the capacity in which that person acted and, where appropriate, the identity of the seal or stamp which appears on the document. The Department of State authenticates public documents that are signed by a New York notary or County Clerk and that will be used in countries that are party to the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (the “Apostille Convention”).

Apostille for Federal Agency Documents: What You Need to Know

If you are using the document for immigration, citizenship, or other purposes related to the federal government, it may need a federal apostille. The federal apostille authenticates the signature of a federal official on a public document. Common documents that require a federal apostille include FBI background checks and Federal Aviation Documentation.

When your documents need an apostille for federal agency documents, we recommend that you submit them to the Department of State Authentication Office in Washington, DC. This office is the designated agency for issuing federal apostille certificates.

For more information on authentication requirements, visit the US State Department’s website. The site provides an overview of the three primary types of documents that need to be authenticated: private documents (personal or corporate); state/county-issued documents; and federally-issued documents. The website also provides links to the offices that issue apostilles for each type of document.