Authentications Requirements

Required Certification for:

General Documents

Note: All seals and signatures must be originals and all dates must follow in chronological order.

Diplomas, Power-of-Attorney, Agreements, Bylaws, Transcripts, Deeds of Assignments, etc.

1. Acknowledged before a notary public;

2. Certified by the clerk of court of the county in which the notary is commissioned;¹

3. Certified by the Secretary of State of the State in which the document is executed.

¹Item 2 may be omitted if the authority in item 3 will certify directly to the notary

All documents in a foreign language must be accompanied with a certified (notarized) English translation. If a copy of a document is used, it must include the statement that is a true and accurate copy.

Documents originating in the District of Columbia must be certified by the Notarial Section of the District of Columbia, located at 441 4th Street, N.W. Room 810A-S (One Judiciary Square Metro Stop), Washington, DC 20001. Telephone: 202-727-3117

State and Local Documents and Court Records

Note: Certified originals: Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates and Court Files (Divorce Decrees, Probate Will, Judgments etc.)

1. Certified by the custodial of those records;

2. Certified by the Secretary of State of the State in which the documents are recorded. The Secretary of State should be requested to certify to the officials signing the document under the impressed Seal of the State.

Federal Agency Documents
Documents Executed by Federal Agencies and Courts of the District of Columbia such as the U.S. Department of Justice, Library of Congress, Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Court of Appeals, Department of Commerce, etc.

1. Certified under the official seal of the agency or the Court. (Original Official Signature required)

Animal Health Certificates

1. Certified under the official Seal of the U. S. Department of Agriculture in the State in which the document originates. (Original Official Signature required)

Other Documents
For information about American citizens who were born, married or deceased abroad, contact the Passport Office, U.S. Department of State, 1111 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20520, Tel. (202) 955-0307. Copies may be obtained from that office.