Airmen Certification: Verify the Authenticity of a Foreign License, Rating, or Medical Certification

Foreign License

If you are applying for a certificate issued on the basis of a foreign license under the provisions of:

14 CFR Part 61, Section 61.75
special purpose pilot authorizations under Section 61.77
using a pilot certificate issued under Section 61.75 to apply for a commercial pilot certificate under Section 61.123 (h)
applying for an airline transport pilot certificate issued under Section 61.153 (d) (3)
applying for a certificate issued on the basis of a foreign license under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 63, Sections 63.23 and 63.42

Then you must have the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) that issued those certificates verify the validity and currency of the foreign license and medical certificate or endorsement before you apply for an FAA certificate or authorization.

Send Us Your Information

You can provide the required information using the optional Verification of Authenticity of Foreign License, Rating, and Medical Certification (PDF) form.

You can send us the form and the preferred documents two ways:

By Mail

Federal Aviation Administration
Airmen Certification Branch, AFS-760
P.O. Box 25082
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0082

By Fax

(405) 954-9922

NOTE: If your application and documentation for foreign verification is received with missing and/or illegible information, you will be notified and required to resend your application and all required documentation by mail.

You can't send the pre-application documents electronically.

Rating or Medical Certificate

A person who is applying for a U.S. rating or medical certificate on the basis of a foreign license must apply for that certificate at least 90 days before arriving at the designated FAA FSDO where the applicant intends to receive the U.S. certificate. This initial application step is the responsibility of the applicant.

The information you submit to the Airmen Certification Branch must include your:

name and date of birth
address where you wish to have the verification of the authenticity letter mailed
certificate number and ratings on the foreign license
country of issuance of your foreign license
location of the FAA Flight Standards District Office where you intend to apply for your U.S. certificate
statement that your foreign license is not under an order of suspension or revocation

Note: The Airmen Certification Branch would prefer to have a copy of the foreign license and medical certificate or endorsement included with all requests for verification of authenticity of the foreign license.

When we receive verification from the CAA, you will receive written notification that we forwarded a copy to the Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) you designated in your request. The verification is valid for 6 calendar months. You may apply for a U.S. certificate at the designated FSDO during that period.

You can mail the information to:

Federal Aviation Administration
Airmen Certification Branch, AFS-760
P.O. Box 25082
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0082

Additional Requirements for United Kingdom and Australia Applicants

In addition to the procedures stated under Verification of Authenticity of Foreign license, Rating and Medical Certification above, airmen from the United Kingdom or Australia must contact their respective CAA to complete additional forms that are required PRIOR to providing the requested information to the Airmen Certification Branch. We have provided a link to each CAA for your convenience: UK CAA website, Australia CAA website.

Note

You must send the Verification of Authenticity of Foreign license, Rating and Medical Certification form directly to FAA's Airmen Certification Branch, not to the UK or Australia CAA.
You must send the information required by the UK or Australia CAA directly to the UK or Australia CAA and not to FAA's Airmen Certification Branch.