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Office of Authentications

Office of Authentications Delays

Due to public health measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, you should expect delays processing your request for authentication services. Please consider waiting to mail your request until we resume normal operations.  Effective March 20, 2020, we suspended in-person counter service.

Physical Address:
Office of Authentications
600 19th St. NW
Washington, DC 20006

Mailing Address:
U.S. Department of State
Office of Authentications
CA/PPT/S/TO/AUT
44132 Mercure Cir.
PO Box 1206
Sterling, VA 20166-1206

Hours: 
Walk-Ins
Suspended due to COVID-19

Appointment Services
Suspended due to COVID-19

Phone: 202-485-8000
8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday-Friday
Closed Federal Holidays

 

Submit a request for Authentication Services using Form DS-4194.

The Office of Authentications issues both apostilles and authentication certificates. If you need U.S. Department of State documents to be authenticated, please refer to the Office of Vital Records.

In accordance with 22 CFR, Part 131, the Office of Authentications provides signed certificates of authenticity for a variety of documents to individuals, institutions, and government agencies. Examples of documents that may require authentication for use abroad include:

  • company bylaws
  • powers of attorney
  • trademarks
  • diplomas
  • treaties
  • warrants
  • extraditions
  • agreements
  • certificates of good standing
  • courier letters

 

ALL / ALL /

Apostilles

Apostilles authenticate the seals and signatures of officials on public documents such as birth certificates, court orders, or any other document issued by a public authority so that they can be recognized in foreign countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty.

The U.S. Department of State only issues apostilles for federal documents to use in countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Convention.

For more information on the requirements for apostilles, please see Apostille Requirements.

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Authentications Certificates

Authentication certificates are issued by the U.S. Department of State for the same purpose as Apostilles but for use in countries that are not members to the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty.

For more information, please see Authentication Certification Requirements and Requesting Authentication Services and Fees

Check Your Document Status

To ask about the status of your documents, please call the Office of Authentications at 202-485-8000 on Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

When calling, you must indicate if a request Form DS-4194 was submitted and provide:

  • Full name and/or name of company
  • Name of Courier company used to submit documentation and tracking number if applicable
  • Type of document(s)
  • Country of use
  • Number of document(s)
  • Complete return address
  • Type of mail service used to return the document(s) 
  • Type of payment submitted 

Note:  We do not accept FedEx as return mail. All express mail air bill labels sent to the Office of Authentications for the use of returning documents must reflect the customer’s mailing address as both the sender and recipient.