Destination requirements
Where is your document going?
Spin the globe and select a country to see whether it needs a single apostille or full consular authentication.
Drag to spin · hover or click a country · arrow keys also work
Apostille or authentication?
If your destination is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, one certificate is all you need. If it is not, the document has to travel a longer route: state certification, then the U.S. Department of State, then the destination country's embassy. The difference matters because it changes both the cost and the timeline. An apostille is usually a matter of days. Full authentication can run several weeks depending on the embassy.
Document Apostille
Apostille Service Process:
Apostille is a French word meaning certification. It is a one-page certificate issued by authorities at the state or Federal level validating the seal and signature of the official on the document. The certificate contains a seal by the Secretary of State or the US Department of State where applicable. As per the Hague Convention of 1961, there is a list of countries which require a document to go through the Apostille process prior to being presented. If your document falls under the Apostille process, we will obtain the Secretary of State Apostille certification or the US Department of State Apostille in Washington DC, depending on the type of document.
Document Authentication
Document Authentication Process:
For countries which are not signatories to the Hague Convention of 1961, documents are required to go through the authentication process certifying the authenticity of the document before being presented in the country of use. Although the first steps are similar to the Apostille process, the authentication process does require an additional step of Embassy Legalization by the Embassy of the country in which the document will be presented. After obtaining the US Department of State certification, we will present your document to the Embassy of the respective country to obtain their authentication stamp. This will be the final step, completing the process.
Built around uptime
List of Apostille Countries
Every install ships with balance reports, control sequences and a documented handover.
List of Authentication Countries
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Common questions about destinations
What is the difference between an apostille and authentication?
An apostille is a single certificate accepted by countries in the Hague Convention. Everywhere else needs a longer chain of authentication ending at that country's embassy or consulate.
The globe shows my country in gold. What now?
Gold means full consular authentication. Start an order and we will tell you exactly which steps your document needs.
How current is this map?
Convention membership changes as countries join. We review the list regularly, but please confirm with us before booking travel around a deadline.