Washington D.C Apostille Courier
🏛️ Apostilles by the U.S. Department of State – Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Department of State (USDOS) in Washington, D.C. only issues apostilles for certain federal documents. This process follows the Hague Convention of 1961, an international treaty that makes it easier for countries to accept official documents from abroad.
If your destination country is part of the Hague Convention, one apostille is enough to make your document valid internationally. If it is a non-Hague country, additional embassy or consulate legalization will be required after the apostille.
📑 Federal Documents Eligible for Apostille
The U.S. Department of State will apostille documents issued by federal agencies or U.S. officials, including:
- FBI background checks
- Certified copies of U.S. passports (from the Passport Agency) Certificates of citizenship or naturalization (USCIS)
- Social Security benefit letters
- IRS documents
- Veterans Affairs (VA) records
- Federal court records with official seals
- Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) records
- Certificates of Free Sale, Origin, or Health (FDA or USDA)
- Export certificates (Department of Commerce or USDA)
- Documents signed by U.S. consular officers abroad
🚫 Documents Not Handled by the U.S. Department of State
The USDOS does not issue apostilles for documents issued at the state or local level. These must be processed by the Secretary of State where the document originated.
Examples include:
- Birth, death, and marriage certificates
- Divorce decrees
- State court judgments
- School diplomas and transcripts
- State-issued business or professional licenses
🌐 Why the Hague Convention Matters
- Hague Convention countries → Only an apostille is required.
- Non-Hague countries → Apostille plus embassy or consulate legalization is required.
📌 Quick Rule of Thumb
- Federal documents → Apostille through the U.S. Department of State (Washington, D.C.)
- State or local documents → Apostille through the Secretary of State where the document was issued
NOTE: states for Washington, D.C. carrier for the federal, hours are 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays