Document Attestation for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

Document Legalization GCCThe Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a political and economic union consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf, except for Iraq. Its member states include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.  Iraq is currently not a member.

At International Apostille Services, Inc., we take the guesswork out of certifying, legalizing, and attesting your documents for any of the GCC Countries.  Our trained and knowledgeable staff are available Monday – Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and provide you easy to follow step-by-step instructions.

Certifying and legalizing documents for Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a multi-step process.  These steps consist of State certification, US Department of State certification, and Embassy or Consulate legalization.
Document Legalization

Before getting stared, it’s important to note that Bahrain and Oman are both members of the Hague Apostille Convention. Document destined for these countries can only be apostilled by the State office (Example: New York Apostille for Oman).  We cannot certify or attest documents for Bahrain or Oman through the U.S. Department of State or the Embassy office because an apostille is sufficient authentication for these two countries.

From our experience, we recommend that you choose to have your documents certified, legalized, and attested for either Saudi Arabia or Kuwait.  In order to do this, your documents require State certification, US Department of State certification, and Embassy or Consulate legalization.  Certifying and legalizing your documents for Saudi Arabia and Kuwait is the fastest and cheapest way to authenticate your documents for the GCC.  We recommend that you contact our office so we can provide you a breakdown in cost and processing time.

International Apostille Services, Inc. is the leader in document certification, legalization, attestation, and apostille services. We can process documents issued from all 50 States including documents issued from the United States Government. Our staff is available Monday – Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and provide you easy to follow step-by-step instructions. Call us at 1-888-810-4054 today.

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

What is Document Legalization?

Embassy-and-Consulate-LegalizationDocument legalization refers to the process of authenticating a document for a foreign country who has not yet adopted the simpler apostille process.  Legalizing a document issued in the USA and for a non-apostille country requires multiple government offices to certify the document before being presented to the Embassy or Consulate office for legalization (Final step).

This solves the dilemma by creating a chain of authentications (County, State, U.S. Department of State, and Embassy or Consulate office), by a progressively higher government authority so as to satisfy the requirement of the Embassy or Consulate office located in the United States.

A document originating from or notarized within the United States must be certified and legalized in the USA and presented to the Embassy or Consulate office before you can register the document in the foreign country.

Here is a brief illustration:

Certifying and legalizing a document for a non-apostille member country requires two to three steps to complete.  In some instances, there could be four steps (County Clerk Authentication of notary’s seal and signature).  The number of steps would depend on the State your documents originate from, the type of documents you need legalized, and the Country requesting your documents.  In addition, some States may require a notarized document to also be authenticated by the County Clerk’s office which can increase the steps from three to four.

The number of steps required can be answered by answering the following questions:

  1. The U.S. State your documents have been issued from.
  2. The type of documents you need certified and legalized (Example: Birth, Death, Divorce, Notarized Business documents, etc…)
  3. The Country requesting your documents.

For example, certifying and legalizing a document for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a three step process while certifying and legalizing a document for Brazil can be only a two step process.  When the jurisdiction of a document falls on the Embassy, the document will also require processing through the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.

Certifying, attesting, and legalizing documents can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the authentication process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you.

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

US Legalization – Document Certification, Attestation, Legalization

Embassy-and-Consulate-LegalizationAre you looking for US Legalization Services?

At International Apostille Services, Inc., we take the guesswork out of document certification, attestation, and legalization services.  Our trained and knowledgeable staff are available Monday – Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and to provide you easy to follow step-by-step instructions.  You can even chat with us on our website during these hours.

We can certify, legalize, and attest documents issued from all 50 States and the U.S. Federal Government (Washington, D.C.)  In additional to the services just mentioned, we can also process your documents through select Embassy and Consulate offices.  Certifying and legalizing documents is a multi-step process involving several government offices.  Please download our Schedule of Embassy and Consulate Fees form.

The very first step is to contact our office 1-888-810-4054.  Our trained staff have years of experience in authenticating document for over 180 countries.  While most countries only require a State apostille, about 70 Countries who are not members of the Hague Apostille Convention will require your documents to be certified, attested, and legalized through the U.S. Department of State and the Embassy or Consulate office.  The additional steps are commonly referred to document legalization and attestation.

Before mailing in your documents to our office, it’s important to contact out staff 1-888-810-4054.  We will need to know the type of documents you have, The US State your documents originated from, and the Country requesting them.  The jurisdiction of your documents will fall into one of our nine apostille offices.  For example, if your documents originate from the State of New Jersey, these documents will be handled by our New York office.  Please note that we do not have an office in every State.  Our offices are located in California (Los Angeles & San Francisco), Texas, Florida, Washington, D.C., New York, Illinois, and Colorado.

Once we receive your documents, we’ll rush them to State and Government offices.  We can certify and legalize documents as fast as two business days.  We also provide free FedEx 1-2 day return shipping at no additional cost.

State and Government Apostille

Certifying, attesting, and legalizing documents can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the authentication process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you.

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

Document Legalization

Document LegalizationDo you need document certification and legalization services?

At International Apostille Services, Inc., we take the guesswork out of certifying and legalizing your documents for countries who aren’t members of the Hague Apostille Convention.  Certifying and legalizing documents for non-member countries are either a two or three step process.  In order to determine if your documents require two or three steps, we will need to know the type of documents you have, the U.S. State your documents originate from, and the Country that is requesting your documents.

The very first step is to contact our office.  Our trained and knowledgeable staff are available Monday – Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and provide you easy to follow step-by-step instructions.

Once we receive your documents, we’ll rush them to State and Government offices.  If your documents require U.S. Department of State certification, we’ll overnight your documents to our Washington, D.C. office for processing.  Please note that our processing times vary based out of the US State your documents originate from and the Country that is requesting your documents.

Common documents we can certify and legalize are:
Birth Certificate
Marriage Certificate
Death Certificate
Divorce Decree
Power of Attorney / Affidavits
Copy of Passport
Notarized Documents
Business Documents
Certificate of Free Sale
Certificate of Origin
Articles of Incorporation
Background Checks
and more!

International Apostille Services, Inc. is the leader in document legalization services in the United States. We process documents from all 50 U.S. States including documents issued by the U.S. Federal Government.

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

Egypt Embassy and Consulate Legalization

Egypt Document Attestation CertificationDo you need your documents certified and legalized for Egypt?

Certifying and legalizing documents for Egypt is a two-step process. Your documents must first be certified by the State that issued your documents and then legalized by the Egyptian Embassy or Consulate office. If your documents requires notarization, please have them notarized before you mail them in to our office for processing.

For example, let’s say you need your California birth certificate certified and legalized for Egypt.  This two step process would require your birth certificate to be certified by the California Secretary of State and then legalized by the Egyptian Consulate in Los Angeles. This process is necessary in order for the country of Egypt to accept your documents. If your documents requires notarization (Example: Power of Attorney, Affidavit), then your documents requires notarization, State certification, and Embassy or Consulate Legalization.

Translation of your documents should always be performed after you receive the State certification and Embassy/Consulate legalization. The Egyptian Embassy or Consulate does not require your documents to be written in Arabic. We recommend that you have your documents translated after you receive them from our office.

The country of Egypt has one Embassy in Washington, D.C. and four Consulate offices. The following is a list of their offices and the States they serve.

Egypt Embassy Washington, D.C.
Jurisdiction: Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, N. Carolina, S. Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia

Egypt Consulate Illinois – Chicago
Jurisdiction:  Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Wisconsin

Egypt Consulate Los Angeles – California
Jurisdiction: Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Utah

Egypt Consulate Texas – Houston
Jurisdiction: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas

Egypt Consulate New York – NYC
Jurisdiction: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, New York

Before mailing in your documents to our office, please Contact Us.

International Apostille Services, Inc. is the leader in document authentication services. We process documents from all 50 U.S. States including documents issued by the U.S. Federal Government.

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

Bolivia Embassy and Consulate Legalization

Bolivia Document Attestation CertificationDo you need your documents certified and legalized for Bolivia?

Bolivia is now a member of the Hague Apostille Convention and no longer requested Embassy or Consulate legalization.

Bolivia Apostille

The following information no longer applies for US documents authenticated for Bolivia.

Certifying and legalizing documents for Bolivia is a two-step process. Your documents must first be certified by the State that issued your documents and then legalized by the Bolivian Embassy or Consulate. If your documents requires notarization, please have them notarized before you mail them in to our office for processing.

For example, lets say you need your New York birth certificate certified and legalized for Bolivia. This two step process would require your birth certificate to be certified by the New York Department of State and then legalized by the Bolivian Consulate. This process is necessary in order for the country of Bolivia to accept your documents. If your documents requires notarization (Example: Power of Attorney, Affidavit), then your documents requires notarization, State certification, and Embassy or Consulate Legalization.

Translation of your documents should always be performed after you receive the State certification and Embassy/Consulate legalization. The Bolivian Embassy or Consulate does not require your documents to be written in Spanish. We recommend that you have your documents translated after you receive them from our office.

The country of Bolivia has one Embassy in Washington, D.C. and four Consulate offices. The following is a list of their offices and the States they serve.

Bolivia Embassy Washington, D.C.
The Consulate-General of Bolivia in Washington, DC is responsible for: District of Columbia, Illinois, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, Iowa, Missouri, Maryland, North Carolina, Minnesota, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

Bolivia Consulate Los Angeles – California
Jurisdiction: California, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Washington, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Oregon, Alaska, Hawaii, North Dakota, South Dakota

Bolivia Consulate Houston – Texas
Jurisdiction: Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska.

Bolivia Consulate Miami – Florida
Jurisdiction: Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky.

Bolivia Consulate New York
Jurisdiction: New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine

Before mailing in your documents to our office, please Contact Us.

International Apostille Services, Inc. is the leader in document authentication services. We process documents from all 50 U.S. States including documents issued by the U.S. Federal Government.

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

Kuwait Document Legalization

Do you need your documents legalized through the Kuwait Embassy in Washington, D.C.?

We provide fast document authentication, certification, attestation, and Kuwait Embassy legalization services.

Because Kuwait is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, your documents must first be processed through your State, the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C, and then through the Kuwait Embassy in Washington, D.C.

This three-step-process is required for documents destined for the country of Kuwait.  Also, depending on the state your documents originated from or was notarized-in, your documents may need to be processed through the Kuwait Consulate in Los Angeles.

The very first step depends on the type of documents you need authenticated. If your documents requires notarization (Example: Power of Attorney, Affidavit, etc..), you will need to meet with an experienced notary near you to notarize your signature on the document. It’s important to inform the notary that the documents will be authenticated by the State and to follow the notarial laws in their State to avoid any delays or additional costs.

Please note: If your documents are written in Arabic, please find a certified translator in your State to translate the documents to English. We recommend that your documents be written in English and in Arabic.  You must also ask the translator to have his/her signature notarized on the document. You can find a certified translator by visiting the American Translator’s Association website.

Documents issued by the State or County Clerk do not need notarization as these documents are already signed by a State or County Clerk official. These documents include: Birth Certificates, Death Certificates, Marriage Certificates, Divorce Decree (Court Documents), Articles of Incorporation, Statement of Information, etc…

You can read more on the type of documents we authenticate for Kuwait by clicking this link: Kuwait Document Legalization

As mentioned earlier in this article, legalizing documents for Kuwait is a three-step-process. We have put together a small illustration below to help you understand the process.

Document LegalizationStep 1: U.S. State Certification – Because Kuwait is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, your documents will receive a certification from the State and not an Apostille. Each State’s certificate differs from the other. In the United States, we have 50 different certificates. We can process documents issued from all 50 U.S. States including the U.S. Federal Government.

The processing time and fee can vary for each State. For example, we can certify documents in California, Washington, D.C., New York, Maryland, and Nevada in 1-2 business days.  Certifying your documents through the State of Nevada has a higher cost than California. For all other states, Please Contact Us for a price quote and estimated time for completion.

Step 2: U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. – The very next step is to certify your documents through the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. You can see an example of a certificate issued by the Department of State by clicking this link: U.S. Department of State Certificate Example

The processing time with the U.S. Department of State is currently 3-4 business days. Please Contact Us for a price quote and estimated time for completion.

Step 3: Kuwait Embassy Legalization – The Embassy of Kuwait is located in Washington, D.C. In order for the Embassy to legalize your documents, they must first be certified by the State and the U.S. Department of State.

The processing time with the Kuwait Embassy is one to two weeks. Please Contact Us for a price quote and estimated time for completion.  Document issued from: Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Hawaii, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana will be completed through the Kuwait Consulate in Los Angeles.

International Apostille Services, Inc. is the leader in document authentication services. We process documents from all 50 U.S. States including documents issued by the U.S. Federal Government.

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

China Document Authentication

Do you need your documents legalized through the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C.?

We provide fast document authentication, certification, attestation, and Embassy legalization services.

Because China is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, your documents must first be processed through the State, the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C, and then through the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C.  This three-step-process is required for documents destined for the country of China.

The very first step depends on the type of document you need authenticated.  If your document requires notarization, you will need to meet with an experienced notary near you to notarize your signature on the document.  It’s important to inform the notary that the document will be authenticated by the State and to follow the notarial laws in their State to avoid any delays or additional costs.

Please note:  If your document is written in Chinese, please find a certified translator in your State to translate the documents to English.  You must also ask the translator to have his/her signature notarized on the document.  You can find a certified translator by visiting the American Translator’s Association website.

Documents issued by the State or County Clerk do not need notarization as these documents are already signed by a State or County Clerk official.  These documents include: Birth Certificates, Death Certificates, Marriage Certificates, Divorce Decree (Court Documents), Articles of Incorporation, Statement of Information, etc…

You can read more on the type of documents we authenticate for China by clicking this link:  China Document Legalization 

As mentioned earlier in this article, legalizing documents for China is a three-step-process.  We’ve put together a small illustration below to help you understand the process.

Document LegalizationStep 1: U.S. State Certification – Because China is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, your documents will receive a certification from the State and not an Apostille.  Each State’s certificate differs from the other.  In the United States, we have 50 different certificates.   We can process documents issued from all 50 U.S. States and the U.S. Federal Government.

The processing time and fee can vary for each State.  For example, we can certify documents in California, Washington, D.C., New York, Maryland, and Nevada in 1-2 business days.  For all other states, Please Contact Us for a price quote and estimated time for completion.

Step 2: U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. – The very next step is to certify your documents through the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.  You can see an example of a certificate issued by the Department of State by clicking this link: U.S. Department of State Certificate Example

The processing time with the U.S. Department of State is currently 3-4 business days. Please Contact Us for a price quote and estimated time for completion.

Step 3: Chinese Embassy Legalization – The Embassy of China is located in Washington, D.C.  In order for the Embassy to legalize your documents, they must first be certified by the State and the U.S. Department of State.

The processing time with the Chinese Embassy is one week.  Please Contact Us for a price quote and estimated time for completion.

International Apostille Services, Inc. is the leader in document authentication services.  We process documents from all 50 U.S. States including documents issued by the U.S. Federal Government.

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.