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Washington DC | Authentication | Apostilles

Document Legalization Services

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Apostilles

An apostille is a stamp that verifies authenticity of your official documents. Apostilles are issued by the US government and are required for legal documents intended for use in countries that are members of the Hague Convention.

Legalization

Legal documents intended for use in a country which is not a member of the Hague convention require a Full Legalization (also known as Chain Authentication or Consularization), which is Notarization, State Secretary of State Certification, Federal Authentication, and then Embassy Legalization.

Secretary of State
Certifications

Corporate documents to be authenticated must be certified at the state level by the Secretary of State in which the documents were issued or notarized.

Certificates of Good Standing

We are able to obtain Certificates of Good Standing from any state.

PTO Retrievals

We are able to obtain certified copies of published patent documents, trademark documents and unpublished patent documents.

DCRA Retrievals

We can take care of your DCRA corporate filings and other compliance requirements for all of your out-of-state and non-U.S. business needs.

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Don’t see your country?

They may be a part of The Hague Convention and require an Apostille. Click here to learn more.

 

Common Legalization Requests

Legal, Corporate & IP

Patent & Trademark
Powers of Attorney
Assignments
Authorizations
Company House Certificates

Export Documents

Certificate of Origin
Certificate of Manufacturer
Commercial Invoice
Proforma Invoice

Relocation Documents

FBI Background Check
Marriage/Birth Certificates
Education Certificates
Medical Documents
Employment Contracts

Pharma, Food & Agriculture

Certificate of Origin
Invoices
CPPs & CMPs
Health Certificate
Marketing Authorization
Phytosanitary Certificate

Frequently Asked Questions

Each country has their own requirements for documentation use. We offer apostilles and certifications for documents that need to be legalized for use in another country.

For certain countries, yes. Translated documents must be accompanied by a statement from a certified translator. Washington Express Visas can help you arrange this if needed.

Apostilles are only accepted by countries who are members of the Hague Convention and only require authentication by the state where the document originated. Certifications vary based on the state and country in which the document originated, as well as the country it will be used in.

Business contracts, patents, articles of incorporation, and export certificates are examples of corporate documents that will need to be authenticated. Birth certificates, marriage certificates and diplomas are examples of personal documents requiring authentication for purposes such as international adoptions, employment visas, or residency visas.

 

"The results I expect from document services are exceeded by Washington Express. I look for professionalism, speed, efficiency, communication and the right price. They have delivered every time!"

-Tom P., Morinda Inc.