Document Legalization
**The U.S. Department of State is no longer accepting documents for authentication from the public. All documents must be mailed in and will be returned via UPS or USPS.
Washington Express Visas provides prompt and reliable document legalization, authentication and certification services. We will have one of our specially trained document legalization agents hand-carry your legal documents to the DC Notary & Authentication office (if required), the State Department Authentication office and then to the appropriate Embassy. The document legalization process can be confusing and frustrating and we’re here to make that process easier and faster as well. Washington Express Visas will save you time and provide peace of mind by staying in contact with you to let you know the status of any item you have in process with us and will notify you of any issues or delays.
SERVICES OVERVIEW:
Apostille: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.
Full 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 Certification: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PTO Retrieval: We are able to obtain certified copies of published patent documents, trademark documents and unpublished patent documents.
DCRA Retrieval & Filings: 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.
Washington Express Visas offers same day pick-up and expedited service for your document legalization and authentication needs. We ensure that your documents are processed properly and efficiently, and for an affordable price. Click here to see our rate schedule for prices.
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.
Need a document authenticated for one of these common countries? See our country specific pages for the procedures to follow for these Embassies.
Many countries require that any document relating to shipping be legalized. Please contact us for further details.
THE WASHINGTON EXPRESS VISAS ADVANTAGE
- Washington, DC based.
- We are an SSP (Single Source Provider) – Tracking capabilities and technologies that integrate our services.
- Agent Expertise with the Embassies and Department of State.
- Experience – 30 years experience in Washington, DC.
- We provide all cash and other fees up front for you so there are no delays in processing.