The Hague Apostille Convention — formally known as the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents — is an international treaty established in 1961. Its purpose is to simplify the process of authenticating public documents for use across international borders.
Before the Convention, getting a document accepted in a foreign country required a lengthy, multi-step process called embassy legalization. Each document had to be authenticated by multiple government agencies and then verified by the foreign embassy or consulate. The Hague Convention replaced this complex procedure with a single, standardized certificate: the apostille.
When a country is a member of the Hague Convention, it agrees to accept apostilled documents from all other member countries without any further authentication. This means a federal apostille issued by the U.S. Department of State is directly accepted by governments, courts, universities, employers, and institutions in all 120+ member countries listed below.
Federal Apostille and Notary Processing handles the entire apostille process for U.S. federal documents at $120 per document. We submit your documents directly to the U.S. Department of State from our office at 400 8th St NW, Washington, DC 20004.
Hague Convention Member Countries by Region
The following countries are members of the Hague Apostille Convention and accept federal apostilles issued by the U.S. Department of State. Countries are organized by geographic region for easy reference.
Europe (51 countries)
- Albania
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Tajikistan
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- Uzbekistan
Americas (29 countries)
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Mexico
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent
- Suriname
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
Asia-Pacific (16 countries)
- Australia
- Brunei
- Cook Islands
- Fiji
- India
- Japan
- Marshall Islands
- Mongolia
- New Zealand
- Niue
- Palau
- Philippines
- Samoa
- South Korea
- Tonga
- Vanuatu
Africa & Middle East (15 countries)
- Bahrain
- Botswana
- Eswatini
- Israel
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Malawi
- Mauritius
- Morocco
- Namibia
- Oman
- Seychelles
- South Africa
- Tunisia
- Turkey
Notable Countries NOT in the Hague Convention
The following major countries are not members of the Hague Apostille Convention. Documents destined for these countries cannot be apostilled and instead require embassy legalization — a separate, multi-step authentication process through the U.S. Department of State and the relevant foreign embassy or consulate.
- Bangladesh
- Canada
- China
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Malaysia
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- United Arab Emirates
- Vietnam
If your destination country is on this list, Federal Apostille and Notary Processing can still help. We offer embassy legalization services for non-Hague countries. The process typically involves Department of State authentication followed by processing at the appropriate foreign embassy in Washington, D.C. Contact us to discuss your requirements.
ⓘ Federal Apostille vs. State Apostille — Know the Difference
A federal apostille is issued by the U.S. Department of State for documents from federal agencies (FBI, USCIS, federal courts, military, USPTO, SSA, IRS). A state apostille is issued by a state Secretary of State for state-level documents (birth certificates, marriage licenses, diplomas). Submitting a federal document to a state office — or vice versa — will result in rejection. Federal Apostille and Notary Processing specializes exclusively in federal apostilles through the Department of State.
💰 Service Fee: $120 Per Document
Our flat rate of $120 per document includes document review, preparation, submission to the U.S. Department of State, and return shipping. This applies to all federal document types — FBI checks, naturalization certificates, court orders, military records, and more. Submit by uploading online, mailing in, or bringing in person.
Federal Documents We Apostille
The following U.S. federal documents are commonly apostilled for use in Hague Convention countries. Every document type listed below is processed at our flat rate of $120 per document.
| Federal Document | Issuing Agency | Common International Use Cases |
|---|---|---|
| FBI Background Check | Federal Bureau of Investigation | Immigration, visa applications, residency permits, employment abroad, adoption |
| Certificate of Naturalization (N-550/N-570) | USCIS | Dual citizenship, Italian jure sanguinis, proof of citizenship abroad |
| Federal Court Documents | U.S. Federal Courts | Name changes, judgments, court orders for foreign legal proceedings |
| Military Records (DD-214) | U.S. Department of Defense | Veterans benefits abroad, employment, residency applications |
| Social Security Letters | Social Security Administration | Proof of benefits, income verification, pension claims abroad |
| USPTO Patent & Trademark Records | U.S. Patent and Trademark Office | International IP filings, foreign litigation, licensing agreements |
| IRS Tax Returns & Transcripts | Internal Revenue Service | Foreign mortgages, residency applications, business registration abroad |
| Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240) | U.S. Department of State | Proof of citizenship, marriage abroad, school enrollment, residency |
How to Get Your Federal Documents Apostilled
Our process is straightforward. We handle every step between you and the U.S. Department of State.
- Submit Your Federal DocumentsUpload online through our application form, mail to 400 8th St NW, Washington, DC 20004, or bring in person. Call (760) 469-2997 or email submissions@federalapostille.org. Available 24/7.
- We Review & Prepare Your DocumentsOur team verifies that each federal document meets Department of State requirements — proper seals, authorized signatures, and original documents (not copies). We confirm the destination country is a Hague Convention member.
- We Submit to the U.S. Department of StateWe prepare and submit your documents to the Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C. Our nearby office allows us to coordinate directly with the Department of State.
- You Receive Your Apostilled DocumentsThe Department of State attaches the apostille certificate to your document. We return the completed, authenticated document to you — ready for use in any Hague Convention country worldwide.
Our Full Range of Services
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| Federal Apostille | Apostille processing for all U.S. federal documents through the Department of State — $120 per document. Accepted in 120+ Hague Convention countries. |
| Embassy Legalization | Full-service authentication and legalization for non-Hague countries (China, Canada, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, etc.). Multi-step process through the Department of State and the relevant foreign embassy. |
| Notary Public | Professional notary services for documents requiring notarization before apostille (e.g., tax returns, affidavits, powers of attorney). |
| Certified / Sworn Translation | Certified translations for countries requiring documents in their official language. Available for all major languages. |
