Certificate of naturalization Legalisation: Route and Rules
Federal record
Legalising a certificate of naturalization
Proof of U.S. citizenship by naturalisation.
- Category
- Federal record
- Issued by
- A federal agency
- Federal fee
- $20 per document
The route this document takes
A notarised statement or copy prepared correctly, then the route that statement takes. The certificate itself cannot be certified directly.
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U.S. Department of State authentication The federal layer that foreign missions actually recognise. Submitted on form DS-4194 to the Office of Authentications, 44132 Mercure Circle, PO Box 1206, Sterling, VA 20166-1206. Federal documents such as an FBI check start here and skip the state step. Where this goes wrong: Sending a document that has not been state-authenticated first. It comes back untouched, weeks later.
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Legalisation by mission The destination country's own mission adds the final stamp. Which mission is competent depends on the consular district covering the state where the document originated. Where this goes wrong: Sending to the wrong consulate. Districts are assigned by state and are not negotiable.
What trips people up with this document
- Federal law prohibits photocopying the certificate for most purposes. The usual workaround is a notarised declaration exhibiting it. Ask the mission what it will accept before paying for anything.
This document, by destination
Requirements differ by mission. Pick the destination for the specifics.
Send this document with us
We run the chain for this document type every week and know which missions are currently slow.
Requirements on this page were last checked against official sources on .
Questions about this document
Does a certificate of naturalization need state authentication first?
No. It is a federal document, so it goes straight to the U.S. Department of State. Sending it to a Secretary of State wastes a fee and several days, because no state can certify a federal signature.
How much does legalising a certificate of naturalization cost?
Federal authentication is a fixed twenty dollars. State fees run from about two to thirty dollars, and the embassy fee varies widely by country and by document category, so check the mission schedule linked from the destination page.
Can I legalise more than one certificate of naturalization at once?
Yes, but every copy is charged separately at every stage. If two institutions abroad each need an original, plan for two full sets rather than hoping to reuse one.
What is the most common reason a certificate of naturalization is rejected?
Federal law prohibits photocopying the certificate for most purposes. The usual workaround is a notarised declaration exhibiting it. Ask the mission what it will accept before paying for anything.
This guide is published by a private document processing service. It is not legal advice and we are not a government agency. Requirements change without notice, so confirm anything critical with the mission before you post documents.
