Federal apostille · All 50 states

Federal Apostille Service, handled from San Jose to Washington, DC

Need a federal apostille? A federal document — an FBI background check, a naturalization certificate, an IRS or FDA certificate, a federal court record — can only be apostilled in Washington, DC, not by the California Secretary of State. Send it to the wrong office and you lose weeks. We check the document first, prepare and file it in Washington, DC, and track it back to you. Expedited service runs about 9 business days when submitted by Wednesday (12 business days if submitted after Wednesday) ($350 per document for FBI reports, naturalization certificates and every other federal document). Walk in at our San Jose office, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM, or mail it to us.

Start a federal apostille order Call (408) 766-3528
Most federal documents acceptedExpedited in about 9 business days when submitted by Wednesday (12 business days if submitted after Wednesday)Nationwide mail-inHague and non-Hague countries
Apostille federal documents

Federal documents we apostille

If a document is signed by a U.S. federal official, it goes to the federal authentication office in Washington, DC. These are the ones we handle most often. Not sure whether yours is federal or state? Call and we will tell you before you send anything.

FBI background checks

Identity History Summary for visas, residency and work abroad. See our FBI background check apostille.

Naturalization & citizenship certificates

Issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. See naturalization certificate apostille.

IRS certificates

Including the Form 6166 certification of U.S. tax residency used for foreign tax treaties.

FDA & HHS certificates

Certificates to foreign governments and certificates of pharmaceutical product or export.

USDA certifications

Animal health, plant and export certifications from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Federal court documents

Judgments and orders from U.S. District, Bankruptcy and other federal courts, certified by the clerk.

Patent & trademark documents

Certified records from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Social Security & other agencies

Letters and records from the Social Security Administration, EPA, Office of Personnel Management and other federal agencies.

Documents from U.S. consulates

Documents signed by a U.S. consular officer, and documents notarized by a military notary or judge advocate.

State documents go elsewhere. California birth, marriage and death certificates, court records and notarized documents are apostilled by the California Secretary of State — see our California apostille services, or California apostille from out of state if you live elsewhere now.
How it works

Federal apostille service in four steps

Check the document

We confirm it is an original or certified copy with the official’s signature, printed name, title, agency seal and issue date. Federal documents must not be notarized.

Match the country

Hague Convention countries take an apostille. Non-Hague countries need an authentication certificate followed by that country’s embassy legalization. We tell you which applies.

File in Washington, DC

We prepare and submit the request to the federal authentication office in Washington, DC, on the expedited track.

Tracked return

The apostilled document comes back to our San Jose office for pickup or is shipped to you with tracking.

Need a translation too? Many countries want a certified translation with the apostilled document. We handle both in one order — see certified translation.
Walk in or mail in

Nationwide federal apostille — apostille in Washington, DC without going there

Every federal apostille in the country is issued by one office in Washington, DC, so nobody is local to it. That is why we serve clients in all 50 states. FBI background checks need nothing mailed: start your order online and attach the report to the form. Other federal documents are mailed to us as originals or certified copies, because the federal office authenticates the physical document. Either way we file it in Washington, DC and ship the apostilled document back with tracking. Local clients walk into our office at 434 Blossom Hill Road, San Jose, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM. Every federal document is $350, and you can place your order online before you mail it.

Federal apostille questions

Federal apostille questions, answered

What is a federal apostille?
A federal apostille is the certificate the federal authentication office in Washington, DC attaches to a document signed by a U.S. federal official, so it is accepted in countries that belong to the Hague Apostille Convention. It confirms the official’s signature and seal, not the contents of the document.
Which documents need a federal apostille instead of a California apostille?
Any document signed by a federal official: FBI background checks, naturalization certificates, IRS, FDA, USDA and patent office certificates, federal court documents and Social Security letters. Documents issued or notarized in California get a California apostille from the Secretary of State instead.
Can I get a federal apostille in California?
Only the federal authentication office in Washington, DC can issue it; the California Secretary of State cannot. You can still start in California: walk in at our San Jose office or mail your document to us, and we file it in Washington, DC for you.
Do you accept federal apostille orders by mail from other states?
Yes. Clients anywhere in the U.S. can start an order online and mail the original document to our San Jose office. We file it in Washington, DC and ship the apostilled document back with tracking.
How long does a federal apostille take?
Expedited service typically takes about 9 business days when submitted by Wednesday (12 business days if submitted after Wednesday). The federal office controls its own processing, so these are typical ranges; tell us your deadline and we confirm the current timeline before we file.
What if my destination country is not in the Hague Convention?
Non-Hague countries, such as the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, do not accept an apostille. The federal office issues an authentication certificate instead, and the document must then be legalized by that country’s embassy. Confirm your destination with us before we submit.
Should I notarize my federal document first?
No. The federal office will not authenticate a federal document that has been notarized. It must be an original or certified copy with the federal official’s signature and the agency seal.
How much does a federal apostille cost?
Expedited federal service is $350 per document, whether it is an FBI background check, a naturalization certificate or any other federal document, with 9 business days when submitted by Wednesday (12 business days if submitted after Wednesday). For FBI reports, including the $450 fingerprint bundle, see our FBI apostille page. Translation and return shipping, if you need them, are added before we file.

Start your federal apostille today

Walk in at 434 Blossom Hill Road, San Jose, or mail your document from anywhere in the U.S. English, Spanish and Vietnamese at the front desk.

Start your orderCall (408) 766-3528