Federal
Apostille &
Authentication.
Federal documents are authenticated by the U.S. Department of State, not the California Secretary of State. We coordinate federal apostille for Hague Convention destinations and federal authentication for non-Hague destinations, including additional embassy or consular legalization where required.
What we
coordinate.
- FBI Identity History Summary (background check)
- Qualifying federal court records
- Naturalization-related documents
- Federal agency documents
- Other eligible federal records
Questions, answered.
Can California apostille a federal document?
No. Federal documents are authenticated by the U.S. Department of State, not the California Secretary of State. California can only apostille documents issued in California or notarized by a California notary.
What is the difference between a federal apostille and federal authentication?
A federal apostille is issued for use in a country that is part of the Hague Apostille Convention. Federal authentication is issued for non-Hague destinations and may require additional embassy or consular legalization.
How do I get an FBI Identity History Summary apostille?
You obtain the FBI Identity History Summary, then it is submitted to the U.S. Department of State for authentication. We coordinate the submission and return. [VERIFY: current U.S. Department of State processing times and fees.]
How long does a federal apostille take?
Processing times are set by the U.S. Department of State and vary over time. We do not guarantee government turnaround times. [VERIFY: current processing estimates.]
Federal document going abroad?
Tell us the document type and destination. We'll identify whether it needs a federal apostille or authentication with additional legalization.