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Travel.State.Gov > Replace or Certify Documents>Authenticate Your Document>Authentication Certificate Requirements
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Authentication Certificate Requirements
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Before submitting documents for authentication, you must:
1) Notarize each document in front of a notary public:
- Using a notary commissioned by the county? Certify your document at the clerk of court then thesecretary of state.
- Using a notary commissioned by the state? Certify your documentat the secretary of state.
If you do not have the correct notarization(s) before you submit your documents, we will not be able to process your request.
2) All seals and signatures must be originals
- We cannot accept copies unless they are “true certified copies” from a notary public. Birth, marriage, and death certificates, divorce decrees, court documents, and federally-issued documents cannot be certified by a notary public as “true copies.” These documents must be certified by the secretary of state.
3) All documents in a foreign language must be translated into English by a certified translator and notarized as a true translation.
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Requirements for Each Type of Document
State and Local DocumentsExamples of state and local documents include:
- Birth Certificates
- Marriage Certificates
- Death Certificates
- Divorce Decrees
- Probate Wills
- Judgments
Requirements for state and local documents include:
- Original or certified document must include the raised and/or stamped seal of the court or department of vital records.
- Must be certified by the Secretary of State from the state in which the documents were issued. The Secretary of State will certify to the official signing the document under the Seal of the State.
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Federally-Issued DocumentsExamples of federally-issued documents include:
- Animal/Plant Certifications (issued by U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA)
- Animal Health certifications (issued by USDA)
- FBI – Background check (issued by U.S. Department of Justice, or DoJ)
- Do not notarize FBI background checks
- U.S. Federal Court Documents check (issued by DoJ)
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court check (issued by DoJ)
- Immigration Certifications (issued by U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
- Certificate of Foreign Governments (issued by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS)
- Certificate of Pharmaceutical/Export (issued by HHS)
- Trademark (Issued by U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)
- Other documents issued by Environmental Protection Agency, Social Security Administration, or Office of Personnel Management
Requirements for federally-issued documents include:
- Must be executed by U.S. federal agencies
- Must include a legible signature of the official's name, printed name and title, and seal of the agency
- Must be on agency letterhead
- Do not notarize FBI background checks
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Documents issued by the District of Columbia Superior Court and Court of AppealsExamples include:
- Marriage Certificates (Issued in the District of Columbia)
Requirements:
- Documentmusthave the original official signature and the raised seal of the court.
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Other DocumentsExamples of other documents include:
- Affidavits
- Agreements
- Articles of Incorporation
- Bylaws
- Commercial Invoices
- Copy of a U.S. Passport (identification page only)
- Deeds of Assignment
- Diplomas
- Home Study
- Income Verification
- Powers-of-Attorney
- Single Status
- Transcripts
- Other business documents
Requirements for other documents include:
- Must be certified with a stamp or seal by a notary public
- Must be certified by the clerk of court from the county in which the notary is commissioned
- Must be certified by the Secretary of State from the state in which the document was executed
- Documents from the District of Columbia must be certified by the Government of the District of Columbia Notarial Section
- Note: the document doesn't have to be certified by the clerk of court from the county in which the notary is commissioned if the Secretary of State will certify directly to the notary.
Last Updated: January 6, 2023
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