Apostille Meaning: What an Apostille Is, Who Issues It and What the Federal Fee Is
An apostille is the certificate that the 1961 Hague Convention uses in place of legalisation for a public document used in another Convention country, issued by a Competent Authority in the place where the document originates. For U.S. documents, the State Department says federal documents go through its Office of Authentications at $20 per document (Requesting Authentication Services page, archived copy of June 15, 2026), and, for use in a Convention country, state documents are certified by the state that issued them. According to the HCCH status table, the Convention entered into force for the United States on October 15, 1981.
Maintained by Archie Chang · Reviewed November 3, 2026 · Methodology & sources
What an apostille is
The HCCH, the organisation that administers the Convention, describes its purpose this way.
The Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (HCCH 1961 Apostille Convention) facilitates the use of public documents abroad. The purpose of the Convention is to abolish the traditional requirement of legalisation, replacing the often long and costly legalisation process with the issuance of a single Apostille certificate by a Competent Authority in the place where the document originates.
The Convention text sets out which documents it covers, what the certificate is and what it certifies. Article 1 includes exclusions, and they are quoted with the rule.
The present Convention shall apply to public documents which have been executed in the territory of one Contracting State and which have to be produced in the territory of another Contracting State.
For the purposes of the present Convention, the following are deemed to be public documents:
a) documents emanating from an authority or an official connected with the courts or tribunals of the State, including those emanating from a public prosecutor, a clerk of a court or a process-server (" huissier de justice ");
b) administrative documents;
c) notarial acts;
d) official certificates which are placed on documents signed by persons in their private capacity, such as official certificates recording the registration of a document or the fact that it was in existence on a certain date and official and notarial authentications of signatures.
However, the present Convention shall not apply:
a) to documents executed by diplomatic or consular agents;
b) to administrative documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations.
The only formality that may be required in order to certify the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the person signing the document has acted and, where appropriate, the identity of the seal or stamp which it bears, is the addition of the certificate described in Article 4, issued by the competent authority of the State from which the document emanates.
However, the formality mentioned in the preceding paragraph cannot be required when either the laws, regulations, or practice in force in the State where the document is produced or an agreement between two or more Contracting States have abolished or simplified it, or exempt the document itself from legalisation.
The certificate referred to in the first paragraph of Article 3 shall be placed on the document itself or on an " allonge "; it shall be in the form of the model annexed to the present Convention.
It may, however, be drawn up in the official language of the authority which issues it. The standard terms appearing therein may be in a second language also. The title "Apostille (Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961)" shall be in the French language.
The certificate shall be issued at the request of the person who has signed the document or of any bearer.
When properly filled in, it will certify the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the person signing the document has acted and, where appropriate, the identity of the seal or stamp which the document bears.
The signature, seal and stamp on the certificate are exempt from all certification.
Each Contracting State shall exempt from legalisation documents to which the present Convention applies and which have to be produced in its territory. For the purposes of the present Convention, legalisation means only the formality by which the diplomatic or consular agents of the country in which the document has to be produced certify the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the person signing the document has acted and, where appropriate, the identity of the seal or stamp which it bears.
Who issues it
Each Contracting State shall designate by reference to their official function, the authorities who are competent to issue the certificate referred to in the first paragraph of Article 3.
Please note that the Permanent Bureau of the HCCH has no mandate to issue or verify Apostille Certificates. Apostille Certificates can only be issued and verified by designated Competent Authorities of Contracting Parties to the 1961 Apostille Convention. A full list of Contracting Parties and the contact details of their Competent Authorities can be found here. For individuals seeking further information regarding Apostille Certificates, please contact the relevant Competent Authority.
The HCCH keeps a list of the Competent Authorities of each Contracting Party, which is not copied on this page.
Is the United States a party?
| Contracting Party | Accession (R/A/S column) | Type | Entry into force (EIF) | Status table last updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States of America | December 24, 1980 (24-XII-1980) | A (Accession) | October 15, 1981 (15-X-1981) | June 30, 2026 (30-VI-2026) |
12: Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents
Entry into force:
24-I-1965
[…]
Last update:
30-VI-2026
Number of Contracting Parties to this Convention: 130
The expression “Contracting Party” covers both cases in which the Convention has, and cases in which the Convention has not yet, entered into force for that Party following the deposit of its instrument of ratification, accession, acceptance or approval (see column EIF in the chart).
The HCCH status table lists 130 Contracting Parties. The full table is on the HCCH site and is not copied on this page.
The HCCH status table and the list of Competent Authorities are at the HCCH links in the Sources section.
U.S. federal documents
The State Department page on preparing a document for an apostille certificate (archived copy of June 15, 2026; the page says Last Updated: December 13, 2024) states the rule for federal documents.
An apostille certificate is for documents you use in countries that are in the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty. You may need to get an apostille certificate if you are using a document issued by the U.S. federal government in one of these countries.
If your document is signed by one of the following officials, you must get an apostille certificate:
U.S. federal official
U.S. consular officer
Foreign consul registered with the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Protocol
Military notary or judge advocate
The apostille page lists steps to get the apostille certificate from our office (the Office of Authentications, per the Requesting Authentication Services page).
Follow these steps to get the apostille certificate from our office:
Make sure your document is an original or certified copy
A certified copy is a copy of a primary document with a certificate on it that it is the true copy. Make sure seals and signatures are originals. The document must include a date of issuance.
If the country where you are using the document requires it to be translated from English, get a professional translator and have it notarized
Do not get the original document notarized.
Submit your request for authentication services (includes your Form DS-4194, fees, and documents)
Do not notarize your document. Your document will no longer be valid if it is notarized.
Do:
Include a legible signature of the official's name, printed name and title, and seal of the agency
Use agency letterhead
The Requesting Authentication Services page (archived copy of June 15, 2026; the page says Last Updated: February 26, 2026) lists what goes with a request, including the fee.
What to include with your request:
Form DS-4194. Be sure to list the country in which you will use the document.
The document(s) requiring authentication services
Check if you need an authentication certificate or an apostille certificate.
Fees which are $20 per document
If you are mailing your request, pay by check or money order. Make them payable to the U.S. Department of State. Do not send cash or credit card information.
Include the customer's name and address on checks (make sure this information is preprinted) and money orders. All check numbers must be over 100.
If you are requesting services in person, you must pay by credit card, debit card, or a contactless form of payment such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay. We do not accept cash, check, or money order.
Under federal law, we cannot refund the authentications fee.
| Service | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Authentications (domestic), each basic authentication service | $20 | 22 CFR 22.1 item 46(a); State Department Requesting Authentication Services page (archived copy, June 15, 2026), $20 per document |
| Posts abroad, authenticating a U.S. Federal, State, or territorial seal | $50 | 22 CFR 22.1 item 44(b) (eCFR up to date as of October 29, 2026) |
Item 45 of 22 CFR 22.1 lists exemptions from the notarial, certification and authentication fees of items 41 to 44, which include the $50 posts-abroad fee in the table; it is quoted in full:
45. Exemptions: Notarial, certification, and authentication fees (Items 41-44) or passport file search fees (Item 6) will not be charged when the service is performed:
(a) At the direct request of any Federal Government agency, any state or local government, the District of Columbia, or any of the territories or possessions of the United States (unless significant costs would be incurred)
NO FEE.
(b) With respect to documents to be presented by claimants, beneficiaries, or their witnesses in connection with obtaining Federal, state, or municipal benefits
NO FEE.
(c) For U.S. citizens outside the United States preparing ballots for any public election in the United States or any of its territories
NO FEE.
(d) At the direct request of a foreign government or an international agency of which the United States is a member if the documents are for official noncommercial use
NO FEE.
(e) At the direct request of a foreign government official when appropriate or as a reciprocal courtesy
NO FEE.
(f) At the request of direct-hire U.S. Government personnel, Peace Corps volunteers, or their dependents stationed or traveling officially in a foreign country
NO FEE.
(g) With respect to documents whose production is ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction
NO FEE.
(h) With respect to affidavits of support for immigrant visa applications
NO FEE.
(i) With respect to endorsing U.S. Savings Bonds Certificates
NO FEE.
44. Authentications (by posts abroad):
[…]
(b) Authenticating a U.S. Federal, State, or territorial seal
$50.
[…]
46. Authentications (by the Office of Authentications domestically):
(a) Each basic authentication service
$20
U.S. state documents
The State Department apostille page covers state documents for use in a country that is part of the Hague Convention Treaty, and its authentication-certificate page covers state documents for use in a country that is not. They describe different cases. Both are quoted with the date each page prints.
State documents
If you're using the document in a country that is part of the Hague Convention Treaty, get it certified by the state that issued the document. You do not need an apostille certificate.
If you're using the document in a country not in the Hague Convention Treaty, get it certified with an authentication certificate.
Preparing your state document
To get an authentication certificate from our office, follow these steps:
1. Get your state document authenticated by the state who issued the document.
Ask the office that issued the document for the name of the authenticating authority if you do not know whom to contact. This individual could be the state’s secretary of state, a lieutenant governor, or other authority.
2. Submit your request for authentication services (includes your Form DS-4194, fees, and documents)
The State Department apostille page (archived copy of June 15, 2026) and authentication-certificate page (archived copy of June 29, 2026) gave no dollar amount for state-issued documents when we checked on November 3, 2026.
Countries outside the Convention
The State Department Office of Authentications page (archived copy of July 13, 2026; the page says Last Updated: December 22, 2025) says which certificate goes with which country.
We issue apostille certificates and authentication certificates. The country in which you will use the document determines the type of certificate you get:
Apostille certificates are for documents you use in countries in the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty.
Authentication certificates are for documents you use in countries not in the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty.
The archived State Department apostille page (copy of June 15, 2026), authentication-certificate page (copy of June 29, 2026) and Office of Authentications page (copy of July 13, 2026) did not use the word legalization or legalisation when we checked on November 3, 2026; the Convention text defines legalisation in Article 2, quoted above.
Open cases
Whether a particular document is a public document is decided under Article 1 of the Convention, quoted above.
The Convention text (HCCH full-text page, saved November 3, 2026) and the State Department apostille page (archived copy of June 15, 2026) did not say whether a particular country accepts a given document when we checked on November 3, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What does apostille mean?
According to the HCCH, the apostille is the certificate of the 1961 Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents. Under Article 3 it is the only formality that may be required to certify the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the person signing the document acted and, where appropriate, the identity of the seal or stamp, except where the laws, regulations or practice of the country where the document is produced, or an agreement, have abolished or simplified it or exempt the document from legalisation. Article 4 requires the title to be in French.
Who issues an apostille?
Under Article 6 of the Convention, each Contracting State designates, by reference to official function, the authorities competent to issue the certificate. The HCCH says its Permanent Bureau has no mandate to issue or verify apostilles, which can only be issued and verified by the designated Competent Authorities of Contracting Parties. The State Department About the Office of Authentications page (archived copy of July 13, 2026) says "We issue apostille certificates and authentication certificates." The State Department apostille page (archived copy of June 15, 2026) says that, for use in a country that is part of the Hague Convention Treaty, a state document is certified by the state that issued it, and lists steps to get the apostille certificate "from our office" for a document signed by a U.S. federal official or another official it lists.
Where do U.S. federal documents go for an apostille, and what does it cost?
The State Department apostille page (archived copy of June 15, 2026) says an apostille certificate is for documents used in countries in the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty, that a document issued by the U.S. federal government may need one there, and that a document signed by a U.S. federal official, a U.S. consular officer, a foreign consul registered with the Office of Protocol, or a military notary or judge advocate must get one, and it lists steps to get the certificate "from our office". The Requesting Authentication Services page (archived copy of June 15, 2026) lists fees of $20 per document, and 22 CFR 22.1 item 46(a) lists $20 for each basic authentication service by the Office of Authentications domestically. According to the Requesting Authentication Services page, under federal law the authentications fee cannot be refunded.
How are state documents such as birth certificates certified for use abroad?
The State Department apostille page (archived copy of June 15, 2026) says that, for use in a country that is part of the Hague Convention Treaty, a state document is to be certified by the state that issued it, and adds: "You do not need an apostille certificate." The State Department authentication-certificate page (archived copy of June 29, 2026), which covers documents for use in countries not in the Hague Convention Treaty, says in step 1 of the authentication-certificate page's state-document steps that the authenticating authority could be the state's secretary of state, a lieutenant governor, or other authority, and that the office that issued the document can name it if it is not known. Its step 2 is "Submit your request for authentication services (includes your Form DS-4194, fees, and documents)". The apostille page (archived copy of June 15, 2026) and the authentication-certificate page (archived copy of June 29, 2026) gave no dollar amount for state-issued documents when we checked on November 3, 2026.
How many countries are in the Apostille Convention?
The HCCH status table for the Apostille Convention (last update June 30, 2026) lists 130 Contracting Parties. The status table says Contracting Party covers parties for which the Convention has entered into force and parties for which it has not yet entered into force. It lists the United States with accession on December 24, 1980 and entry into force on October 15, 1981.
What applies when the country is not in the Hague Convention?
The State Department Office of Authentications page (archived copy of July 13, 2026) says authentication certificates are for documents used in countries not in the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty, and that the country in which the document will be used determines the type of certificate.
Do the State Department pages say what a state charges?
The State Department apostille page (archived copy of June 15, 2026) and authentication-certificate page (archived copy of June 29, 2026) gave no dollar amount for state-issued documents when we checked on November 3, 2026. The State Department Requesting Authentication Services page (archived copy of June 15, 2026) lists $20 per document for requests to its Office of Authentications.
Related pages
Sources
USCIS pages, 8 CFR 214.2, 22 CFR 41.81 and HCCH pages were read on November 3, 2026; Form G-1055, 8 CFR 106.2 and 22 CFR 22.1 were read on November 2, 2026. State Department pages on travel.state.gov are cited from Internet Archive copies; the capture date is given with each one, and the page itself may have been updated since.
- 22 CFR 22.1, Schedule of Fees for Consular Services (eCFR, up to date as of October 29, 2026)
- HCCH, Status table of the Apostille Convention (last update June 30, 2026)
- HCCH, Authorities (per Convention) for the Apostille Convention
- HCCH, Apostille Section
- HCCH, Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (full text)
- travel.state.gov, Preparing Your Document for an Apostille Certificate (Internet Archive copy of June 15, 2026)
- travel.state.gov, Preparing Your Document for an Authentication Certificate (Internet Archive copy of June 29, 2026)
- travel.state.gov, About the Office of Authentications (Internet Archive copy of July 13, 2026)
- travel.state.gov, Requesting Authentication Services (Internet Archive copy of June 15, 2026)