We do not offer this service
To be clear up front: embassy legalization is not something we perform, and we do not charge for it. Our service is the federal step only, the U.S. Department of State apostille (for Hague destinations) or authentication (for non-Hague destinations). If your document is headed to a non-Hague country, we return your federally authenticated document to you, and you take it to that country's embassy or consulate yourself to complete legalization. This page explains what that step involves so you know what to expect.
What embassy legalization is
Embassy legalization is a stamp or certificate added by a foreign country's embassy or consulate, confirming that a document already authenticated by the U.S. Department of State can be accepted in that country. It exists because countries that have not joined the Hague Apostille Convention do not accept a single certificate on its own. Instead, their own diplomatic mission in the United States adds a second layer of verification before the document is considered valid for use in that country.
When it is needed
Countries that belong to the Hague Apostille Convention accept a single apostille certificate with no further review. Countries that have not joined the convention need one more step, for both federal and state documents. Examples of non-Hague destinations include the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, Pakistan, and several countries across Africa and the Middle East. For these destinations, a federal document receives an authentication from the Department of State, and a state document first receives state authentication, then Department of State authentication. Either way, embassy legalization from the destination country's embassy or consulate is the last step, and it is a step you complete yourself. See our apostille vs authentication page for the full comparison. A state document headed to a Hague country does not go through this process; it needs a single state apostille instead, from that state's own office, which is also not something we handle.
How the steps fit together
The steps happen in a fixed order and cannot be reversed. Here is where our part ends and yours begins.
- Step 1: We complete the federal step. A federal document goes directly to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications in Washington, DC. A state document must first be authenticated by the Secretary of State in the issuing state, before it reaches us for the federal step.
- Step 2: We ship your authenticated document back to you with tracking.
- Step 3: You take the authenticated document to the destination country's embassy or consulate in the United States and complete embassy legalization yourself. This step is not something we perform, and we do not charge for it.
Frequently asked questions
- What is embassy legalization? Embassy legalization is a stamp or certificate added by a foreign country's embassy or consulate, confirming that a document already authenticated by the U.S. Department of State (and, for state documents, by that state's authentication office) can be accepted in that country. It is the final step for documents going to countries that have not joined the Hague Apostille Convention.
- Do I need embassy legalization for every country? No. Embassy legalization is needed only for countries that are not members of the Hague Apostille Convention. If your destination country is a Hague member, your document receives an apostille instead, and no embassy step is required. Check our Hague Convention member countries page to confirm.
- Do you handle the embassy legalization step for me? No. We perform the federal step only, the U.S. Department of State apostille or authentication. We do not visit embassies or consulates, and embassy legalization is not a service we offer or charge for. Once we return your federally authenticated document, completing embassy legalization is up to you.
- Does this apply to state documents too? Yes. A state document headed to a non-Hague country needs state authentication first (which you arrange with the issuing state before sending it to us), then our federal authentication step, then embassy legalization (which you complete afterward). A state document headed to a Hague country instead needs a single state apostille from that state's own office, which is a different office we do not handle.
- How much does embassy legalization cost? We do not know each embassy's current fee and cannot quote it, since we do not perform this step. Contact the destination country's embassy or consulate directly for its legalization fee and requirements.
- Which countries commonly require embassy legalization? Examples include the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, Pakistan, and several countries across Africa and the Middle East. If you are unsure whether your destination country requires this step, check our Hague Convention member countries page or contact us.
- Can I go straight to the embassy without authentication first? No. Embassies and consulates require the federal authentication step to be completed first. They will not add their legalization stamp to a document that has not already been authenticated by the U.S. Department of State, since the stamp confirms on top of that step rather than replacing it.