Federal Apostille Glossary

31 terms, A to Z by topic

Apostille

A standardized certificate, created by the 1961 Hague Convention, that authenticates the signature and seal on a public document so it is accepted in other member countries. More →

Federal apostille

An apostille issued by the U.S. Department of State for a document signed by a federal official, such as an FBI report or USCIS certificate. More →

State apostille

An apostille issued by a state authority — usually the Secretary of State — for documents signed by that state's officials or notaries. More →

Authentication certificate

The certificate the U.S. Department of State issues instead of an apostille when a document is going to a country outside the Hague Convention. More →

Embassy legalization

The final step for non-Hague countries: the destination's embassy or consulate verifies the Department of State's authentication and adds its own. More →

Hague Apostille Convention

The Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents. It has been in force for the United States since 15 October 1981. More →

Entry into force

The date the Apostille Convention starts applying to a country. It can be months after the country announces it is joining — always check this date, not the announcement. More →

Office of Authentications

The U.S. Department of State office in Washington, D.C. that issues apostilles and authentication certificates for federal documents. More →

Form DS-4194

The Department of State's Request for Authentication Service, used when submitting a document yourself. The government fee is $20 per document. More →

Certified copy

A copy issued by the agency or court that holds the original, carrying that authority's certification and seal. For most federal documents, this — not a photocopy — is what gets apostilled. More →

Notarization

A notary public's certification of a signature or copy. It makes a private document eligible for a state apostille, but it invalidates a federal record for federal authentication. More →

County clerk certification

A step some states require before a notarized document can be apostilled — the county clerk certifies the notary's commission. New York is the best-known example. More →

Identity History Summary

The official name of the FBI background check — a fingerprint-based record of federal arrests and dispositions, or confirmation that none exist. More →

FBI-approved channeler

A private company authorized to submit fingerprints to the FBI and return Identity History Summary results, usually faster than a direct request. More →

FD-258

The FBI's standard fingerprint card, used to request an Identity History Summary. The card itself is never apostilled. More →

Live scan

Electronic fingerprint capture, submitted directly to the FBI or through a channeler. Faster and less prone to rejection than ink cards. More →

Form N-565

The USCIS application for a replacement or certified naturalization or citizenship document — the usual route to a copy that can be apostilled. More →

Certificate of Naturalization

The USCIS document issued to people who became citizens through naturalization. Originals can't be apostilled, and copying one is restricted by federal law. More →

Certificate of Citizenship

The USCIS document issued to people who acquired or derived citizenship through a U.S.-citizen parent. More →

CRBA (Form FS-240)

The Consular Report of Birth Abroad, documenting the citizenship of a child born abroad to a U.S.-citizen parent. More →

Form 6166

The IRS letter certifying U.S. tax residency, used to claim tax-treaty benefits abroad. It is year-specific. More →

Form 8802

The IRS application for U.S. residency certification. Filing it is how you obtain Form 6166. More →

Tax transcript

The IRS's own record of a filed return, requested free online or with Form 4506-T — not a copy of the return itself. More →

CP-575 and 147C

IRS letters confirming an Employer Identification Number. The CP-575 is issued once and never reissued; the 147C is the replacement. More →

NPRC

The National Personnel Records Center, which holds military service records such as DD-214s and issues certified copies. More →

SF-180

The standard form for requesting military service records from the National Personnel Records Center. More →

Form G-639

The USCIS Freedom of Information / Privacy Act request, used to obtain immigration records. More →

PACER

The federal courts' online records system. PACER downloads are not certified copies and can't be apostilled. More →

Certificate of Non-Existence of Record

An agency's certified statement that a particular record does not exist — often essential in citizenship-by-descent claims. More →

Certified translation

A translation accompanied by the translator's signed statement of accuracy. Many destinations require one, and some want the apostille itself translated. More →

Citizenship by descent

Claiming a country's citizenship through a parent or ancestor. Files typically combine certified National Archives, USCIS and state records. More →