Monitored daily. We track Secretary of State, USCIS, embassy, and Hague Conference rule changes every day — plus updates to our California document packages and DIY apostille guidance — so your filing meets the latest requirements.
Apostille Global Services is a private document authentication service. We are not a government agency.
Rules monitored daily
We track Secretary of State, USCIS, embassy, and Hague Conference updates every day.
All 50 states + DC
Hague apostille and non-Hague embassy authentication, routed to the correct authority.
Verified for 2026
Every page fact-checked against current Secretary of State, USCIS, and Hague Conference rules, re-checked quarterly.
Compliant with the rules that actually get documents accepted
Hague Apostille Convention (1961)
Apostilles issued for member countries; embassy legalization routed for non-member destinations.
State Secretary of State rules
Each filing follows the issuing state's current fee schedule, form requirements, and accepted document formats.
Vital records sourced from the state
California birth, marriage, and death certificates are sourced from the California Department of Public Health (state office), which the Secretary of State accepts for apostille on the first submission.
Notary-compliant document prep
Notarizable forms are sent blank so you can fill in the facts and sign in front of a notary — then the apostille is applied to your notarized original.
Federal Document Apostille
Federal document apostille service is used when a U.S. federal document needs to be accepted in another country.
Federal documents are different from state documents. They are issued, certified, or maintained by federal agencies, federal courts, federal departments, or federal record systems.
Apostille Global Services reviews federal documents before submission so the document type, issuing authority, destination country, signature, seal, translation need, and return-shipping plan are clear.
Apostille Global Services is a private apostille support service. We are not a government agency and are not affiliated with the U.S. Department of State, any federal agency, any court, or any government office.
Why Federal Documents Need Careful Review
Federal documents are not handled the same way as state-issued or locally notarized documents.
The correct route depends on the issuing agency, the document type, the signature or certification, and the country where the document will be used.
A document can be valid in the United States and still create problems abroad if it is the wrong version, missing required details, unclear, incomplete, or sent through the wrong process.
Reviewing the document before submission helps prevent avoidable delays and helps confirm whether the document should follow a federal apostille route or embassy legalization route.
Quick Check
- Document type: U.S. federal records, federal agency documents, federal court records, and federally issued certifications
- Common uses abroad: Immigration, employment, school, licensing, adoption, business, trade, court, family, maritime, military, and foreign agency requests
- Main preparation risk: The document is treated like a state document when it needs federal review
- Destination-country review needed: Yes
- Best next step: Send a photo or scan before mailing any originals
Answer a few quick questions to find the correct packet for your federal document and destination country.
Build your apostille plan in 2 minutes
Answer a few quick questions — we'll route your document to the correct federal or state office and quote a clear price with the exact next step.
Apostille Global Services is a private document authentication service. We are not a government agency. We prepare apostille and authentication paperwork only. We are not immigration attorneys or immigration consultants and do not provide immigration or legal advice.
Do it yourself for $10. Add help only if you want it.
- Step-by-step packet personalized to your exact document
- Submission instructions and government fee checklist
- Plain-English rejection-prevention checklist
- Apostille: $10 packet + $10 AI = $20 total, or + $40 human = $50 total
- Legalization: $20 packet + $10 AI = $30 total, or + $40 human = $60 total
- We obtain, prep, submit, and track every step
- Notary, translation, and retrieval coordinated for you
- Status updates until completion
Not sure? Start with the $10 packet — you can upgrade to a review or Full Service at any time.
Federal apostille — by document type
Pick the card that matches your document, then start here to build your packet and next step.
FBI Background Check Apostille
An FBI background check is a federal document and does not go through the California Secretary of State. It usually follows the federal apostille route through the U.S. Department of State.
Common mistake: sending an FBI background check to a state apostille office.
Federal Apostille
Federal apostilles are used for eligible documents issued by U.S. federal agencies. These documents follow a different route than state-issued or notarized documents.
Common mistake: confusing federal apostille processing with state apostille processing.
U.S. Department of State Apostille
The U.S. Department of State handles apostilles and authentications for eligible federal documents. This route is commonly used for FBI background checks, federal court records, and federal agency documents.
Common mistake: sending a federal document to a state office.
Federal Court Document Apostille
Federal court documents follow the federal apostille or authentication route. These are different from California Superior Court documents.
Common mistake: treating a federal court record like a California court document.
USDA Document Apostille
USDA documents are federal records and usually require federal apostille or authentication handling. These documents can involve food, agriculture, export, animal, or veterinary matters.
Common mistake: assuming USDA documents are handled by the state.
FDA Document Apostille
FDA documents are federal agency records and must follow the federal apostille or authentication route. These documents are commonly used for product, export, compliance, or business matters abroad.
Common mistake: sending an FDA document through a state apostille process.
IRS Document Apostille
IRS documents used internationally usually require federal apostille or authentication processing. These can be needed for tax, residency, business, or foreign compliance matters.
Common mistake: using an unofficial printout instead of a properly issued IRS document.
Social Security Administration Document Apostille
Social Security Administration documents are federal records and require federal route review before apostille or authentication processing.
Common mistake: sending an unofficial copy or unsigned letter.
FAA Airman Certificate Apostille
FAA airman certificates and FAA verifications are federal documents. These records must follow the federal apostille or authentication route.
Common mistake: treating an FAA certificate like a state professional license.
U.S. Coast Guard Document Apostille
U.S. Coast Guard records, including vessel documentation and Merchant Mariner Credentials, are federal documents that require federal apostille or authentication handling.
Common mistake: sending Coast Guard documents to a state apostille office.
Federal Employment Verification Letter Apostille
Federal employment verification letters from OPM or another federal agency follow the federal route. These documents are often used for employment, immigration, pension, or foreign administrative matters.
Common mistake: using an informal HR letter that is not properly issued.
Federal Documents We Review
Apostille Global Services reviews many types of federal documents for international use.
- Federal Bureau of Investigation Identity History Summary records
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and immigration-related documents
- Certificate of Naturalization and Certificate of Citizenship records
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad records
- DD-214 military discharge records
- NGB-22 National Guard discharge records
- Department of Veterans Affairs benefit letters
- Federal court records
- Federal employment verification letters
- Food and Drug Administration certificates and export documents
- U.S. Department of Agriculture export certificates and certificates of free sale
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration export certificates
- Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Bureau of Industry and Security; Directorate of Defense Trade Controls; and Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau documents
- United States Patent and Trademark Office trademark, patent, and assignment records
- U.S. Coast Guard maritime and vessel records
- Federal Reserve and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency documents
- Federal Bureau of Prisons records
- U.S. Census Bureau records
Each federal document type can have different preparation concerns.
A record that works for one foreign request may not work for another.
Before you mail originals, order replacement records, or pay for processing, send a clear photo or scan for review.
Federal Apostille vs State Apostille
The issuing authority controls the route.
State documents are usually issued, certified, notarized, or signed under state authority.
Federal documents are issued, certified, or maintained by federal agencies, federal departments, federal courts, or federal record systems.
Sending a federal document through a state apostille process can delay the packet.
Sending a state document through a federal process can also delay the packet.
Apostille Global Services reviews the document source first so the route is clear before the packet is prepared.
Apostille or Embassy Legalization
The destination country matters.
Some countries accept apostilles. Other countries require embassy legalization.
A federal document may need a different preparation path if the destination country does not accept apostilles for the request.
That is why the destination country and receiving office should be reviewed before submission.
What Can Cause Delays
Federal apostille requests can be delayed when the document is unclear, incomplete, outdated, or prepared through the wrong route.
- The document is actually a state document, not a federal document
- The issuing agency or document source is unclear
- The signature, seal, or certification is missing or hard to read
- The document version does not match the foreign request
- The destination country requires embassy legalization instead of an apostille
- The translation need was not reviewed before submission
- The document is damaged, cropped, incomplete, or hard to read
- Related identity, business, school, court, immigration, or agency records do not match
- Return shipping was not planned before submission
These issues are not always obvious from the document name alone.
A short review before submission can prevent wasted time and the wrong filing path.
How Apostille Global Services Helps
Apostille Global Services reviews the federal document type, visible document details, issuing source, destination country, and obvious preparation risks before you mail originals.
For full-service clients, we help prepare the packet, coordinate submission, track the process, and arrange return shipping.
For self-service clients, we provide guidance based on the document type and destination country.
For pre-submission review clients, we review the prepared packet before it is sent out.
Service Options
Self-Service Kit
This option is for clients who want guidance and plan to manage preparation, mailing, follow-up, and return shipping on their own.
After the guided intake questions, Apostille Global Services provides federal document apostille guidance based on the document type and destination country.
DIY+ Pre-Submission Check
This is the strongest self-service option.
The client prepares the packet and uploads it before submission.
Apostille Global Services reviews the packet for document type concerns, wrong-route issues, signature or seal concerns, translation needs, destination requirements, and visible preparation problems.
Full Service Handling
This option is for clients who want Apostille Global Services to manage the process.
We help with document review, packet preparation, submission coordination, tracking, and return shipping.
This option is built for families, students, professionals, attorneys, businesses, immigration files, trade records, military records, court matters, and foreign document requests.
Additional Support
Apostille Global Services also offers add-on support for federal document apostille packets.
- Document retrieval support when available
- Postage and return-shipping support
- Walk-in handling through trusted runner partners when available
- Separate translation support
- Multi-document packet review
- Destination-country review
These add-ons help when the request involves federal records, agency documents, business files, export documents, military records, court records, immigration records, or deadline pressure.
Before You Mail Anything
Do not guess with federal documents.
Before you mail originals, order replacement records, or pay for processing, send a clear photo or scan for review.
We will check whether the document appears ready for the next step and whether there are obvious issues that should be addressed first.
Federal Apostille Cost and Timeline
Federal apostille cost and timeline depend on the document type, number of documents, preparation needs, destination country, shipping method, translation needs, and selected service level.
Some federal documents need extra review before they can move forward.
Some documents require a different version.
Some requests need embassy legalization instead of an apostille.
Apostille Global Services confirms pricing and timeline after reviewing the document and destination country.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a federal document apostille?
A federal document apostille is used when a U.S. federal document needs to be accepted in another country that accepts apostilles.
The document still needs review because the correct route depends on the document source and destination country.
- Are federal documents handled the same way as state documents?
No.
Federal documents and state documents follow different preparation paths.
The issuing authority should be reviewed before the packet is prepared.
- What federal documents can need an apostille?
Common federal documents include Federal Bureau of Investigation records, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services records, citizenship records, military records, federal court records, Food and Drug Administration certificates, U.S. Department of Agriculture certificates, United States Patent and Trademark Office records, U.S. Coast Guard documents, and federal employment records.
- Can a federal document need embassy legalization instead?
Yes.
If the destination country does not accept apostilles for the request, the document may need embassy legalization.
- Can translations affect a federal apostille packet?
Yes.
Translation needs should be reviewed before the packet is prepared.
- Can Apostille Global Services review my federal document first?
Yes.
Pre-submission review helps identify document type concerns, wrong-route issues, missing details, translation needs, and destination requirements before submission.
- Can several federal documents be handled together?
Yes.
Full-service handling and pre-submission review are available for single-document and multi-document federal packets.
Related Federal Guides
- Federal Bureau of Investigation Identity History Summary Apostille
- Certificate of Naturalization Apostille
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad Apostille
- DD-214 Military Discharge Apostille
- Department of Veterans Affairs Benefit Letter Apostille
- Food and Drug Administration Export Certificates Apostille
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Export Certificates Apostille
- United States Patent and Trademark Office Trademark and Patent Document Apostille
Related Services
Start With a Document Review
Not sure whether your federal document is ready?
Send a photo or scan before mailing anything.
Apostille Global Services can review the document, check for visible issues, and help you understand the next step before you spend money on the wrong process.
Apostille Global Services · info@apostilleglobalservices.com
Federal documents by agency
42 federal document types across 16 issuing agencies. Every page lists the correct federal path, common rejection reasons, and Hague vs. non-Hague destination handling.