US Department of State Apostille

DD 214 US Military Apostille

July 25, 2023 by admin

Do you need to apostille form DD 214?

Are you planning to retire in a foreign country (Example: Philippines)?

The DD Form 214 is a document issued by The Defense Department to military veterans, which identifies their condition of discharge.

Contained within the DD Form 214 is vital information often required for verifying military service, such as for benefits, retirement, employment, and membership in veterans’ organizations. The information includes:

Date and place of entry into military active duty.
Home address at the time of entry.
Date and place of release from military active duty.
Home address after separation.
Last military duty assignment and rank.
Military job specialty.
Military education.
Decorations, medals, badges, citations, and campaign awards received.
Total creditable service.
Foreign service credited.

Most individuals and employers look for an “Honorable Discharge” in line 24’s “Character of Service” on the DD Form 214. This type of discharge is crucial for eligibility for various veteran benefits offered by federal, state, and sometimes even local governments.

To obtain a copy of a Veteran’s DD Form 214 please contact the National Archives.

Document issued from the U.S. Federal Government (DD214) are processed through the U.S. Department of State – Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C.. Our office in Washington, D.C. can apostille this document.

Office Hours: 8am – 7pm Monday – Saturday
Customer Support: 1-800-903-2470
Email: WashingtonDC@nationalapostille.com

Obtaining an apostille can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the apostille process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

Our staff is available Monday-Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and provide you easy to follow-step-by-step instructions. Please call us at 1-800-903-2470.

Click the PDF download image to get started. Our apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

US Department of State Apostille Processing Time During COVID-19

September 26, 2020 by admin

Do you need to apostille your documents through the US Department of State – Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C.?

Note: For the most up-to-date processing time, please visit and bookmark the following link: Apostille Processing Time

An apostille is a certificate issued by the US Department of State which authenticates the official who has signed your U.S. Federal documents. Since 1980, the United States has been a member of the Hague Apostille Convention.

What was once a four-business day turn around to obtain a U.S. Department of State Apostille has now ballooned to an unheard of 8-12 weeks with no indication that the processing time will subside this year. Since March 20, 2020, the US Department of State – Office of Authentications has closed their in-person counter service thus eliminating the quick turn-around time most people and businesses have been accustomed to.

We can estimate that the U.S. Department of State will not reopen their in-person counter service until February 2021. We believe the delays are because of the ongoing health risks related to COVID-19, limited staff, and the upcoming 2020 Presidential election.

The US Department of State requires all documents submitted to also include Form DS-4194. If you have questions on how to complete Form DS-4194, please contact our office. In an effort to help streamline the process, our office will complete this form once we receive your documents at our Washington, D.C. office.

The most common document we apostille through the US Department of State is the FBI background check. If you need to apostille your FBI background check, a good rule of thumb is to obtain a recent copy and immediately overnight or e-mail it to our office for processing. We can apostille a digital FBI background check in a PDF format or the hardcopy. Most countries will accept a background check issued within the past 90 days with an apostille. Please double check with your contact in the foreign country. We have also learned that the Consulates of Spain and Italy have been flexible in dealing with the delay of obtaining an apostille on the background check.

Here is a list of the most common documents we apostille through the US Department of State: FBI background checks, Social Security Income and Benefits Statement (SSA), US Patent and Trademark documents (USPTO), IRS Form 6166, Certificate of Free Sale (FDA), Certificate to Foreign Government (FDA), Certificate of Naturalization, and documents from the USDA and USCIS.

Obtaining an apostille can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the Apostille process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

Our staff is available Monday-Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and provide you easy to follow-step-by-step instructions. Please call us at 1-800-903-2470 or email: support@nationalapostille.com

Click the PDF download image to get started. Our apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

US Department of State Apostille DS 4194

January 3, 2020 by admin

Do you need US Department of State Apostille?

Documents originating from the U.S. Federal Government can be processed through our Washington DC office. Please note that your documents will receive an Apostille from the US Department of State – Office of Authentications.

The most common documents we can apostille through the US Department of State are:

Processing time: 4 business days (Estimated)
Cost: As low as $75 for each apostille.
Free Return Shipping: FedEx priority overnight by 10:30 AM (Estimated)
Office Hours: 8am – 7pm Monday – Saturday
Customer Support: 1-800-903-2470
Email: WashingtonDC@nationalapostille.com

Download our order forms:
Washington DC Apostille Order Form (PDF Format)
Washington DC Apostille Credit Card Authorization Form (PDF Format)

We also recommend that you download the following forms:
Schedule of State and U.S. Federal Fees (PDF Format)
Schedule of Embassy and Consulate Fees (PDF Format)
State Jurisdiction Forms (PDF Format)
Translation Request Form (PDF Format)

In addition to processing U.S. Federal documents, we can also process state certified documents which require Embassy legalization. Our staff will complete DS-4194 form.

Obtaining an apostille on a U.S. Federal document can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the apostille process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

Click the PDF download image to get started. Our apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

USCIS Apostille

December 2, 2019 by admin

Do you need to apostille certified documents issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)?

The most common document we receive certified by USCIS is the Certificate of Naturalization.

If your Certificate of Naturalization is older than 20 years, is missing a signature or has a signature that cannot be authenticated, or if you would like to apostille a certified true copy instead of the original, we recommend that you contact the local U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office and request to meet with the Field Office Director or the Immigration Service Analyst to certify the copy.

If you have the original document to be certified, you must make an appointment with your local USCIS office. When you go to your appointment, be sure to bring your original naturalization certificate and a black and white or color copy. Also bring another form of photo identification, such as a drivers license or passport. A USCIS officer will review the documents and may certify the copy, if the officer can confirm your identity and status as a naturalized citizen.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, will provide Certified True Copies (Form G-24) and return these along with the supplied documentation to the requester.

Once you receive your certified true copy (Form G-24), go ahead and mail in the certified copy to our Washington, D.C. office and with our Washington DC apostille order forms.

Please note: This document cannot be notarized or processed through any Secretary of State office. It can only be processed through the U.S. Department of State – Office of Authentication in Washington, D.C. Our office in Washington, D.C. can apostille your USCIS certified documents in four business days plus FedEx overnight return shipping.

Here is an example of a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Form G-24 Certification of Documents from the Department of Homeland Security.

Click the PDF download image to get started. Our apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

Washington DC Apostille

October 27, 2019 by admin

Do you need to apostille your documents through the U.S. Department of State – Office of Authentications in Washington D.C.? Do you have Federal Court issued documents that you need authenticated through the Department of Justice? Do you have a birth, marriage, or death certificate from the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.)?

At National Apostille, Inc., we take the guesswork out of obtaining an apostille on your documents through our office in Washington, D.C.. We can apostille all U.S. Federal documents including: FBI background checks, Social Security Income and Benefits Statements, U.S. Federal District Court documents, IRS Form 6166, Federal Tax returns, Petition for Name Change, USDA, FDA, Patent and Trademarks, National Archives, and more! We can also apostille documents originating from the District of Columbia including birth, marriage, death, and certified divorce decrees.

The US Department of State – Office of Authentications will attach an apostille for countries who are members of the Hague Apostille Convention and a certificate for countries who are not. For countries who are not members, we can also certify and legalize your documents through the Embassy or Consulate office.

We can handle it all! No job is too big or too small!

Documents originating from the District of Columbia (Washington D.C.) are processed directly from the Secretary of D.C. office. Please note that your documents will receive an Apostille from the Secretary of D.C.

Document issued from the U.S. Federal Government are processed through the U.S. Department of State – Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C.

Processing time: 1-2 business days through the Secretary of D.C. or
4 business days through the U.S. Department of State in Washington D.C. (Estimated)
Cost: As low as $75 for each apostille.
Office Hours: 8am – 7pm Monday – Saturday
Customer Support: 1-800-903-2470
Email: WashingtonDC@nationalapostille.com