Apostille is a French word that means certification.  When legal or official documents which were issued in the state of District of Columbia are to be used in a foreign country, it may sometimes be necessary to authenticate the validity of the signatures on those District of Columbia documents.  "Authentication" is sometimes called "Verification", "Validation" or "Certification".  "Authentication" is also sometimes called an official "Stamp" or an official "Seal".

Government agencies in most countries require legal and official documents from a different country to be authenticated by a credible agency in the foreign country before they will accept any documents as valid.  A District of Columbia Apostille is a document issued by the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs which is used for international validation.

• A District of Columbia Apostille is like an international notary stamp.
• A District of Columbia Apostille attached to a document legally verifies the signature and the position of the official who has executed, issued or certified a copy of any document.
• A District of Columbia Apostille is a document which bears the signature and, usually, the seal of an official state agency, usually the Secretary of State.
• A District of Columbia Apostille is attached (usually stapled) to a legal or official document.

A District of Columbia Apostille does not validate the contents of the document.  A District of Columbia Apostille validates only the authenticity of the signature of the official who signed the District of Columbia document, the capacity in which that official acted, and when appropriate, the identity of the seal or stamp which the document bears.  This is usually a District of Columbia Notary Public; a District of Columbia Elected Official; or a District of Columbia Appointed Official.

Most, but not all, countries recognize an Apostille as a legal document.   In 1961 a number of countries got together and agreed to some conventions for conducting international business.  Representatives of the countries met in The Hague, Netherlands, and the agreements that were signed became known as the Hague Convention of 1961.

Part of the Hague Convention has to do with easing the process of using valid documents from one country in another country.  Prior to 1981 the process of validating foreign documents could be cumbersome, expensive and slow. 

Countries that signed the Hague Convention have agreed to recognize valid documents issued by other signatory countries if those documents are authenticated by the attachment of an internationally recognized form of authentication known as an Apostille. 

The District of Columbia Apostille ensures that documents issued in District of Columbia will be recognized as valid in another signatory country.

In addition to the United States, the following countries have signed the Hague Convention and will accept a document with a District of Columbia Apostille attached.  For countries not listed the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs will issue a which can be affixed to an official or legal District of Columbia document in the same way in which a District of Columbia Apostille is affixed to a District of Columbia document.

If a country does not legally recognize an Apostille for a District of Columbia document then that country probably will accept a District-of-Columbia issued by the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.  The District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs will issue a District-of-Columbia in lieu of an Apostille.  In the state of District of Columbia, the Apostille and District-of-Columbia administrative processes are virtually the same.

No.  The District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs will not notarize any documents.  District of Columbia documents which were not issued by a District of Columbia state agency must be notarized by a registered District of Columbia Notary Public or certified by the Vital Records department in the District of Columbia city or county in which the documents were issued.

No.  The District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs will not issue an Apostille for a document which was originally issued in a state other than District of Columbia.  The District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs will issue an Apostille only for documents which were issued or originated in the state of District of Columbia.

No.  The District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs will not issue an Apostille for a District of Columbia document which is in a foreign language other than English.  The District of Columbia document must be accompanied by a notarized English version of the District of Columbia document.

No.  The District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs will not issue an Apostille for a federal US document.  Federal documents which have been issued by an agency of the US government are authenticated by the US Department of State Authentications Office.

The total cost of an Apostille depends on the number of signatures (not documents) that you want to authenticate and the time by which you want to receive your Apostilled District of Columbia documents.  When you fill out the order form below, the cost is automatically updated as you specify your options.

We can handle every step of the District of Columbia Apostille process for any certified or notarized document which was issued in the state of District of Columbia.

The time it takes to get a District of Columbia Apostille depends on the nature of the documents that you want Apostilled. We've found that it takes around 7-10 business days for the District of Columbia to complete the Apostille process.

The District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs reserves the right to extend expedite periods in time of extreme volume, staff shortage or equipment malfunction.  We are dependent on, and have no control over, the staff and systems of the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.  In our experience the time specified is the time it usually takes the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs to process Apostille orders.  We get your District of Columbia Apostille request to the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs ASAP.  Once it is at the state we have very little or no control over the District of Columbia Apostille process.

If you are ready to order a District of Columbia Apostille online now just fill in the form below and click Place Order.  As soon as we receive your order for a District of Columbia Apostille we will start processing it ASAP.  We will provide you with a shipping label if you need to send any notarized District of Columbia documents to us.