PROVISO: Effective January 1, 1983, the U.S. Department of State and our embassies and consulates abroad ceased to authenticate or provide certified true copies of academic credentials, transcripts or degrees. The U.S. Department of Education determined at that time such documents are not required in the United States for persons who studied abroad who wish to attend primary or secondary school, or college in the United States. This was announced in a joint release by the U.S. Departments of State and Education published in the NAFSA newsletter of December/January 1983 a copy of which is reprinted in Volume 7, Foreign Affairs Manual, Exhibit 844. The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service also determined that authentication of foreign academic credentials generally is not/not required for U.S. immigration purposes. In an effort to be of assistance to persons who wish to present academic credentials from the United States for use abroad, the following step-by-step guidance is provided.
I. COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS
(A) STATE CHAIN CERTIFICATION METHOD
1. Obtain from the registrar of the University an official true copy of the credentials bearing the seal of the university. The registrar should then execute an affidavit attesting to the validity of the document before a notary public in the registrar's office or elsewhere at the university. Frequently the business offices of colleges and universities have notaries public.
2. Take the document to the clerk of court of the county wherein the notary was licensed or commissioned to obtain a notarial certificate suitable for use abroad.
3. Transmit the document, with the notarial certificate to the state Secretary of State for application of the state seal.
4. Send the document to the Authentications Office of the Department of State, 518 23rd Street, NW State Annex #1, Washington, DC 20520. A fee of $5.00 dollars per document should accompany the request in the form of a check or money order made payable to the Department of State.
5. Authenticate the document at the foreign embassy.
(B) DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CHAIN CERTIFICATION METHOD
1. If the university is located in the District of Columbia, obtain from the registrar of the university an official true copy of the credentials, a statement, executed by the registrar, attesting to the accuracy of the credentials and have that statement notarized by a notary public in the registrar's office, business office or elsewhere in the University.
2. Proceed to the District Building, 717 14th Street NW, Room 230 and obtain a formal notarial certificate for foreign use.
3. Send the document to the Authentication Office of the Department of State for application of the Department 's seal.
4. Authenticate the document at the foreign embassy.
(C) EMBASSY CERTIFICATE METHOD
1. If the University is located in the Washington Metropolitan area, obtain from the registrar of the University an official true copy of the credentials, a statement, executed by the registrar, attesting to the accuracy of the credentials and have that statement notarized by a notary public in the registrar's office, business office or elsewhere in the university.
2. Take the document to the foreign embassy which has on file the seal and signature of the notary at the University and ask that the embassy authenticate the notary's seal directly.
3. As an alternative, the foreign embassy could obtain the specimen seal of area universities where students from the foreign country are studying. The foreign embassy could then authenticate the seal of the university and signature of the registrar without any intervening steps.
(D) HAGUE LEGALIZATION CONVENTION COUNTRY METHOD
1. Obtain from the registrar of the University an official true copy of the credentials, a statement attesting to the accuracy of the credentials, executed by the registrar, and have the statement notarized before a notary public in the registrar's office, business office or elsewhere in the University.
2. Take the document to the clerk of the court of the country wherein the notary was licensed or commissioned to obtain a notarial certificate suitable for use abroad.
3. Send the document to the competent authority in the U.S. for the Hague Legalization Convention (Usually the state Secretary of State) for the apostille certificate.
II. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS
1. Obtain a transcript from the school which bears the seal of the school and the signature of the principal.
2. Ask the school to send the transcript to the County Board of Education, Superintendent of Schools or other official body which can authenticate the school's seal with a superior seal. Ask that authority to send the document to the state Secretary of State's office.
3. Obtain authentication of the transcript from the state Secretary of State's office. (IN A HAGUE CONVENTION COUNTRY STOP HERE.)
4. Obtain authentication from the Authentication's Office of the Department of State, 518 23rd Street NW, State Annex #1, Washington, D.C. 20520, and the phone number is 202-647-5002.
5. Obtain authentication from the foreign embassy.
6. NOTE: An alternative would be to make an appointment with the school principal, bring a notary public to the principal's office in order that the principal may execute an affidavit attesting to the validity of the document before the notary. The document may then be authenticated by the clerk of court of the country wherein the notary was licensed, the state Secretary of State, the Authentications Office of the U.S. Department of State and the foreign embassy.
7. An alternative would be for the foreign embassy to obtain a specimen seal of the primary and secondary schools wherein students from the foreign country are studying. The foreign embassy could then directly authenticate the school's seal without any intervening steps.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The Office of American Citizens Services has available two general information flyers regarding authentication of documents and authentication in accordance with the Hague Legalization Convention which are available through our automated fax system or via our Internet Consular Affairs Home Page.
Using the Autofax System:
* Dial (202) 647-3000 using the phone on your fax machine. The system will prompt you on how to continue.
Using the Internet: Our authentication flyers are also available on the Internet via the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs Home Page under International Legal Assistance or through the main State Department Home Page under Travel, Consular, or International Legal Assistance. See also, the Department of State, Office of the Legal Adviser for Private International Law Home Page for information regarding private international law unification. See also the Home Pages for many of our embassies which are linked to the Consular Affairs Home Page.
Treaty Databases on the Internet:
United States Department of State, Office of the Legal Adviser, Treaty Affairs, List of Treaties and Other International Agreements of the United States In Force:
United Nations (UN): under Databases/Treaties
Council of Europe (COE): under Texts/Treaties
Organization of American States (OAS): under Public Information/Documents/Treaties
U.S. House of Representatives Internet Law Library Treaties and International Law:
REFERENCE:
Rodriguez, School for Scandal, National Notary Magazine, 9,13, September/October (1981).
U.S. Terminates Two Academic Certification Services, Professional Update, NAFSA Newsletter, December/January 1983, 63, 64.
Questions: Additional questions may be addressed to the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of American Citizens Services at (202) 647-5225 or 202-647-5226.
August 1998