If the document is going to be sent to a country that is not a party to the “Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents”, an Apostille or certification by the Secretary of State’s Office will not be sufficient. These documents will require a certification to be authenticated by the U.S. Department of State after receiving State authentication. If you are unsure, view the list of countries that are parties to the Hague Convention.

Department of State, Office of Authentications
600 19th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20431
202-485-8000