{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "slug": "federal-documents",
  "title": "Federal document apostille authorities",
  "scope": "The authority categories HCCH designates for US documents. The destination decides whether it accepts the document. Document-specific prerequisites still require confirmation.",
  "question": "Which office apostilles a US federal document?",
  "intro": "Federal agency records, federal court records, and consular vital records do not all use the same apostille office. HCCH designates separate authorities.",
  "lastVerified": "2026-10-24",
  "nextReview": "2027-04-22",
  "updatePolicy": "Recheck official sources every 180 days and after a reported change.",
  "complete": true,
  "columns": [
    {
      "key": "document",
      "label": "Document"
    },
    {
      "key": "authority",
      "label": "Competent authority"
    },
    {
      "key": "prerequisite",
      "label": "Before sending"
    }
  ],
  "evidencePolicy": "Each value comes from the official source linked on its row. Sources checked on the date shown. Not published means the official page we read did not publish that detail.",
  "rows": [
    {
      "id": "federal-agency",
      "document": "US federal agency document",
      "authority": "State Department Office of Authentications",
      "prerequisite": "Document issued by a US federal agency. Confirm document-specific certification with the office.",
      "feeId": "authentication",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.hcch.net/en/states/authorities/details3/?aid=353",
      "sourceDate": "2026-09-02",
      "checkedAt": "2026-10-24",
      "method": "official"
    },
    {
      "id": "fbi-summary",
      "document": "FBI Identity History Summary",
      "authority": "State Department Office of Authentications",
      "prerequisite": "Federal agency document. Confirm the acceptable original or printed result before sending.",
      "feeId": "authentication",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.hcch.net/en/states/authorities/details3/?aid=353",
      "sourceDate": "2026-09-02",
      "checkedAt": "2026-10-24",
      "method": "official"
    },
    {
      "id": "consular-record",
      "document": "Consular report of birth, death, or marriage",
      "authority": "State Department Passport Services, Vital Records Section",
      "prerequisite": "Consular report. Request instructions from the Vital Records Section.",
      "feeId": null,
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.hcch.net/en/states/authorities/details3/?aid=353",
      "sourceDate": "2026-09-02",
      "checkedAt": "2026-10-24",
      "method": "official"
    },
    {
      "id": "federal-court",
      "document": "Document issued by a US federal court",
      "authority": "Clerk or deputy clerk of the issuing federal court",
      "prerequisite": "Court-issued document. Ask that court for certification and fee instructions.",
      "feeId": null,
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.hcch.net/en/states/authorities/details3/?aid=353",
      "sourceDate": "2026-09-02",
      "checkedAt": "2026-10-24",
      "method": "official"
    },
    {
      "id": "state-document",
      "document": "State, local, or notarized document",
      "authority": "Designated competent authority of the issuing state or DC",
      "prerequisite": "Check the issuing jurisdiction, document type, and any county certification first.",
      "feeId": null,
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.hcch.net/en/states/authorities/details3/?aid=353",
      "sourceDate": "2026-09-02",
      "checkedAt": "2026-10-24",
      "method": "official"
    }
  ],
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-24",
      "summary": "First source-backed release. Missing checks remain explicit. No prior observations are claimed."
    }
  ],
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/"
}