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Document legalization of U.S. documents for Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE — Apostille de la Haya, WhatsApp +1 (305) 500-0185
Egypt · Iraq · Kuwait · Qatar · United Arab Emirates

Document Legalization for Non-Hague Countries: Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE

These five countries are not part of the Hague Apostille Convention. For that reason an apostille is not valid there. Instead, your document needs full document legalization: state certification, U.S. Department of State authentication and embassy legalization. We manage the whole chain for you, without you traveling to the United States.

Written quote · Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM ET · English and Spanish

Apostilla de actas en todos los estados de Estados Unidos

We are a private company, not a government agency

Apostille de la Haya is the trade name of Riveros International Business Corp, a private company registered in Florida. Therefore, we are not affiliated with any agency of the U.S. government, nor with any embassy or consulate. In addition, none of them endorses us.

Our document legalization service is limited to managing the chain of certifications for a document that you already have. That is, we do not issue, obtain or request official documents. Only the competent authority issues them, and you can request them yourself.

Each certification is issued exclusively by the office in charge: the state, the U.S. Department of State or the embassy. For that reason we do not take part in issuing them. In fact, you can complete every step directly. So our fees cover only the management, the follow-up and the shipping, and they are in addition to the official fees.

Two routes, and the destination country decides

Apostille or document legalization: which one do you need

A U.S. document can be used abroad through two routes. However, you do not choose between them: the destination country does.

Hague Apostille

It works for the countries that are part of the 1961 Hague Convention. It is a single certificate. For example: Spain, Colombia, Mexico, India, the Philippines or Brazil. You will find that service on our apostille page.

Document legalization

It works for the countries that are not part of the Convention. That is why an apostille is not valid there. Instead, a chain of three certifications ending at the embassy is required. This is the case of Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

If your document is going to one of those five countries, this is your page. If instead it is going to a Convention country, you need the apostille.

The problem

If you need document legalization, this will sound familiar

You got an apostille and it was rejected

You apostilled your degree or your certificate. However, the employer in Dubai or the ministry in Doha rejected it. The reason is simple: that country is not part of the Hague Convention.

Nobody explains the full chain

State, U.S. Department of State and embassy. In addition, each office has its own form and its own timeline. So the order matters, and nobody tells you the whole story.

The offices are in Washington and you are not

The Department of State and the embassies are in Washington, D.C. Therefore, you cannot show up in person. Besides, calling from another country rarely works.

One mistake and the document goes back to square one

A copy that was not certified. Or a step that was skipped. Then the embassy returns the document and the chain starts again. So every mistake costs weeks.

Each embassy has different requirements

Arabic translation, chamber of commerce certification for commercial documents, specific forms. In addition, those requirements change without notice.

You have a deadline at destination

A contract that starts, a residence visa or an enrollment. For that reason every rejection eats the margin you have left. That is, time weighs as much as the paperwork.

How we solve it

How we manage your document legalization

Each difficulty above has a concrete answer. Here are the six, in the same order.

We tell you from day one which route you need

First we review your document and your destination country. Then we confirm in writing whether you need an apostille or legalization. So you do not pay twice for the wrong procedure.

We manage the whole chain, in order

Notarization if the document requires it, certification by the issuing state, authentication by the U.S. Department of State and embassy legalization. In other words, one contact for everything.

You do not travel

We present the document at each office, without you traveling to the United States. You only get it to us. In addition, if it is an unsigned private document, we tell you how to sign it with us.

We review before we submit

The preliminary review avoids almost every rejection. For that reason we check the copy, the seals and the signatures before taking the first step. Besides, we ask you only for what is needed.

We know the requirements of each embassy

We work with the embassies of Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Therefore, we confirm the current requirements before we start. That way we avoid surprises at the last step.

You follow your document at all times

We notify you as each stage closes. So you know which office has your document and how much is left. In addition, the final shipment has a tracking number.

What it is and how it works

What document legalization is and which steps it takes

Document legalization is the chain of certifications that validates a U.S. document before a country that is not part of the Hague Convention. Each office certifies the signature of the previous one. For that reason the order is fixed and no step can be skipped.

Trámite de apostilla 100% en línea por videollamada
01

Document ready

First, a public document as a certified copy, or a private document notarized before a Florida Notary Public. Without this starting point, no office accepts it.

02

State certification

Then the Florida Department of State, or the department of the state that issued the document, certifies the signature of the official or of the Notary Public. For non-Hague countries it issues a certificate of authentication, not an apostille.

03

U.S. Department of State authentication

After that, the Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C. authenticates the state certification. In addition, federal documents enter the chain directly at this step.

04

Embassy legalization

Finally, the embassy of the destination country in the United States legalizes the document. It is the last seal on U.S. soil. After that, the receiving authority may require one more certification from its own ministry of foreign affairs, so we tell you if it applies.

In addition, some commercial documents require certification by a chamber of commerce before the embassy step. That is why we confirm it during the preliminary review.

What we legalize

Documents we legalize for these five countries

We manage the document legalization of documents like these, as long as you already have them. In contrast, we do not obtain or request official documents on your behalf.

University degrees and diplomas

Transcripts and school certificates

Birth, marriage and death certificates

Powers of attorney

Corporate and commercial documents

Background checks you already have

Professional licenses and certificates

Affidavits and translations

Coverage

Document legalization by destination country

We provide the service only for these five countries. Each one has its own page with the embassy step and the requirements we see most often.

Flag of the United Arab Emirates — Bandera de Emiratos Árabes Unidos

United Arab Emirates

UAE Embassy attestation in the United States, then MOFA attestation on arrival. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are the most common destinations for degrees and family documents.

Flag of Qatar — Bandera de Qatar

Qatar

Qatar Embassy attestation in the United States, then Qatar MOFA attestation in Doha. Degrees, professional certificates and commercial documents.

Flag of Kuwait — Bandera de Kuwait

Kuwait

Kuwait Embassy legalization in Washington, D.C. Academic, family and corporate documents for work and residence permits.

Flag of Egypt — Bandera de Egipto

Egypt

Egypt Embassy or consulate legalization, including powers of attorney for property, inheritance and business matters in Egypt.

Flag of Iraq — Bandera de Iraq

Iraq

Iraq Embassy legalization in Washington, D.C. Mostly powers of attorney, corporate documents and academic certificates.

By type of document

Document legalization by type of document

Power of attorney legalization

Drafting, notarization in Florida and the full chain up to the embassy.

Marriage certificate legalization

Certified copies from the county or the state, certified and legalized for family and residence matters.

Birth certificate authentication

Authentication and legalization of the certified copy you already have.

Apostille of U.S. documents

For the countries that are part of the Hague Convention.

Why us

Why manage your document legalization with us

In Miami since 2009

More than 6,000 clients served and 726 Google reviews with a 4.9 out of 5 rating. In other words, we are not an improvised intermediary.

We notarize in-house

A Florida Notary Public leads our practice. For that reason the first step of the chain does not depend on third parties.

One contact, in your language

We work in English and Spanish. In addition, you always deal with the same person throughout the process. That way nothing gets lost between offices.

A written quote before we start

We break down the concepts: the official fees of each office and our own fees. So there are no surprises.

Virtual office and Miami office

By Zoom you speak with an advisor right away during office hours. In addition, our Brickell office receives visitors by appointment only.

International shipping with tracking

We ship the legalized document to your country or to the address you indicate. In addition, you can track it to your door.

clients served since 2009
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Google reviews · 4.9 out of 5
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years handling documents for use abroad
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Equipo profesional de Apostille de la Haya en Miami

Who answers when you write to us

Our practice is led by Zulma E. Bourelly, a Florida Notary Public. She is also a member of the National Notary Association and a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS). In addition, the Supreme Court of Florida certified her as a County Mediator. Since 2009 she has guided clients through apostilles and the legalization of U.S. documents.

What our clients say

★★★★★

4.9 out of 5 · 726 Google reviews.

"Good and courteuos service .friendly staff .alawys on time."
Jamal Rahma — autor de reseña 5 estrellas en Google
Jamal Rahma
Reseña verificada de Google
"Highly professional, clean environment in a central location"
Francisco Soler — autor de reseña 5 estrellas en Google
Francisco Soler
Reseña verificada de Google
Apostille de la Haya
The process

Your document legalization in five steps

01

Tell us about your case

Write to us on WhatsApp or use the form. Also tell us which document you have, which state issued it and which of the five countries it is going to. We reply the same business day.

02

Receive the exact steps and a written quote

First we review the document. Then we confirm in writing which steps your document needs, the budget and the timelines. So there are no surprises. In addition, the consultation is free of charge.

03

Send us the document

You ship it by courier to our office in Miami. If instead it is a private document that has not been notarized yet, we notarize it with you first.

04

We manage the whole chain

We present the document to the state, then to the U.S. Department of State and finally to the embassy. Meanwhile, we notify you as each stage closes. You do nothing.

05

Receive your legalized document

We ship it with a tracking number to your country or to the address you indicate. That is, you can follow it to your door. In addition, we let you know when it leaves.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions about document legalization

If your question is not here, write to us on WhatsApp or talk to an advisor on Zoom during office hours.

It is the chain of certifications that validates a U.S. document before a country that is not part of the Hague Convention. First the issuing state certifies it. Then the U.S. Department of State authenticates it. Finally the embassy of the destination country legalizes it.

An apostille is a single certificate and it is valid in the countries of the Hague Convention. In contrast, legalization is a chain of three certifications that ends at the embassy. For that reason it is used for the countries that are not part of the Convention.

Because those five countries are not part of the 1961 Hague Convention. Therefore, their authorities do not recognize the apostille. Instead, they require legalization at their own embassy.

Only Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. If your destination is another non-Hague country, write to us and we will point you in the right direction. In addition, if your destination is a Convention country, what you need is the apostille.

Yes. In fact, it is the most frequent case. You send us the document by courier. Then we manage the whole chain and return it legalized, without you traveling to the United States.

No. We do not obtain, request or process the issuance of official documents. Our service starts when you already have the document. For that reason, if you do not have it yet, you must request it from the office that issues it.

Degrees and transcripts, birth, marriage and death certificates, powers of attorney, corporate and commercial documents, professional licenses, affidavits and background checks that you already have. In addition, we review any other document before quoting.

It depends on three offices and their workload. As a rule it takes several weeks. For that reason we give you an estimated timeline in writing along with the quote. In addition, we let you know if that timeline changes.

It depends on the entity that receives it at destination. Sometimes the legalized document in English is enough. In other cases they require a translation. That is why we confirm it before we start.

Often they do. Some commercial documents require certification by a chamber of commerce before the embassy step. For that reason we verify it during the preliminary review.

The certifications do not have an expiration date. However, some entities require recently issued documents. For example, certain background checks. So it is worth confirming with whoever is asking for it.

By international courier with tracking, to the address you indicate. In addition, we give you the tracking number. That way you can follow it at all times.

Yes. By Zoom you speak with an advisor right away during office hours. Our physical office is in Brickell, Miami, and receives visitors by appointment only. In addition, on WhatsApp we reply the same business day.

Free quote

Request your document legalization quote

Tell us about your document and your destination country. We reply with the exact steps of your process, a written quote and the estimated timeline. In addition, the consultation is free of charge.

Prefer to talk it through?

Write to us on WhatsApp and we reply the same business day. In addition, you can send a photo of the document for the preliminary review.

Keep browsing

Related services

Apostille of U.S. documents

For the countries of the Hague Convention.

Full legalization for the UAE

The service in our online store.

Document legalization in the store

Order the service online for the other destinations.

Esta página en español

Legalización de documentos para Egipto, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar y EAU.

Where to verify it yourself

You can check which countries are part of the Convention in the official status table of the Hague Conference on Private International Law. In addition, information on federal authentications is published by the U.S. Department of State. You can also read on our blog what Form DS-4194 is. Finally, here is our privacy policy.

Apostille de la Haya · trade name of Riveros International Business Corp · Miami, Florida · Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM ET

Private document-management company. We are not a government agency, an embassy or a consulate, and we are not affiliated with any agency of the U.S. government. In addition, we do not issue, obtain or request official documents.

Legal notice: I AM NOT AN ATTORNEY LICENSED TO PRACTICE LAW IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND I MAY NOT GIVE LEGAL ADVICE OR ACCEPT FEES FOR LEGAL ADVICE. NO SOY ABOGADA CON LICENCIA PARA EJERCER LA ABOGACÍA EN EL ESTADO DE FLORIDA Y NO PUEDO DAR ASESORÍA LEGAL NI ACEPTAR HONORARIOS POR ASESORÍA LEGAL.