State guide

Federal Apostille Services in New York

How New York residents get federal documents apostilled — and how that differs from New York state documents handled by the New York Department of State.

Last reviewed October 25, 2026

Quick answer

There’s no federal apostille counter in New York — or anywhere outside Washington, D.C. Federal documents from New York residents are authenticated by the U.S. Department of State. New York state documents go to the New York Department of State in Albany.

Key takeaways

Federal documents from New York are apostilled only by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. — not by the New York Department of State.
New York state documents (birth, marriage, state court, notarized) go to the New York Department of State. We don’t provide state-level apostilles.
Through us: $299 all-in for Hague countries (10–12 business days) or $399 with embassy legalization for non-Hague countries (15–17 business days).
Do it yourself: Form DS-4194 and a $20 fee per document — processed within 5 weeks by mail, or 7 business days if you drop it off in Washington, D.C.

State apostille office: New York Department of State
Located in: Albany
Federal court districts: 4
Our office: New York

Federal or New York document?

Document	Apostille from
FBI background check	U.S. Department of State
New York Division of Criminal Justice Services check	New York Department of State
Naturalization / citizenship certificate	U.S. Department of State
New York birth, death or marriage certificate	New York Department of State
Document notarized in New York	New York Department of State (county clerk first)
Federal court record	U.S. Department of State
New York state court record	New York Department of State

Federal courts in New York

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York

City guides: New York City · Buffalo · Rochester · Albany

How we serve New York

We have a processing office in New York: New York. It handles orders by phone and online and isn’t open to the public, so documents come to us by mail — the fastest route to Washington. We cover New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, Syracuse and every other part of New York.

Pricing is flat: $299 per document for Hague countries (10–12 business days) and $399 for non-Hague countries including embassy legalization (15–17 business days), government fees included.

Official sources: New York Department of State — Apostilles & Authentications · U.S. Department of State — Authenticate Your Document · HCCH — Apostille Convention status table (Hague countries) · NASS — State Apostille Offices.

Documents for New York residents

Pick your document for the exact route from New York:

ATF LicenseFederal route CDC DocumentsFederal route Certificate of CitizenshipFederal route Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)Federal routeDD-214 Military RecordsFederal route DEA RegistrationFederal route EPA CertificateFederal route FAA Aircraft RegistrationFederal route FAA Airman CertificateFederal route FBI Background CheckFederal route FCC LicenseFederal route FD-258 Fingerprint CardFederal route FDA Certificate of Free SaleFederal route FDA Certificate of Pharmaceutical ProductFederal route FDA Certificate to Foreign GovernmentFederal route Federal Corporate DocumentsFederal route Federal Court DocumentsFederal route Federal Employment RecordsFederal route Federal Marriage RecordFederal route Form I-94Federal route Green Card CopyState route IRS Form 6166Federal route IRS Tax TranscriptFederal route NARA RecordsFederal route Naturalization CertificateFederal route Non-Existence of RecordFederal route OPM Annuity & Pension LetterFederal route Power of AttorneyState route SEC DocumentsFederal route Social Security LetterFederal route U.S. Passport CopyState route USCIS RecordsFederal route USDA Animal Health Export CertificateFederal route USDA Export CertificateFederal route USDA PhytosanitaryFederal route USPTO PatentFederal route USPTO TrademarkFederal route VA Benefit LetterFederal route

Where are New York state documents apostilled?

New York-issued documents — birth, marriage and death certificates, state court records, and anything notarized in New York — are apostilled by the New York Department of State, Apostille and Authentication Unit, not by the U.S. Department of State. We don’t provide state-level apostilles, so request it directly from the office below. If it is going to a non-Hague country, get the New York authentication first; we then handle the U.S. Department of State and embassy steps for $399.

Office	New York Department of State, Apostille and Authentication Unit
In person	1 Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Ave, 6th Floor, Albany, NY 12231 Same-day walk-in at Albany, New York City (123 William St), Binghamton, Buffalo and Utica offices, up to 10 documents
Mailing address	PO Box 22001, Albany, NY 12201-2001
Phone	(518) 474-4429
Hours	Albany Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–4:15 PM
State fee per apostille	$10

Source: New York Department of State — official apostille page (checked October 2026). Fees, hours and appointment rules change — confirm with the office before you send anything.

How long does a federal apostille take from New York?

The U.S. Department of State is the only office that issues a federal apostille. Mailed in yourself, it is processed within 5 weeks of receipt; dropped off in person in Washington, D.C., within 7 business days. Through us it takes 10–12 business days, or 15–17 business days for a non-Hague country that also needs embassy legalization.

Route	How	Processing time	Cost
Mail it yourself	Form DS-4194 + check to the Office of Authentications, Sterling, VA	Within 5 weeks of receipt	$20 per document + shipping
Drop it off yourself	600 19th Street NW, Washington, D.C. — Mon–Thu, 7:30–9:00 AM, no appointment	Within 7 business days	$20 per document + travel
Emergency appointment	Only for a life-or-death family emergency with travel within 2 weeks	Same day	$20 per document
Through Federal Apostille USA	We review it, drop it off in D.C. and return it to you with tracking	10–12 business days total	$299 all-in ($399 non-Hague)

What does a federal apostille cost from New York?

The government fee is $20 per document, paid with Form DS-4194. Our all-in price is $299 per document, covering the government fee, review, D.C. drop-off and U.S. return shipping; non-Hague destinations are $399 with embassy legalization.

Government figures: U.S. Department of State — Request Authentication Services (checked October 2026).

New York — FAQ

Is there a federal apostille office in New York?

No. Every U.S. federal document is authenticated by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. The New York Department of State handles only New York state documents.

Who issues apostilles for New York state documents?

The New York Department of State in Albany. For notarized documents, the county clerk certifies the notary first.

Which federal courts are in New York?

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York; U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York; U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York.

Do I need to visit an office in New York?

No. We work with New York clients by mail and handle the Washington submission for you.

How much does a federal apostille cost?

$299 per document for Hague Convention countries and $399 for non-Hague countries including embassy legalization, with government fees and U.S. shipping included.

Ready to start?

Order online in minutes, or call and we will walk you through it. Federal documents from anywhere in the U.S. — one flat price, all government fees included.

Start an Order Call (855) 505-5515