Apostille or Authentication of the Federal Document:
Office of Personnel Management
Foreign countries require that any document issued by a U.S. Federal Agency must be Authenticated or Apostilled in order to be accepted in a foreign jurisdiction. Included in this requirement are documents signed or notarized overseas by an American Consular Officer or military public notary.
Authenticating a document verifies the document's source so foreign institutions can be assured that documents are genuine.
A Federally issued document must be Authenticated or Apostilled by the US Department of State (USDOS) in Washington, DC. It must be an original document and have the seal and authorized signature of the issuing department.
Office of Personnel Management
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) manages various personnel-related documents for the Federal Government.
Common examples include:
Office of Personnel Folder (OPF):
This folder contains records that document an individual's Federal employment career, including Standard From 50 (SF-50) (Notification of Personnel Action), position descriptions, and health/life insurance election forms.
Retirement-related Forms:
OPM provides forms for applying for deferred retirement, certification of agency officer for retirement, and applications for retirement benefits.
Life Insurance Forms:
OPM provides forms for designating beneficiaries for Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI), and certification of status for reemployed annuitants.
Leave-related Forms:
Forms for transferring donated annual leave, FMLA medical certifications, and FMLA certification for qualifying exigencies.
Benefits Administration Letters (BALs):
OPM issues BALs to provide guidance to agencies on various aspects of Federal benefits administration.
How to Obtain an Apostille or Authentication
Have the Right Document:
Make sure you have the original Office of Personnel Management (OPM) document or a certified copy.
A certified copy must have a certificate stating it's a true copy, along with the issuing agency's seal and authorized signature.
2. Translation (if required):
If the destination country requires a translation, have a professional translator translate the certificate and have the translation notarized. Do not notarize the original document.
Need help? We offer certified document translations through our partner service: Certified Document Translation
3. Apostille or Authentication:
The final step is submitting your document to the U.S. Department of State for apostille or authentication.
Although turnaround times may vary- our agents should be able to assist you with having your Office of Personnel Management (OPM) document apostilled or authenticated within 9-10 business days.
Important: Each type of federal document may require a different process, especially if it involves sensitive, personal, or agency-restricted records.
To ensure accuracy and avoid rejections, we recommend using one of our Notary Apostille Agents to handle this part of the process for you.
We always try to seek Notary Apostille Agents who have taken extensive training as Notaries and Apostille Facilitators through the following respected training companies. Please always ask any Notary Apostille Facilitator you hire to provide you with their credentials and expertise:
