Welcome to Doyle Authentications. Since 1996 we have offered specialized service in the field of authentication of documents for use overseas. We offer service to the U.S. Dept. of State and all Embassies/Consulates in Washington, D.C. Purpose of the authentication process: Most are familiar with the process of signing a document in the presence of a Notary Public. Obviously, foreign officials cannot know whether the notary seal is real or fraud. Therefore the document must go through a series of authentications. First step is to authenticate the notary's seal/signature. (Doyle Authentications DOES NOT offer this service except under special circumstances.) This must be done by the entity which issued the notary's commission. In most cases this is done by the Secretary of State of one of the 50 states. In some states notaries are commissioned by the County Clerk of Courts and must be authenticated by this office prior to Secretary of State authentication. Second step is to authenticate the Secretary of State's seal by the U.S. Dept. of State in Washington. This service is provided by Doyle Authentications. Third step is to authenticate the U.S. Dept. of State's seal by the appropriate Embassy/Consulate. This service is provided by Doyle Authentications. Apostille certifications: documents to be used in countries which are a party to the Hague Convention of 1961 Article 12 are allowed to bypass the U.S. Dept. of State and Embassy/Consulate authentications. In the case of these documents the Apostille certification is issued by the Secretary of State of one of the 50 states. (Doyle Authentications DOES NOT offer this service except under special circumstances.) There are some instances in which the Apostille Certification is issued by the U.S. Dept. of State. (Generally, this is the case when the document is notarized by a U.S. Consular official overseas, a JAG or military notary, or a Consular officer of a foreign consulate in the U.S., or the document bears the official seal of an agency of the U.S. Government.) Thank you, Jeff Doyle