Form DS-4194 at a glance
What it is: Form DS-4194, Request for Authentications Service, is used to request authentication and/or apostille certificates under the seal of the U.S. Department of State for documents used abroad.
Where and when to file: Mail the form, documents, and payment to: Department of State Office of Authentications 44132 Mercure Circle P.O. Box 1206 Sterling, VA 20166-1206
What to bring and attach to Form DS-4194
Complete one copy of this form per individual or company to be submitted with your documents and payment.
Failure to submit this form with your documents and payment will result in a denial of your request and your documents will be returned.
A filled-in Form DS-4194 example: an individual ships two documents for use in Spain
How to fill out Form DS-4194, box by box
Section 1: Customer Contact Information
Provide individual's full name or company's name (complete spelling).
Enter the Customer Name as Last, First, MI, then the Suffix/Prefix, and the Date as MM/DD/YYYY.
Provide Email address, telephone numbers (home, work and/or cell) and mailing address.
Enter the Phone as Cell, Home or Work, with an Extension.
Mark the Case Type: Individual, Company or Federal Agency (specify). For Federal Agency, the case type must be official business.
If the documents were mailed or hand carried on behalf of a federal agency for official Government business, specify the agency's name, bureau, and/or office acronyms and provide the mailing address.
Enter the Mailing Address as Line 1, Line 2, City, State/Province, Country and Zip Code.
Section 2: Shipping Details
Complete Section 2 only if you are shipping the documents, and indicate the delivery method (type of mail service used to return the documents): Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope, UPS, DHL or Other.
If available, provide a tracking number including all letters and numbers.
All documents will be returned to one location.
Documents are not returned via FedEx and in multiple envelopes.
Section 3: Courier/Representative Contact Information
Check YES or NO for: Are you submitting/retrieving this request on behalf of another individual?
If you are submitting or retrieving a request on behalf of someone other than yourself or a company, provide specific and detailed information.
The full name of the individual's or company's name is required to properly search the database.
Provide telephone numbers (daytime, evening, or cell number).
If you are retrieving a document, U.S. government or state issued identification is required.
In Section 3, enter the Courier/Representative Name as Last, First, MI, then the Company, Phone and Extension.
Section 4: Document Information
In Section 4, indicate the country (or countries) of use, the number of documents, and the document type.
Continuation Sheet (Section 4: Document Information)
On the Continuation Sheet, enter the Country of Use, Document Type and Number of Documents.
Section 5: Projected Cost
The authentication process fee is $20.00 per document, not per page. (checked October 19, 2026)
Pay the total amount shown in the estimated cost field (the exact amount is required).
This fee will be charged regardless of whether you receive an authentication certification or a correspondence letter.
Allowable payment methods include money orders and checks (personal, corporate, certified, cashier's, traveler's) and should be made payable to the U.S. Department of State.
Enter the Document Total and the Estimated Cost.
More rules for Form DS-4194
Under 22 CFR § 131.2, the Department of State will not certify a document when it has good reason to believe that the certification is desired for an unlawful or improper purpose.
Providing information on this form is voluntary. However, failure to provide information may result in processing delays.
If your situation is different
Mail-In Service
Mail-In Service: Attach continuation sheet(s) for mail-in requests exceeding 15 documents.
Do not send cash by mail.
Walk-In Service
A maximum of 15 documents are allowed for submission per customer/company for walk-in services.
In Walk-In Service only, cash (exact amount), credit cards and debit/check cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover) are accepted in addition to money orders and checks.
Before you go
Type or print legibly using black ink only.
If you make an error, complete a new form. Do not correct.
Common questions about Form DS-4194
What is a DS 4194 form?
Form DS-4194, Request for Authentications Service, is used to request authentication and/or apostille certificates under the seal of the U.S. Department of State for documents used abroad. This form is used by individuals, institutions, and government agencies to request authentication and/or apostille certificates under the seal of the U.S. Department of State for documents used for legal and administrative purposes abroad.
Is there a penalty?
False statements made knowingly and willfully in this application are punishable by fine and/or imprisonment.
Where to get help with Form DS-4194
For information or questions, visit www.travel.state.gov or call 202-485-8000.
Sources
[1] Form DS-4194 (01-2023), Request for Authentications Service, U.S. Department of State (the Official source link on this page).
