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Certificate of Amendment Legalization for Arab Countries
When your company changes its name, address, purpose or share capital, or you amend a contract registered abroad, every Arab registry that holds the old details needs proof of the change. The Arab American Chamber of Commerce identifies which kind of amendment you have and takes it through the apostille or embassy route for each country.
Two kinds of amendment, two starting points. An amendment to your company’s charter is filed with the state, so you legalize a certified copy from the Secretary of State, without a notary. An amendment to a contract, such as an agency or distribution agreement, is a private document, so it is signed before a notary. After that, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Bahrain and Algeria accept an apostille. The other Arab countries also require the U.S. Department of State and the embassy.
What a Certificate of Amendment Is
A certificate of amendment (called articles of amendment in some states) is the filing that changes a company’s articles or certificate of incorporation or organization. It might change the company name, registered address, purpose or authorized shares. A contract amendment is different: a signed agreement between the parties changing the terms of an existing contract. Arab registries need both kinds to update their records.
Name change
The most common amendment. It lets Arab registries update licenses, trademarks and product files to the new name.
State filingChange of purpose or shares
Updates the company’s activities or capital as shown on foreign registrations.
State filingRestated articles
Combines the charter and all amendments into one current document. Often easier for registries.
State filingContract amendment
Changes an agency, distribution or supply agreement already registered abroad.
NotarizedChoose the Destination Country
Choose each country where the old details are registered.
Country
U.S. steps
Final step
U.S. stepsFiled amendment: certified copy → state apostille. Contract amendment: notarized → state apostille
Final stepApostille (since July 9, 2026)
U.S. stepsFiled amendment: certified copy → state apostille. Contract amendment: notarized → state apostille
Final stepApostille
U.S. stepsCertified copy or notarized amendment → state → U.S. Department of State
Final stepEgyptian Embassy or consulate
U.S. stepsCertified copy or notarized amendment → state → U.S. Department of State
Final stepEmbassy of Iraq
U.S. stepsCertified copy or notarized amendment → state → U.S. Department of State
Final stepEmbassy of Jordan
U.S. stepsCertified copy or notarized amendment → state → U.S. Department of State
Final stepEmbassy of Kuwait
U.S. stepsCertified copy or notarized amendment → state → U.S. Department of State
Final stepEmbassy of Lebanon
U.S. stepsCertified copy or notarized amendment → state → U.S. Department of State
Final stepEmbassy of Libya
U.S. stepsFiled amendment: certified copy → state apostille. Contract amendment: notarized → state apostille
Final stepApostille
U.S. stepsCertified copy or notarized amendment → state → U.S. Department of State
Final stepEmbassy of Oman (business documents since 2021)
U.S. stepsCertified copy or notarized amendment → state → U.S. Department of State
Final stepPalestinian legalization arranged by our team
U.S. stepsCertified copy or notarized amendment → state → U.S. Department of State
Final stepEmbassy of Qatar
U.S. stepsFiled amendment: certified copy → state apostille. Contract amendment: notarized → state apostille
Final stepApostille (since December 2022)
U.S. stepsCertified copy or notarized amendment → state → U.S. Department of State
Final stepEmbassy of Sudan
U.S. stepsCertified copy or notarized amendment → state → U.S. Department of State
Final stepEmbassy of Syria
U.S. stepsCertified copy or notarized amendment → state → U.S. Department of State
Final stepEmbassy of Tunisia
U.S. stepsCertified copy or notarized amendment → state authentication
Final stepUAE Embassy (through VFS Global), then MOFA in the UAE
U.S. stepsCertified copy or notarized amendment → state → U.S. Department of State
Final stepEmbassy of Yemen
Embassy fees for amendments vary by country. We confirm the amount with your order.
How a Certificate of Amendment Is Legalized
- Identify the amendmentA filed charter amendment starts at the state. A contract amendment starts with a notary.
- Get the right originalFor a charter amendment, order a certified copy from the Secretary of State. For a contract amendment, your officer signs it in person before a notary, and the other party signs it in their own country.
- State certificationThe Secretary of State certifies the copy or the notary. For Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Bahrain and Algeria, that apostille is the final U.S. step.
- Federal and embassy legalizationFor embassy countries, the U.S. Department of State certifies the state seal, and the destination embassy legalizes the amendment. For the UAE, it goes through VFS Global, then MOFA.
- Returned for filingSent back with tracking, ready for translation and filing by your local agent.
Common mistakes: notarizing a copy of a state-filed amendment, sending a board resolution instead of the filed amendment, legalizing one copy for several countries, or updating only the trademark office and forgetting the agency or product registrations under the old name.
Required Documents
What to send us
- The right original: a certified copy of the filed amendment from the state, or the signed and notarized contract amendment. We can order state copies for you.
- One original per country, because each registry keeps its legalized copy.
- Your online order for each destination country, paid online or through Pay Invoice.
- A prepaid return label: a FedEx or UPS air waybill, or a USPS Priority Mail envelope with tracking. You can also buy one at checkout.
Registrations to update after a change
- Branch registrations and trade licenses
- Trademark and patent records
- Product registrations with health and food authorities
- Agency, distributor and tender registrations
Documents Filed With an Amendment
Processing Time and Fees
Apostille countries
| Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Bahrain, Algeria | Apostille |
| Filed amendment | Certified copy, no notary |
| Contract amendment | Notarized |
Embassy countries
| State and U.S. Department of State | Required |
| Embassy fee | By country |
| Time | Call us for your country |
Timing starts when the right original reaches us. State copy fees, our service fee and the return courier are listed at checkout.
Why Choose the Arab American Chamber of Commerce?
Route identifiedFiled or contractual: we start each amendment at the right office.
Every country updatedOne original per country, each legalized through its own route.
State copies orderedWe order certified copies the state can apostille.
Where to Send Your Amendment
Maryland office (fastest)
Arab Chamber of Commerce
1615 Bay Head Rd., Annapolis, MD 21409
(410) 349-1212
Washington, D.C. headquarters
1330 New Hampshire Ave. NW, B1, Washington, DC
(202) 347-5800
Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm ET
Certificate of Amendment Legalization: Common Questions
Does a certificate of amendment need to be notarized?
Not if it was filed with the state. Order a certified copy from the Secretary of State, and the state certifies it. Only contract amendments, which are private documents, are signed before a notary.
Our company changed its name. What do Arab registries need?
Usually a legalized certified copy of the certificate of amendment, and often a new certificate of good standing in the new name. Each country where you hold a license, trademark or registration needs its own legalized original.
Is articles of amendment the same as a certificate of amendment?
Yes. States use either name for the filing that changes a company’s charter, and both are legalized the same way.
Which Arab countries accept an apostilled amendment?
Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Bahrain and Algeria (Algeria since July 9, 2026). Oman and the other Arab countries need embassy legalization for business documents.
Would restated articles be easier?
Often, yes. Restated articles combine the original charter and every amendment into one document, so the registry sees the current version in one certified copy.
Changed your company’s details?
Tell us what changed and where you’re registered. We’ll list every registry to update and legalize the amendment for each one.
Case 1 Examples
Business documents
Federally Issued documents
Case 2 Examples
Commercial Document:
Case 3 Examples
Personal Document:
Mailing
If you are using FedEx or UPS, please include a self-addressed air waybill for the return of your document.
Alternatively, you may use a USPS Priority Mail envelope with prepaid postage and a tracking number.
If you do not have a FedEx or UPS account, you can purchase an air waybill through this site in the next step.
Arab American Chamber of Commerce Headquarter Office
1330 New Hampshire Ave. NW, B1Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 347-5800
1 888-939-ARAB
Arab Chamber of Commerce
1615 Bay Head Rd.Annapolis MD, 21409
(410) 349 - 1212
