Palestine Embassy Legalization for U.S. Documents

Palestine authorities, customs and banks accept a U.S. document only after it completes the legalization chain. The Arab American Chamber of Commerce handles every step for companies and individuals: notary checks, Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State, the chamber stamp and the Embassy of Palestine.

Start Your Order (202) 347-5800

Palestine does not accept apostilles. Palestine is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. Every U.S. document is authenticated by the U.S. Department of State and then legalized by the Embassy of Palestine, or by the Palestine consulate that covers the state where the document was issued.

Start here

Choose Your Case: 1, 2 or 3

Choose the order for your type of document. Each order already follows the Palestine route.

Case 1

Business legal document to be authenticated

Powers of attorney, good standing, articles, agreements, board resolutions and federal certificates (FDA, USDA, USPTO).

Secretary of State · U.S. Dept. of State · Embassy of Palestine Start Order

Case 2

Obtaining the stamp of the Arab American Chamber of Commerce

The chamber stamp alone, when your Palestine buyer doesn't need embassy legalization.

$35 per document · Same day Start Order

Case 3

Personal document to be authenticated

Birth and marriage certificates, divorce decrees, diplomas and transcripts, FBI background checks and personal powers of attorney.

Secretary of State · U.S. Dept. of State · Embassy of Palestine Start Order

Palestine document legalization

What Legalization Confirms, and What It Doesn't

Legalization doesn't check what your document says. Each office confirms that the signature and seal of the office before it are genuine. The Embassy of Palestine confirms the last one, the U.S. Department of State's seal. If one step is missing, the chain breaks and the document comes back.

The legalization process

The Legalization Process by the Palestine Embassy

Where a document starts depends on who issued or signed it. Every route ends at the Embassy of Palestine.

Your document

U.S. steps

Final step

Signed by you or your company (POA, affidavit, resolution, agreement)

U.S. stepsIn-person notary → Secretary of State → U.S. Department of State

Final stepEmbassy of Palestine

Issued by a state (birth, marriage, good standing, articles)

U.S. stepsCertified copy (no notary) → Secretary of State → U.S. Department of State

Final stepEmbassy of Palestine

Issued by a federal agency (FDA, USDA, USPTO, FBI)

U.S. stepsOriginal document → U.S. Department of State

Final stepEmbassy of Palestine

Notarization or certified copyA document you sign is signed in person before a U.S. notary public. The notary confirms who signed it, not whether the content is true. A state record is not notarized. You order a certified copy from the issuing office instead.
Secretary of StateThe state where the document was notarized or issued certifies the notary's or official's signature. Some states require county clerk certification first. For Palestine this is an authentication certificate, not an apostille.
U.S. Department of StateThe Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C. certifies the state seal. Federal documents skip steps 1 and 2 and start here.
Embassy of PalestineThe Embassy of Palestine in Washington, D.C., or the Palestine consulate that covers the issuing state, applies the final legalization. We send each document to the right office.
Returned to youWe send the legalized document back with tracking, ready to use in Palestine.

Case 3

Legalization of Personal Documents for Palestine

For marriage in Palestine, residency and work permits, inheritance and property matters, and university admission. Each personal document follows one of three routes, and all of them end at the Embassy of Palestine.

Vital records

Birth, marriage and death certificates and divorce decrees. Order a certified copy from the state vital records office or the court. No notary.

Secretary of State → U.S. Dept. of State → Embassy

Diplomas and transcripts

The school registrar signs a copy before a notary, or the school issues a notarized copy. The original diploma is not legalized directly.

Secretary of State → U.S. Dept. of State → Embassy

FBI background check

The original FBI Identity History Summary, exactly as issued. Don't notarize, laminate or write on it.

U.S. Dept. of State → Embassy

Personal powers of attorney and affidavits are signed in person before a notary, with the notary's seal on the same page as the signature, then follow the Secretary of State route. A state or local police clearance starts at its own state's Secretary of State.

Before you send

Required Documents for Legalization

What to send us

The original: notarized in person, a certified copy from the issuing state, or the original federal certificate. Plain photocopies and printouts aren't accepted.
One photocopy of the document. The embassy keeps a copy.
Your online order for Case 1, 2, 3 or 4, paid online or through Pay Invoice. You don't need a separate request form.
A prepaid return label: a FedEx or UPS air waybill, or a USPS Priority Mail envelope with tracking. You can also buy a label at checkout.

Palestine rules we check for you

The notary's seal must be on the same page as the signature, not on a separate certificate.
Federal documents, including FBI background checks, are sent as originals, exactly as the agency issued them.
Invoices and certificates of origin show the Palestine consignee, HS codes and matching values.

Processing time

Processing Time and Fees

Chamber stamp (Case 2)

Arab American Chamber of Commerce stamp	$35 per document
Processing	Same business day

Embassy legalization (Case 1)

Secretary of State + US Dept of State	Varies
Embassy of Palestine	Varies by embassy
Processing	About 5–10 business days

Times are counted from the day we receive your documents, and return shipping is added at checkout. Case 1 and Case 3 documents also go through the Secretary of State and the U.S. Department of State before the embassy, so they take longer. Call us for a current estimate.

Why AACC

Why Choose the Arab American Chamber of Commerce?

Arab League recognizedEvery chamber stamp carries a unique number that officials can verify online.

One order, every stepNotary check, Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State, chamber stamp and embassy, all in one order.

Checked before submissionWe catch missing certified copies, notary errors and invoice mismatches before they cause a rejection.

Mailing

Where to Send Your Documents

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

FAQ

Palestine Legalization: Common Questions

Does Palestine accept an apostille?

No. Palestine is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. U.S. documents are authenticated by the U.S. Department of State and then legalized by the Embassy of Palestine or the Palestine consulate.

Do I need to notarize a birth certificate or good standing certificate?

No. State records are not notarized. Order a certified copy from the issuing office, and it goes straight to the Secretary of State.

How do I legalize an FBI background check for Palestine?

Send the original FBI Identity History Summary, not notarized and unaltered. It goes to the U.S. Department of State for authentication, then to the Embassy of Palestine (Case 3).

Do federal documents go through the Secretary of State?

No. FDA, USDA, USPTO and FBI documents go straight to the U.S. Department of State, then to the Embassy of Palestine.

Not sure which case fits your document?

Tell us what it is and who will receive it in Palestine. We'll confirm the route before you ship.

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