U.S. Embassy in Qatar

Document authentication services are available for Qatari documents only.

Documents issued in one country which need to be used in another country must be “authenticated” or “legalized” before they can be recognized as valid in the foreign country. Authentication does not verify the contents of a document, it simply verifies that the document was issued by the agency/organization that is claimed by the seals.

Authentication of Qatari Documents

We can authenticate a Qatari document if it was certified by a local government entity whose seal and signature is on file with our Consular Section. Please follow the steps below to authenticate your Qatari document:

1. Visit  the Consular Affairs Department of Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The MFA Consular Affairs Department will authenticate the document.
2. Schedule appointment to bring your document to the U.S. Embassy through our appointment system.  If you cannot keep it, please use the same link to cancel.
   For emergencies, please send an email to acsdoha@state.gov to request an earlier appointment.
3. Bring your passport and another form of government issued photo ID. The name on the document’s signature line must match the name on the ID.
4. Pay the service fee at your appointment.  The fee is USD 50 for each authentication service, per page. We accept major credit cards or exact cash (U.S. dollars or Qatari riyals). Personal checks are not accepted.

The U.S. Embassy can only provide an authentication service after the MFA Qatari Consular Affairs Section seal and signature are placed on the document. We cannot provide this service if the “chain” of authentication has been broken.

If You Need a U.S. Document Authenticated

We cannot authenticate a U.S. document. Please follow the procedure below to authenticate your U.S. document:

1. A document must first be authenticated by the local authority that issued it, such as the city, town, or county. For academic credentials and degrees, the school registrar should execute an affidavit attesting to the validity of the document before a notary public in the registrar’s office or elsewhere at the university.
2. The document must then be authenticated by the respective Secretary of State from the state in which the document was issued. Please visit the website for the Secretary of Stateof your state to learn how obtain the appropriate state level authentication.
3. Once a U.S. document has been authenticated by the state in which it was issued, you must then send the document to the U.S. Department of State’s Authentications Office.
4. After the U.S. Department of State has authenticated a document, the document must be forwarded to the Embassy of Qatar in Washington, D.C.
5. Finally, you must take the document to the Consular Affairs Section of Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Once the MFA Consular Affairs Section authenticates the Embassy of Qatar’s seal and signature, your document is ready for use in Qatar.

Important Note: Please be aware that your appointment refers to the time you should arrive in the Consular Section, including anticipating drive time and security screening. Please plan accordingly and take a number once you arrive in the Consular Section.

Contact Information

If you have any questions or concerns about the authentication process, please contact us:  ACSDoha@state.gov.

Schedule an Appointment

Schedule an appointment. If you cannot keep it, please use the same link to cancel.

For emergencies, please send an email to acsdoha@state.gov to request an earlier appointment.