Washington Consular Services

An E-Apostille is a digital certificate attached to your electronic document. It is a secure and electronic version of traditional paper apostilles.

The digital certificate includes a secure electronic signature and encrypted certificate from competent US authority or relevant government agencies in the country of issuance. It also includes a date and a reference number, which can be verified by checking the official online apostille e-register.

E-Apostilles work the same way as physical paper certificates. Competent authorities in the US digitally issue the E-Apostille certification to your document and have the same authority as printed paper apostilles.

The relevant agencies check the digital signature on your document and issue the E-Apostille.

The documents that have E-apostille cannot be printed. An E-Apostilled document can only be downloaded and digitally shared via email or other digital platforms.

Businesses and individuals alike can benefit from using E-Apostilles. If you reside overseas, you may utilize electronic apostilles in countries that accept them.

However, this applies to documents that fulfill the requirements for an E-Apostille and if the requesting authority can process them electronically.

E-Apostille service, a customer can submit in electronic format documents such PDF, Zip file, JPEG, Word. This document is printed and an Apostille certification issued by a State or Federal Government. The process involves certifying the signature of a notary public or an official signature issued by a Federal Agency.

An E-Apostille is useful if a business or an individual is not able to obtain a hard copy of an apostilled document.

The requestor/authority in the destination country of use should ensure that the E-Apostille document is accepted.

In cases where physical documents are not required, an E-Apostille eliminates the need for mailing documents.

Its digital format not only saves time but also enhances security and eliminates shipping costs and the risks of delays or lost deliveries.

E-Apostille is in a pilot phase in multiple states in the U.S.A. The Secretary of State in the U.S. is the only “competent authority” to issue E-Apostille certification in the U.S.

WCS carefully reviews and prepares your documents before submitting them for an E-Apostille process.

An E-Apostille is issued within 24-48 hours. However, the process may be delayed if your documents lack a proper digital signature, or essential information, or have been altered in any way.

Medical devices, Pharmaceutical Companies exporting medical devices and drugs are often asked by foreign customers or foreign governments to provide documentation of the facility’s compliance with FDA requirements.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) began issuing electronic export documxents for medical devices and pharmaceutical companies. The change from paper to electronic PDF improves efficiency in issuing export documents, reduces the amount of time it takes for a manufacturer to receive export documents, and decreases environmental burden.

As of December 16th, 2023 FDA has started to issue products like digital Certificates of Pharmaceutical Products (eCPP) for approved or licensed drugs and for unapproved drugs that meet certain legal requirements.

All export documents issued by CDRH on or after January 2, 2024, will be delivered electronically as downloadable PDFs through the CDRH Export Certification Application and Tracking System (CECATS). With the new electronic process, you will receive an email notification of approval with detailed instructions on how to access the document. One-time access will be granted to print or download the document within 45 days of iss uance. After 45 days, the document will no longer be available to print or download.

These certificates provide information about the drug’s U.S. marketing status and the manufacturer’s compliance with FDA’s requirements. These certificates also conform to the World Health Organization (WHO) format and are intended for importing countries considering whether to license drugs for sale in that country. Certificates expire 24 months from the date issued after which a new application must be submitted, and certificates cannot be reissued.

We accept and process the below electronic documents :

E-Apostille is recognized by most countries that are party to the Hague Convention.Contact WCS with any questions on digital documents.

E-Apostille document is received as a PDF file and sent to the requestor via emails or other digital platforms.

The electronic Apostille contains digital signatures and stamps from the notary public and or legalization officer that maintain integrity and confirm the authenticity of the documents.

E-certificates can be downloaded and saved in your local folder or online files. The E-Apostille can then be sent to the requested authorities.

Acceptance: Paper-version apostilles are accepted by all Hague countries. However, it is important to note that some requesting authorities within these countries may not be aware of or accept E-Apostilles.

Refer to e-Registers: To determine if your country recognizes the E-Apostille, refer to the HCCH list of e-registers.

Eligibility: Not all documents are eligible for an E-Apostille. You must meet the criteria requested for an E-Apostille. We recommend verifying with the overseas requestor for acceptance of E-Apostille.

Validity: Typically, the E-Apostille becomes invalid if it’s printed out. It must be shared electronically only with the recipient. If the requesting authority needs a hard copy of your documents, you must apply for a paper-apostille certificate.

Quick turnaround: In the United States, E-Apostille documents are typically completed between 24 and 48 hours

Order an E-Apostille: Find more information on how to request an E-apostille.