Form DS-4194, Request for Authentications Service, is the U.S. Department of State form that individuals, institutions and government agencies use to request authentication and/or apostille certificates for documents used for legal and administrative purposes abroad. You complete one copy per individual or company and submit it with your documents and payment, either through walk-in service or by mail to the Office of Authentications. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the Department of State publishes the original at eforms.state.gov.
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What is DS-4194?
Form DS-4194, Request for Authentications Service, is the U.S. Department of State form used to ask for authentication and/or apostille certificates, issued under the seal of the Department of State, for documents that will be used for legal and administrative purposes abroad.
The form works as the intake sheet for the Office of Authentications. It identifies the customer, says how the documents should be returned, names any courier or representative, lists each document with its country of use and type, and calculates the projected cost. The Department of State states that the form ensures the documents it receives and processes are the same ones you submitted.
The form has five sections: customer contact information, shipping details (mail-in only), courier/representative contact information, document information and projected cost. A continuation sheet on page 3 carries extra Section 4 rows for mail-in requests of more than 15 documents. It carries OMB Control Number 1405-0254 and an estimated burden of 10 minutes.
The form's warning section adds two points: knowingly false statements are punishable under 18 U.S.C. 1001, and under 22 CFR § 131.2 the Department will not certify a document when it has good reason to believe the certification is wanted for an unlawful or improper purpose. For questions, the form points to www.travel.state.gov or 202-485-8000.
Who needs to file DS-4194?
Individuals, institutions and government agencies that need an authentication and/or apostille certificate under the seal of the U.S. Department of State for a document used abroad complete this form. Submit one copy per individual or company, with your documents and payment.
- Federal agencies: if the documents were mailed or hand carried for official government business, select Federal Agency in Section 1 and give the agency name, bureau and/or office acronyms, and a mailing address. The case type for a federal agency must be official business.
- Couriers and representatives: if you submit or retrieve a request for someone other than yourself or a company, complete Section 3 with specific, detailed information. The full name of the individual or company is required to search the database.
- People picking up documents: the instructions say your name must appear on the intake form (they refer to section 2) and that U.S. government or state issued identification is required.
Mail-in customers who ship documents also complete Section 2. Walk-in customers leave it blank, because it is for shipping only. Walk-in service allows a maximum of 15 documents per customer or company.
When to file DS-4194
Submit Form DS-4194 whenever you send or bring documents to the Office of Authentications for authentication or an apostille: the form must travel with your documents and payment. No separate deadline is printed on it.
If the form is missing from the package, the form states that the request will be denied and the documents returned. Plan the batch size before you start: walk-in service accepts a maximum of 15 documents per customer or company, and mail-in requests above 15 documents need continuation sheets.
The form does not state a processing time. For questions about timing, the form directs you to www.travel.state.gov or 202-485-8000.
Documents you need
- The documents to be authenticated or apostilled: submit them with the form, up to 15 per customer or company for walk-in service.
- Payment of the exact total shown in the estimated cost field: money order or check payable to the "U.S. Department of State" for mail-in; walk-in customers may also pay with exact cash or a credit or debit/check card.
- Continuation sheet (page 3 of the form): attach it for mail-in requests of more than 15 documents, to list the additional documents.
- U.S. government or state issued identification: required if you are retrieving a document, and your name must appear on the intake form.
- Self-addressed stamped envelope or tracking details: only if you ship documents by mail and choose that return method in Section 2.
How to fill out DS-4194
Enter customer contact information
In Section 1, enter the customer name (Last, First, MI), suffix/prefix, email, the date in MM/DD/YYYY format, and your cell, home or work phone with extension. For a company, give the complete company name.
Select the case type
Check Individual, Company or Federal Agency (specify). A federal agency case must be official business, and you give the agency name, bureau and/or office acronyms.
Enter your mailing address
Fill in Line 1, Line 2, City, State/Province, Country and Zip Code with the complete address.
Complete shipping details if mailing
In Section 2, check Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope, UPS, DHL or Other, and enter the tracking number with all letters and numbers if you have one. Skip this section if you are not shipping the documents.
Add courier or representative details
In Section 3, check YES or NO for whether you submit or retrieve on behalf of another individual. If YES, enter the full name, company, phone and extension.
List each document in Section 4
For each row, enter the country of use (outside the U.S.), the document type and the number of documents. Leave the processing fee, label and official-use areas alone.
Use the continuation sheet if needed
For mail-in requests of more than 15 documents, list the additional documents on the continuation sheet on page 3 and attach it.
Calculate the projected cost
In Section 5, enter the document total and the estimated cost using the per-document rate printed on the form. The fee is per document, not per page.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check names, addresses and document counts, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. If you find an error afterward, complete a new form rather than correcting it.
How to submit DS-4194
There are two channels: walk-in service and mail-in service. In both, the completed form goes in with your documents and payment.
- Mail-In Service: send the form, documents and payment to: Department of State, Office of Authentications, 44132 Mercure Circle, P.O. Box 1206, Sterling, VA 20166-1206. Complete Section 2 with your return delivery method and the one address where the documents will be returned. The Department does not return documents by FedEx or in multiple envelopes. Attach continuation sheets for more than 15 documents.
- Walk-In Service: bring the form, documents and payment, up to 15 documents per customer or company. For information, the form refers you to www.travel.state.gov or 202-485-8000.
A fee applies per document, not per page, and is charged whether you receive an authentication certificate or a correspondence letter. Section 5 shows the per-document rate; pay the exact total from the estimated cost field. By mail, pay by money order or check (personal, corporate, certified, cashier's or traveler's) made payable to the "U.S. Department of State"; never send cash by mail. Walk-in customers may also pay with exact cash or Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover credit and debit/check cards.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Sending documents without Form DS-4194 or without payment; the form says such a request is denied and the documents are returned.
- Correcting an error on the form. The instructions say to complete a new form and not to correct.
- Filling out the form in colored ink or illegibly; the form asks for black ink only, typed or printed legibly.
- Mailing cash. The form says not to send cash by mail; cash is accepted only at walk-in service, in the exact amount.
- Paying an amount other than the exact total from the estimated cost field, or paying per page instead of per document.
- Bringing more than 15 documents to walk-in service, or mailing more than 15 without continuation sheets.
- Asking for return by FedEx or in several envelopes; the Office of Authentications returns documents to one location and not via FedEx or in multiple envelopes.
- Leaving out Section 3 detail, or the full name of the person or company, when submitting or retrieving for someone else.
- Completing Section 2 when you are not shipping the documents; the section is for shipping only.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form DS-4194 used for?
Form DS-4194 is the U.S. Department of State's Request for Authentications Service. Individuals, institutions and government agencies use it to request authentication and/or apostille certificates under the Department's seal for documents used for legal and administrative purposes abroad.
Can I fill out DS-4194 online?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is independent of the Department of State and does not submit the form; you deliver it with your documents and payment by walk-in or mail-in service.
Where do I mail the DS-4194 form?
Mail the form, documents and payment to: Department of State, Office of Authentications, 44132 Mercure Circle, P.O. Box 1206, Sterling, VA 20166-1206. In Section 2, give the one address where the documents should be returned.
How many documents can I submit with one DS-4194?
Walk-in service allows a maximum of 15 documents per customer or company. For mail-in requests of more than 15 documents, attach continuation sheets. Complete one copy of the form per individual or company.
Is the authentication fee charged per page?
No. The form says the fee applies per document, not per page, and is charged whether you receive an authentication certificate or a correspondence letter. Section 5 prints the rate; pay the exact total shown in the estimated cost field.
How do I pay for the authentication service?
By mail, pay with a money order or a personal, corporate, certified, cashier's or traveler's check made payable to the "U.S. Department of State." Walk-in customers may also pay exact cash or by credit or debit/check card. Never mail cash.
What happens if I send documents without the DS-4194?
Your request will be denied and your documents returned. The form must be submitted with your documents and payment.
Can someone else drop off or pick up my documents?
Yes, if Section 3 is completed with specific, detailed information, including the full name of the individual or company. A person retrieving documents must have U.S. government or state issued identification, and their name must appear on the intake form.
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