Two countries
Apostille from United States to France
At a glance
Can a document from the United States be used in France?
| Result | Apostille applies. |
|---|---|
| United States | Uses apostilles member since 1 |
| France | Uses apostilles member since 1 |
| Apostille issued by | |
| Fee in United States | US$20 (per document, Office of Authentications)3 No fee, according to the office (vital Records Office, issuance or apostille on a document bearing the seal of a U.S. embassy or consulate)2 |
| Processing time in United States | By mail: processed within five weeks from the date received; walk-in drop-off and pick-up: seven business days; emergency appointment: same day as the appointment3 |
| Last checked |
Step by step
How to get a document from the United States ready for France
- Fill in Form DS-4194 and write the country where the document will be used.3
- Include the federal document and check whether it needs an apostille certificate or an authentication certificate.3
- If you travel in 5 or more weeks, send the form, the documents and the fee by mail.3
- If you travel in 2 to 3 weeks, drop off and pick up the request at the office as a walk-in.3
- An appointment is only offered to people travelling within two weeks because an immediate family member abroad has a life-or-death emergency.3
- By mail, pay by check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of State; in person, pay by credit card, debit card or contactless payment, as cash, check and money order are not accepted.3
- Give the document, with its apostille or legalisation, to the office in France that asked for it.
Situations
When the answer changes
- Private documents.A private document, such as a power of attorney or a contract, is first signed in front of a notary public, and the apostille then goes on the notary’s certificate. A copy of a public document from another country is first certified by a notary public, then apostilled.
- The other direction. For a document from France used in the United States, the apostille or legalisation starts in France. Apostille from France to United States
Note: What the apostille confirms
An apostille only confirms the signature, the role of the person who signed and any seal or stamp on the document. It does not confirm what the document says. The office that receives the document decides what it accepts.
Questions
Questions about documents from the United States for France
Is an apostille from the United States accepted in France?
Yes. An apostille from the United States is enough for France: both are members of the Apostille Convention (the United States since 15 October 1981, France since 24 January 1965). The apostille is issued in the United States by U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications. The published fee in the United States is US$20. The office in France that receives the document decides what else it needs. Last checked 18 October 2026 against the HCCH status table.
Who issues the apostille for a document from the United States?
U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications. The apostille is always issued in the country the document comes from, not in France.
How much does the apostille cost in the United States?
The published fee in the United States is US$20. Fees can change, so check the office's own page before you apply.
Do I need to notarise a private document first?
Yes. A private document, such as a power of attorney or a contract, is first signed in front of a notary public in the United States. The apostille then goes on the notary's certificate.
Does France also need a translation?
The office in France that receives the document decides. Ask it before you start whether it needs a translation, and whether the translation needs its own certification.
Sources and verification
Sources
- HCCH status table: Apostille Convention (1961)
- United States of America - Competent Authority (Art. 6)
- Requesting Authentication Services
- Request for Authentications Service (DS-4194)
- France - Competent Authority (Art. 6)
- Modification de la liste des autorités compétentes pour délivrer des apostilles en France
- Décret n° 2021-1205 du 17 septembre 2021 relatif à la légalisation et à l'apostille des actes publics établis par les autorités françaises
- Accueil - Portail Grand Public
- Legalization or apostille of a public act drawn up by a French authority
- Centre de Légalisation et de l'Apostille de Paris (CLAP)
- Apostille et légalisation - Chambre des Notaires de l'Essonne
- Status
- Last verified: (18 October 2026)
- How it was checked
- Checked by our team against the sources above
- Next review
Every fact on this page links to the source it was taken from. Read how we check facts.
Related