EXPORT & COMMERCIAL DOCUMENTS
Export Document Legalization
Shipping products abroad, registering products with a foreign regulator, or appointing a distributor? Many countries require your commercial documents to be certified and legalized before they'll clear customs or approve a registration. We manage the whole chain.
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FOR EXPORTERS
Certified, authenticated, legalized
One partner for every step.
- Chamber of commerce certification
- U.S. Department of State authentication
- Embassy legalization or apostille
- Through our DC Satellite Office
Commercial documents we prepare
- Certificates of origin
- Commercial invoices and packing lists
- Certificates of free sale
- FDA Certificates to Foreign Government and export certificates
- Distributor and agency agreements
- Letters of authorization and declarations of conformity
- ISO and quality certificates
- Product registration and regulatory dossiers
Which route your documents take
| Destination | Typical route |
|---|---|
| Hague Convention countries | Notarization or certification, then an apostille from the state or the U.S. Department of State. |
| Gulf and other non-Hague countries | Notarization, chamber of commerce certification where required, state certification, U.S. Department of State authentication, then embassy legalization. |
| Federal certificates (FDA, USDA and others) | U.S. Department of State, then an apostille or embassy legalization. |
The Apostille Convention doesn't cover documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations, so certificates of origin and invoices can need chamber or embassy steps even for Hague countries. Requirements differ by country, product and importer, and we confirm the exact route before we start.
Built for business clients
One point of contact
For your regulatory, logistics and legal teams.
Repeat document sets
Consistent handling for repeat document sets.
Itemized invoices
Government, chamber and embassy fees listed separately.
Life sciences experience
We regularly handle FDA and regulatory documents. See Life Sciences.
Mistakes that hold up export shipments
- Assuming an apostille covers everything. The Apostille Convention doesn't cover documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations, so some documents need chamber or embassy steps.
- Missing chamber certification. Many countries want certificates of origin certified by a chamber of commerce first.
- Inconsistent details. Product names, quantities and values should match across the invoice, packing list and certificate of origin.
- Unsigned or unnotarized declarations. Company declarations usually need an authorized signer and a notary.
- Embassy rules that changed. Embassies update requirements and fees. We check before submitting.
Who we help
Manufacturers
Certificates of origin and declarations for overseas customers.
Life sciences and device companies
Export certificates for product registrations. See Free Sale & CPP.
Used goods and textile exporters
Commercial documents for shipments to Africa, the Caribbean and the Middle East.
Freight forwarders
Reliable legalization for their exporter clients.
Recurring shipments
How export documents are authenticated
Commercial documents
Certificates of origin and invoices are often certified by a chamber of commerce first.
Company declarations
Signed by an authorized officer before a notary, then certified by the state.
Federal certificates
FDA, USDA and other federal certificates go to the U.S. Department of State.
Final step
An apostille for Hague countries, or embassy legalization for the rest.
Why exporters use us
What to send us
- The document set for the shipment or registration
- The destination country and the receiving party
- Whether a chamber of commerce has already certified anything
- Your shipping or registration deadline
- Who signs company declarations
We'll confirm the route for every document before anything is submitted.
Itemized and predictable
Official sources
Requirements change, and the receiving office always has the final word. We link to official sources so you can check the current rules yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Do certificates of origin need a chamber of commerce stamp?
Often, especially for Gulf countries. We arrange it as part of the chain.
Can you legalize documents for Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia joined the Apostille Convention in December 2022, so most public documents now take an apostille. Commercial and customs documents, such as certificates of origin, fall outside the Convention and can follow different rules, so we confirm the current process for your shipment.
Do you handle documents from companies outside Massachusetts?
Yes. We handle all 50 states and federal documents. See Nationwide Service.
Do you work with freight forwarders?
Yes. Forwarders can send us their clients' document sets directly.
Can you handle documents for Gulf countries?
Yes, including chamber certification and embassy legalization. See UAE Attestation.
Can you help with documents for shipments to Africa and the Caribbean?
Yes, including the authentication steps those countries require.
Do you handle certificates of origin for non-Hague countries?
Yes, through chamber certification, state and federal steps and embassy legalization as required.
Do you charge separately for chamber and embassy fees?
Yes. Government, chamber and embassy fees are itemized separately on every invoice.
Can you ship legalized documents to our customer abroad?
Yes, with tracking.
How long does export legalization take?
It depends on the chamber, the federal step and the embassy. We give you a realistic estimate before you commit and update you as each step finishes.
Exporting soon?
Send us your document list and destination country, and we'll map out every step.