National Archives (NARA) Records Apostille

Issuing agency

National Archives and Records Administration

We can obtain it?

Yes — we can request certified copies for you

Certification first?

NARA certification, included when we request it

Also known as

archival record, certified archive copy, genealogical record

Records held by the National Archives — historical naturalization, immigration, census and military files — are the backbone of citizenship-by-descent claims. Italy, Poland, Ireland, Germany and others require documented proof of an ancestor's status, and foreign authorities want those records certified and apostilled.

This is one of the few documents we can request for you, which matters when you're assembling a multi-document ancestry file.

What National Archives records are

NARA holds the permanent records of the federal government — including pre-1956 naturalization records, ship passenger arrival lists, census schedules, and military service files. It issues certified copies of these records, bearing NARA's certification and seal, which is what makes them usable as legal evidence abroad rather than just genealogical research.

Newer naturalization records are generally held by USCIS rather than NARA — see USCIS immigration records if your ancestor naturalized more recently.

Why it needs an apostille abroad

A foreign consulate or civil registry cannot verify a U.S. archival record independently. The apostille certifies NARA's certification and seal as genuine across the 120-plus Hague Convention countries. Non-Hague destinations need that authentication plus embassy legalization.

Requesting certified copies

NARA issues certified copies on request, with fees varying by record type. You can request directly, or we can request on your behalf and take the certified copies straight through apostille — a single chain instead of two separate waits.

You'll need identifying details: the ancestor's full name, approximate dates, and ideally place of arrival or naturalization. The more precise the details, the faster the record is located.

Building a citizenship-by-descent file

Descent claims rarely turn on a single document. A typical file traces an unbroken line — birth, marriage, naturalization (or proof of non-naturalization), and death records across generations — and consulates check the chain for consistency in names, dates and spellings.

Two practical points that save months:

• Certificates of non-existence matter. For Italian and some other claims, proving an ancestor did not naturalize before a key date can be as important as proving they did — that's a specific certified record, not an absence of paperwork.
• Batch the authentication. If several records need apostilles, running them together is faster and cheaper than one at a time, and keeps the file consistent.

Tell us which country's claim you're pursuing and we'll map which records need certification and authentication.

Document preparation requirements

• Use certified NARA copies — not genealogy-site printouts or personal photocopies.
• Submit them exactly as certified, with certification and seal intact.
• Do not notarize them — a notary can't certify a federal record.
• Don't laminate, staple across the seal, highlight, or annotate.
• Check name spellings against the rest of your file — consulates flag inconsistencies.

The step-by-step process

1. Tell us the claim and the ancestor

   Which country's citizenship claim, and the ancestor's details. We map which records need certification.

2. We request certified copies

   We can request certified NARA copies on your behalf — or you can, and send them to us.

3. Review before submission

   We verify each certified record is in a form the Department of State will authenticate.

4. We submit in Washington, D.C.

   We hand-deliver the certified records to the Office of Authentications, batched where possible.

5. Apostilles issued

   You receive apostilles (Hague) or authentication certificates (non-Hague) on each record.

6. Embassy legalization & translation, if required

   For non-Hague destinations we handle legalization, and arrange certified translation — commonly required for descent files.

Common rejection reasons — and how to avoid them

Common uses

• Citizenship by descent — Italy, Poland, Ireland, Germany and other jure sanguinis claims.
• Proving an ancestor's immigration or naturalization status — including non-naturalization.
• Historical military service records — for benefit or recognition claims abroad.
• Genealogical evidence for legal proceedings — inheritance and property claims overseas.

Hague vs. non-Hague countries

Pick your destination below, or see all countries we serve.

Official references: National Archives — Order Reproductions · National Archives — Naturalization Records · U.S. Department of State — Authenticate Your Document. Government fees are set by these agencies and are separate from our service fee.