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American citizens and others may receive a variety of notarial services at
the Consular Section of the US Embassy. Documents, such as affidavits and powers
of attorney, or Georgian legal documents, such as birth and marriage
certificates, can be authenticated for use in the U.S.
Notarial services are
provided to American and Georgian citizens Monday through Friday from 2 to 5
p.m., except holidays.
The US Embassy can acknowledge the signature on an
affidavit or power of attorney only if the document is intended for
use in the US and only if the individual appears in
person, signs the document in the presence of a consular officer,
provides positive proof of identity, and takes an oath. In some rare cases, as
with the Non-Impediment to Marriage Letter, an affidavit executed at the
Consular Section may be used for legal purposes in Georgia after the signature
and seal of the consular officer have been authenticated by the Georgian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There is a thirty dollar ($30) fee for this
service.
AUTHENTICATING DOCUMENTS ISSUED IN
GEORGIA
(Also known as "legalizing" these documents)
The US Embassy can authenticate ("legalize") legal documents issued
in Georgia, such as birth and marriage certificates, after the documents
have made their way through the Georgian authentication chain. To have the
marriage certificate authenticated, you must first obtain excerpt from the
marriage certificate from the place of marriage, which costs GEL5. The extract
must then be taken to the translation center and notary public for translation
and notarization. The translated and notarized copy of the marriage certificate
and the extract along with receipt of GEL20, which has to be paid at the
National Bank of Georgia, to the account number 0014107 (3/5 Leonidze Street)
has to be presented at the Ministry of Justice (address: 30 Rustaveli Av. Tel:
93-56-39). Authentication service at the Ministry of Justice takes up to 5 days.
The same procedure applies to the birth certificate, except the address where
you can get the excerpt from birth certificate is: 20 Bakhtrioni Street. Next
step is obtaining legalization by the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (6
Chitadze street. Tel: 98-94-22). Once the signature from the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs has been obtained (the fee $7 or $10 for the urgent service), the US
Embassy can authenticate that signature by comparing it with the signatures we
have on file. Once authenticated, the document is recognized as a legal document
for use in the United States. There is a thirty dollar ($30) fee for this
service.
AUTHENTICATING DOCUMENTS ISSUED IN THE USA
The US Embassy CANNOT, by law, under any circumstances, authenticate a
document issued in the United States. This includes birth certificates,
marriage licenses, divorce decrees, educational records, powers of attorney,
copies of documents unaccompanied by originals, etc., regardless of whether the
documents have already been notarized in the United States. These
documents must be authenticated in the United States. To authenticate a
document of this sort, the signature of the local US notary public must be
authenticated at the local and state levels. Then, the document must be sent
directly to the Authentication Officer, Department of State, Washington, D.C.
20520, with a check or money order for $30 per document, payable to the
Department of State. The Department of State will return the document to you
after it has been authenticated. Once through this US authentication chain, the
signature of the Secretary of State must finally be authenticated by the
Georgian Embassy in Washington. The document should be sent directly to the
Georgian Embassy by registered mail with whatever the current fee is at the
time. With this last signature, the document is recognized as a legal document
for use in Georgia.
Embassy of Georgia in the U.S.
1615 New Hampshire Ave.,
NW Suite 300
Washington, DC 20009
Tel: (202) 387-2390
Fax: (202)
393-4537
Website: http://www.georgiaemb.org/
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Notarial Services