Guatemalan Document Apostille in the U.S. — 2026 Guide

Guatemala joined the Hague Apostille Convention through Decree 1-2016 and has applied it since 18 September 2017. Since then, documents moving between the United States and Guatemala need an apostille, not consular legalisation, and a Guatemalan consulate in the U.S. does not authenticate U.S. public records.

Quick facts

U.S. state records are apostilled by the Secretary of State of the issuing state; federal records by the U.S. Department of State. Guatemalan documents travelling the other way are apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which runs an electronic apostille system.

Fees breakdown

The apostille fee is a government fee. Agencies that quote hundreds of dollars are charging for courier work you can do yourself.

How to get a document apostilled

1. Identify the issuing authority, because that decides who apostilles: the state for state records, Washington for federal ones.
2. Order a certified long-form copy from the vital records office or the county clerk. Short forms and photocopies are rejected in Guatemala.
3. Notarise private documents first — powers, affidavits, letters — since the apostille certifies the notary’s signature.
4. File with the Secretary of State by mail or in person, with the request form, payment and a return envelope.
5. Have the document translated into Spanish when the Guatemalan office receiving it asks for a translation.

Required documents

• Original certified copy with a genuine signature and seal, free of corrections or alterations.
• Completed authentication request for that state.
• Payment in an accepted form; several states refuse personal cheques.
• Prepaid return envelope for mail filings.
• Photo ID for in-person filings.

What the consulate does instead

Consulates authenticate signatures on documents they process, issue certified copies of Guatemalan records, forward civil registry files, and carry out notarial acts intended to take effect in Guatemala.

Additional notes

Documents going from Guatemala to the United States

Guatemalan public records are apostilled in Guatemala by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including through its online apostille platform. No U.S. consulate in Guatemala can do it, and neither can a Guatemalan consulate here.

Freshness rules

Guatemalan offices often want civil registry certifications issued within the last six months, and police records within three to six months. An apostille does not extend the life of a document that is considered stale.

Private documents

University certificates, medical letters and translations are private documents. They need notarisation or prior certification by the issuing institution before an apostille can attach to them.

Documents predating 2017

Records legalised through the old consular chain before the Convention entered into force remain valid for what they were used for, but a new procedure will normally require a fresh certified copy and an apostille.