There is a genuinely modern option here that most missions in this directory do not offer. The embassy allows the power of attorney — the wakaalad — to be attested and signed through a secure video conference, with no physical visit at all. The published total is $298.48: a $290 service fee plus an $8.48 bank charge.
Other documents still follow the full legalisation chain, since Somalia is outside the apostille system: notarised here, certified by the state, authenticated federally, then legalised at the embassy.
Quick facts
Property and inheritance are the usual reasons. Somali practice draws on customary and religious law alongside statute, so the person acting for you locally should confirm which framework governs the matter before anything is drafted.
Fees breakdown
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Notarisation in the U.S. | $5–$25 per signature | First step |
| State certification | $3–$25 per document | Secretary of State |
| Federal authentication | $20 per document | Slowest stage |
| Consular legalisation | Published tariff | Embassy of Somalia |
| Courier | Carrier’s charge | Both directions |
Where several relatives inherit, each may need to grant their own authority, and coordinating a family spread across continents is usually slower than the paperwork itself.
How to apply
- Ask the lawyer or representative in Somalia what the matter requires.
- Have the document notarised here.
- Obtain the state certification and then the federal authentication.
- Book an embassy appointment for the consular step.
- Pay digitally and keep the receipt.
- Courier the legalised original and keep a scan.
Required documents
- The document to be legalised, with the U.S. certifications attached.
- Valid photo identification for every signatory.
- Full details of the person receiving the authority.
- Property or case references.
- Proof of digital payment.
- Confirmed appointment.
Where to apply
At the embassy in Washington, by appointment.
Additional notes
Establish which law applies
Statutory, customary and religious frameworks may each bear on a property or inheritance question. Get that settled locally first.
Be specific
Name the property and the acts authorised as precisely as the local records allow.
Coordinate the family early
Several documents from several countries take months to assemble. Start before the deadline, not after it.
Revocation
Revoking means repeating the whole chain, with notice to whoever holds the original.