Vanuatu is a common law jurisdiction working in English, which makes American documents conceptually easy to use there. The obstacle is procedural: with no consulate in the United States, a consular legalisation step cannot be performed here, so establish what the receiving office will accept before spending anything.
Quick facts
Start at the other end. The institution in Port Vila that will receive the document is the only reliable authority on what it needs, and that answer determines whether the file can be prepared from here at all.
The routes
| Step | Who does it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Notarisation | U.S. notary public | For private documents |
| State certification | Secretary of State | Of the issuing state |
| Federal authentication | U.S. Department of State | Where required |
| Consular step | No U.S. post available | Ask the UN mission |
| Translation | Not applicable | English is official |
Documents issued in Vanuatu are certified in Port Vila, which generally requires someone there to attend in person.
How to prepare a document
- Ask the receiving institution in Vanuatu exactly what it requires.
- Ask the Permanent Mission in New York whether it can certify anything.
- Order a certified copy, or have the private document notarised.
- Complete the U.S. certifications once the route is clear.
- Send tracked and keep copies.
- Allow for slow postage across the Pacific.
Required documents
- Original document with the U.S. certifications attached.
- Copy of your identification.
- Correspondence confirming the accepted route.
- Payment as instructed.
- Prepaid tracked return envelope.
What is available here
Only the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, by appointment. It is a diplomatic mission rather than a consulate.
Additional notes
Confirm before paying
Federal authentication is slow and costs money. Do not start it until you know the document can be completed.
English is a real saving
No translation in either direction, unlike most countries in this directory.
Order two copies
Postage across the Pacific is slow and expensive.
Never certify a photocopy
The certification attaches to an original or a certified copy from the record keeper.