Social Security Letter Apostille
We hand deliver Social Security Administration letters, including benefit verification and proof of income letters, to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications in Washington, DC, so they come back apostilled or authenticated and ready to use abroad.
We are a private document service and are not affiliated with any government agency. The federal filing fee is included in our price.
How it works
A simple, tracked path from your mailbox to the Department of State and back.
Request the SSA letter you need, such as a benefit verification letter or a proof of income letter, from the Social Security Administration, or use an original you already have on hand.
Mail us the original SSA letter. We confirm it has the signature and formatting the Department of State requires, then hand deliver it in Washington, DC.
We ship your apostilled or authenticated SSA letter back to you with tracking, ready for the foreign agency, bank, or family court that requested it.
What you need to know
A few plain notes that help your document move through the process without delay.
- SSA letters are issued by a federal agency, so they must be apostilled or authenticated by the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications, not by a state office.
- The letter should be an original document with a signature or official formatting from the Social Security Administration, rather than a printout from an online account.
- Do not have your SSA letter notarized before sending it to us. Notarizing a federal document is not required and does not speed up the process.
- If your destination country is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, your SSA letter receives an apostille. If not, it goes through the authentication and embassy legalization chain instead.
- SSA letters are commonly needed abroad for proving retirement or disability benefits, confirming income for a visa or residency application, or settling a family matter such as child support.
- Turnaround is typically a matter of days after we receive your original letter, since we hand deliver it instead of mailing it in.
Frequently asked questions
Which Social Security letters can be apostilled
Common examples include benefit verification letters, proof of income letters, and other official letters printed and signed by the Social Security Administration. If you are not sure whether your letter qualifies, contact us and we will check it before you ship anything.
Can I apostille a benefit letter I printed from my online account
The Department of State generally needs an original letter issued by the Social Security Administration rather than a self printed online statement. If you only have an online printout, you may need to request an official letter by phone or in person first.
Is an apostille the same as an authentication for SSA letters
They confirm the same thing but apply to different countries. If your destination country is part of the Hague Apostille Convention, you receive an apostille. If it is not a member, the Department of State issues an authentication instead, and the letter may need an added embassy legalization step.
Do I need to notarize my SSA letter first
No. SSA letters are already issued by a federal agency, so notarization is not required for the Department of State to apostille or authenticate them.
How long does it take to apostille a Social Security letter
Because we hand deliver documents to the Department of State in Washington, DC, most SSA letter orders are completed in about 7 to 10 business days rather than the 5 to 6 weeks it can take to mail a request in yourself.
Is the federal filing fee included in the price
Yes. Our price includes the federal filing fee charged by the Department of State, along with hand delivery and return shipping of your letter.
Related resources
Ready to get your document apostilled?
Start your order in a few minutes. We will walk you through exactly what to send and when to expect it back.