State of Rhode Island Secretary of State Apostille and Authentication Services in the USA 518-956-5673

Self-Service Guide for Rhode Island Secretary of State Notarization and Authentication

The Secretary of State offers two types of authentication: Apostille and Certificate of Authentication. An Apostille, also known as "Hague Authentication," is only valid within member countries of the Hague Convention. Since Chinese consulates are currently not part of the "Hague Convention member states," documents submitted to Chinese consulates in the United States must use a "Certificate of Authentication."

If you don't have time to handle it yourself, you can contact CHV for agency services at 518-956-5673. We provide notarization and authentication services for personal or corporate documents from all 50 U.S. states, including consulate three-level authentication or Hague Authentication, with expedited processing available. The fastest completion time is 3 business days.

In-Person or Mail-In Processing:

Rhode Island Secretary of State
Attention: Hague Authentication
148 West River Street
Providence, RI 02904-2615
Phone: (401) 222-1487

Fee: $5 per Hague Authentication payable to "Rhode Island Secretary of State."
Processing Time: Same-day for counter service or 2 days for mail-in orders.
Website: www.sos.ri.gov

Important Notes for Rhode Island Authentication Processing

To obtain a Hague Authentication or Certificate of Authentication from the Rhode Island Secretary of State in Providence, please follow these guidelines:

Vital Records: Birth, death, and marriage records must be issued by the State Representative or State Registrar of the Department of Health.
If your document was issued by a town or county clerk, it cannot be processed for Hague Authentication or Authentication.
Request a new copy from the Rhode Island Department of Vital Records:
http://www.health.ri.gov/records/index.php
Phone: 401-222-2811.

Notarized Documents: Must include a complete notarial certificate with the date, signature, and seal of the notary.

University Documents: Diplomas or transcripts issued by institutions such as Brown University, University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island School of Design, Rhode Island College, Johnson & Wales University, Colby University, Providence College, Roger Williams University, Salve Regina University, and other academic institutions must be notarized by the school registrar.

Common documents authenticated or apostilled in Rhode Island include: birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates; articles of incorporation; corporate bylaws; powers of attorney; diplomas; and transcripts.

The Rhode Island Secretary of State offers a free Hague Authentication lookup service: http://sos.ri.gov/apostillelookup/