Embassy Legalization · SomaliaSomalia is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille will not be accepted there. Every US document destined for Somalia has to be legalized step by step — notarized where required, authenticated by the issuing state, authenticated by the US Department of State, stamped by the Arab Chamber of Commerce when it is a commercial file, and finally legalized by the Embassy of Somalia. Our Philadelphia team runs the entire chain and ships the finished file back to you.
Every stage has to happen in order, and every stage can send the file back. Select a stage to see exactly what happens and who signs.
Documents you sign — powers of attorney, affidavits, single status declarations, corporate resolutions — are notarized first, with complete commission wording the state will accept. We handle this at our Chestnut Hill office, by mobile notary, or by secure online notarization. Government-issued vital records skip this step because they are already certified.
Personal documents go straight through the chain. Commercial documents add the Arab Chamber of Commerce stamp before the embassy.
Our fee covers document review, notarization coordination, state authentication, US Department of State submission, Arab Chamber of Commerce handling, consular submission, and tracked return delivery. Government and consular fees are passed through at cost — the Embassy of Somalia changes its schedule without notice.
One document carried through every stage to the Embassy of Somalia, including courier handoffs and tracked return shipping.
Family files, employment packages, and corporate sets, including Arab Chamber of Commerce handling and certified Somali or Arabic translation. Priced per document with a written quote before anything is filed.
Government and consular processing times are outside our control. Requirements at the Embassy of Somalia can change; we confirm current requirements before your file is submitted.
12 E Highland Avenue, Suite 203
Philadelphia, PA 19118
Our office at 12 E Highland Avenue serves Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, Chester, and Bucks counties, plus South Jersey and Delaware. Walk your documents in, or send them by courier and we take it from there.
Somalia is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so Somali authorities do not accept a US apostille. Instead, a US document must be authenticated in the United States and then legalized by the Embassy of Somalia, which confirms the US authentication so the document can be used officially in Somalia.
Requests for Somalia most often come from families handling civil registration and inheritance, professionals taking contracts with employers or NGOs, and US companies registering locally or bidding on projects. Offices in Somalia generally expect a Somali or Arabic translation of the legalized document, so we plan the translation when we review your file. Commercial documents also receive an Arab Chamber of Commerce stamp before the embassy step.
Privately signed documents — affidavits, powers of attorney, corporate resolutions, and copies of diplomas — are notarized first so the state can verify the notary. Public records such as birth or marriage certificates are instead ordered as certified copies from the issuing office.
The Secretary of State (or equivalent office) of the state where the document was notarized or issued certifies the notary's or official's signature. For Somalia, this is a certificate of authentication, not an apostille.
The US Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington, DC, then certifies the state's seal. The Embassy of Somalia will not legalize a document without this federal step.
Commercial and trade documents bound for Somalia are stamped by the Arab Chamber of Commerce before going to the embassy. Personal documents skip this step.
Finally, the Embassy of Somalia legalizes the document, confirming the US Department of State authentication. Once returned, the document is ready for official use in Somalia.
Corporate files for Somalia typically include certificates of incorporation, certificates of good standing, articles, board resolutions, powers of attorney for a local representative, and commercial invoices or certificates of origin, which receive the Arab Chamber of Commerce stamp before the embassy.
Diplomas, transcripts, and degree verification letters used for employment, licensing, or further study in Somalia are notarized as registrar-certified copies, then authenticated and legalized, usually with a Somali or Arabic translation.
Birth, marriage, and divorce records (as certified copies), single status affidavits, FBI background checks, and powers of attorney are the personal documents most often legalized for Somalia.
A complete file for Somalia typically takes 3–6 weeks from the time we receive your documents. State and US Department of State authentication are fairly predictable; the Embassy of Somalia's processing time varies, and we update you at each step. Rush handling is available at the stages where an office allows it.
Ready to legalize your documents for Somalia?
Request a quote online or call us at (215) 892-2680.
Request a quoteTell us what the document is and where it is going. We confirm the current Embassy of Somalia requirements, quote the full chain, and run it end to end.