Kuwait is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille will not be accepted there. A U.S. document going to Kuwait needs legalization instead: certification by the state that issued it, authentication by the U.S. Department of State, and then legalization by Kuwait’s embassy or a consulate in the U.S.
Kuwait has 2 missions in the U.S., and which one takes your document depends on its state. We confirm it before submitting. The mission is decided by the state that issued or notarized the document, not the state you live in.
At a glance
Which mission takes your document
| Mission | States it covers |
|---|---|
| Washington, D.C. Embassy of Kuwait |
Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin |
| Los Angeles Consulate General of Kuwait |
Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming |
Checked October 2026. Where a mission does not publish its district, we confirm before submitting. Federal documents such as an FBI check go to the embassy in Washington.
Documents we legalize most for Kuwait
| Document | Usually for |
|---|---|
| University degree | Work permits |
| FBI background check | Work and residence permits |
| Marriage and birth certificates | Family visas |
Things worth knowing
- Federal documents go to the embassy in Washington whatever state you live in.
- Arabic translation is commonly required, often attested in Kuwait.
- Work visas drive most Kuwait requests: degrees and police checks.
How it works
Step 1
Notarize if needed
Private documents only. Vital records and court records skip this.
Step 2
State certification
By the Secretary of State of the issuing state. Federal documents skip this.
Step 3
U.S. Department of State
Federal authentication in Washington, D.C.
Step 4
Kuwait embassy or consulate
The mission for your document’s state.
Kuwait Embassy Legalization: common questions
Can I get an apostille for Kuwait instead?
No. Kuwait is not in the Apostille Convention, so it needs the legalization chain ending at its embassy or consulate.
Does it matter which consulate I use?
Yes. Missions only legalize documents from the states in their district, decided by where the document was issued or notarized. Use the consulate finder.
How long does it take?
The state and federal stages take one to three weeks together, and the embassy stage adds its own time, which varies. Plan for several weeks in total, and longer around holidays.
Official sources
Requirements, fees and processing times are set by the authorities below and can change without notice. Verify anything time-critical directly with them.
Kuwait mission in the U.S.
Ready to get started?
Tell us the document and its state, and we will run the whole chain to the right Kuwait mission.
Related: Embassy legalization · Non-Hague countries · Country checker · Translation requirements