WCS has received notice that the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications, will now process documents within 5 weeks, starting in March 2023. Additional staffing has been recruited to reduce the current backlog. The timeline for completing documents had expanded to 11 weeks, causing concern among businesses and individuals using the service.
WCS expresses special gratitude to the office of U.S. Senator Van Hollen (Maryland) and to the State Department for achieving the improved timeline. The Department’s Office of Authentications is expected to return to pre-pandemic staffing by April 2023. This will further expedite document processing.
The two main types of required authentication are Apostille and Legalization. For government-issued documents, issued by agencies such as the FDA and the FBI, international protocol requires stamping by the responsible ministry, represented in the U.S. by the Department of State.
WCS welcomes this news as a great step forward in the promotion of global trade and the timely distribution of vital medicines and medical equipment, as well as other crucial products and services, such as food and academic records.