[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 22, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 22CFR92.39]

[Page 383]
 
                       TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS
 
                     CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF STATE
 
PART 92_NOTARIAL AND RELATED SERVICES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 92.39  Authenticating foreign public documents (Federal procedures).

    (a) A copy of a foreign public document intended to be used as 
evidence within the jurisdiction of the Federal Government of the United 
States must be authenticated in accordance with the provisions of 
section 1 of the act of June 25, 1948, as amended (sec. 1, 62 Stat. 948, 
sec. 92(b), 63 Stat. 103; 28 U.S.C. 1741). This provision of Federal law 
provides that a copy of any foreign document of record, or on file in a 
public office of a foreign country or political subdivision thereof, if 
certified, by the lawful custodian thereof, may be admitted in evidence 
when authenticated by a certificate of a United States consular officer 
resident in the foreign country, under the seal of his office.
    (b) The consular officer's certificate should indicate that the copy 
has been certified by the lawful custodian.
    (c) In the absence of a consular officer of the United States as an 
officer resident in the State of the Vatican City, a copy of any 
document of record or on file in a public office of said State of the 
Vatican City, certified by the lawful custodian of such document may be 
authenticated by a consular officer of the United States resident in 
Rome, Italy (22 U.S.C. 1204).