Notarial Services

The Consular section notarizes documents that will be used in the United States or in Ethiopia. All applicants for notary services must come in person at the consular section with photo ID. Documents must be signed in front of a Consular Officer. The fee for notary services is USD 50.00 or the equivalent in Ethiopian Birr.

Notarizing Documents

The U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa is able to provide notary services to both U.S. Citizens and citizens of other nationalities, by appointment only.

Common document types include, but are not limited to:

DS-3053 (PDF 41 KB): Department of State form authorizing the issuance of a U.S. passport by an absent parent to a minor child under 16 years of age.
Power of Attorney

The Government of Ethiopia has informed the U.S. Embassy that, as of August 21, 2017, it will no longer accept free to marry certificates or applications for an Ethiopian driver’s license notarized by the U.S. Embassy. Any U.S. citizen wishing to get married in Ethiopia or applying for an Ethiopian driver’s license should contact the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington D.C or the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs at +251 115 5100 43 or +251 115 5100 76 to determine what documentation will be required.

Schedule Your Appointment

To schedule a notary service, please visit the ACS Appointment page here. Applicants should arrive 15 minutes prior to their appointment time to allow for adequate time to process security. Late arrivals are not able to be accommodated and will be required to reschedule their appointments. Expedited appointment requests for notary services are generally not granted except in extreme emergencies. Please plan ahead to ensure that you’re able to complete your notary service without issues.

Prepare for Your Appointment

Please bring the following required items to your appointment to ensure smooth processing:

50 USD (or Ethiopian birr equivalent) for each notarization
Notary appointment confirmation page
Completed form requesting notary – DO NOT SIGN THE FORM UNTIL INSTRUCTED TO DO SO BY A CONSULAR OFFICER
Government issued photo ID with a valid signature (Passport, driver’s license, Kebele ID, etc.)

The Consular Section offers the following types of notary services:

Authentication

The Consular Section authenticates original documents issued in Ethiopia only after the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs authenticates them.

The Embassy will not authenticate documents issued in the United States. U.S. documents must be authenticated under U.S. law (see Authenticating U.S. documents for more information). In general, to use such documents in the Ethiopia, you will need to have them authenticated by the state of origination, if applicable, the Department of State, and then by the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington DC (see Ethiopian Embassy in DC Authentications).

True Copy

The Consular Section executes and confirms a true copy of an original or another copy of a document.