U.S. Embassy Kigali no longer schedules notarial services over e-mail. Please schedule an appointment online directly here. Please see instructions regarding the variety of common notarial services below.
- If you require this appointment to obtain a single status certificate/eligible to marry document, please bring your U.S. Passport. The Consular Section will provide you with a blank affidavit where you will explain your marital status, and which we will notarized.
- If you are either divorced or widowed, please bring a copy of your divorce decree or death certificate of your late spouse.
- If you have never been married, you do not need to bring anything other than your passport.
- If you require this appointment to obtain a certified copy of a civil document, please bring the documents listed below. The Consular Section will provide you with a blank affidavit to serve as a cover sheet for these documents which we will notarize.
- The original document
- A photocopy of the original document
- Your U.S. Passport
- If you require this appointment to submit a DS-3053 Statement of Consent: Issuance of a U.S. Passport to a Child, please bring a printed copy of the DS-3053 found here, along with your original and valid government-issued identification document.
Please note that each notarial service (counted per signature/seal affixed to the document) costs $50. Credit card payments are preferred.
Can the U.S. Embassy notarize my document?
Documents used for legal purposes in the United States of America or in Rwanda may require notarization by the U.S. Consular Officer.
The Embassy can notarize or authenticate:
- Documents for use in the United States (such as deeds and powers of attorney);
- Affidavits (executed before Consular Section personnel);
- Affidavits of copies of U.S. police reports required by Rwandan authorities to obtain a work permit;
- Affidavits of U.S. Diplomas required by Rwandan authorities to obtain a work permit;
- Documents required for the issuance of a United States passport or Consular Report of Birth Abroad;
- Attestations of celibacy (also known as “attestations de celibat”): a sworn statement of an individual’s unmarried status, required for marrying in Rwanda;
- Proof of life; or
- Civil documents issued by Rwandan authorities if already notarized by the Ministry of Justice.
The Embassy cannot notarize or authenticate:
- Birth, death, and marriage certificates issued in the United States;
- Judgments or divorce decrees issued by courts in the United States;
- Documents to be used anywhere other than the U.S. or Rwanda.
If you are unsure whether a Consular Officer can authenticate or notarize your document, please send us an email at ACSKigali@state.gov with the name and type of the document, where it was issued, and why you would like it notarized.
How do I make an appointment to have a document notarized or for other services?
U.S. Embassy Kigali no longer schedules notarial services over e-mail. Please schedule an appointment online directly here
How much will it cost to have my document notarized?
There is a $50 fee for each document or signature. Payment Options: We accept U.S. dollars (issued during or after 2013 only due to Rwandan Banking Regulations), Rwandan Francs, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners, and debit cards bearing the Visa or MasterCard logo. Your card will be charged in U.S. dollars.
What do I need to provide?
On the date of your appointment, you must appear in-person and bring:
- The completed unsigned documents. Please note that the Consular Officer cannot translate or explain the contents of a document to a client;
- A valid government-issued ID such as passport or driver’s license;
- Required fees; and
- If there are witnesses required, you must bring them with you. The Consular Officer or Embassy staff cannot act as witnesses on anyone’s behalf.
You will receive the notarized documents on the same day of your appointment.
How do I get my document authenticated if the Embassy is not able to do it?
If we are unable to authenticate or notarize your document issued in the United States, the Office of Authentications, based in Washington, D.C., may be able to assist you. Please see their website for further information.
Can the U.S. Embassy take my fingerprints or provide a “Certificate of Good Conduct” or police record for employment purposes with a local or U.S.-based organization?
The U.S. Embassy is not a law enforcement agency and can neither take fingerprints (outside of an application for a visa) nor issue a “Certificate of Good Conduct”.
However, U.S. citizens can contact the police department in the municipality or state where they last resided or request a copy of their criminal record. Additionally, one can obtain their Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal history by following the procedure explained at the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information System site. We can then attach an affidavit to the criminal record, which is generally accepted by Rwandan authorities for a work permit.
Find instructions for an FBI record request on the FBI Bureau. Additional information on criminal record checks is available in the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs.
