Quick answer
Florida companies setting up a branch, a subsidiary or a representative office in Egypt, or registering as a shareholder in an Egyptian company, are asked for legalized articles. Florida issues an authentication certificate for Egypt, not an apostille — $220, 5–7 business days.
- Issued by
- The Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz), as a certified copy of the articles of incorporation or, for an LLC, the articles of organization.
- Florida state fee
- $10 — included in $220
- Route
- Florida authentication → U.S. Department of State → Egypt embassy
- Online notarization
- Not applicable — needs a certified copy
- Consulate serving Florida
- Consular Section of the Embassy of Egypt, Washington, D.C.
- Translation
- Egypt's consulate lists translation of documents among its services but doesn't publish a translation rule in its legalization procedure.
How a Florida articles of incorporation is used in Egypt
Florida companies setting up a branch, a subsidiary or a representative office in Egypt, or registering as a shareholder in an Egyptian company, are asked for legalized articles. Egypt's investment and companies authorities and banks review them together with a certificate of status and a board resolution. Order certified articles from the Florida Division of Corporations rather than printing from Sunbiz, and expect an Arabic translation to be needed.
Getting a articles of incorporation Florida will authenticate
An original certified copy issued by the Division of Corporations; not a Sunbiz printout or photocopy, and not a notarized copy, since Florida notaries can't attest copies of public records. Add certified amendments, name changes or conversions if the company's current name or structure differs from the original filing.
Request a certified copy from the Division with the entity name, document number, document type and filing date. The Florida Department of State also accepts a certified-copy request filed together with the apostille request, paid with two separate checks, which we can file for you. The Division's own fee (listed at $8.75 for a corporation and $30 for an LLC at this writing) is not included in our $220.
State fee for this document: $10 — included in our price. Full details on the articles of incorporation page.
What happens after the Florida certificate — Egypt
After we return your document with its Florida authentication certificate, it goes to the U.S. Department of State for authentication; Egypt's consulate specifically requires that step for court records and for court- or county-issued marriage and divorce records. Then the Consular Section of the Embassy of Egypt in Washington, D.C., whose jurisdiction includes Florida, legalizes it; degrees go to the Egyptian Cultural and Educational Bureau first. Ask the office in Egypt whether it also wants the document certified by Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We don't handle, arrange or refer anyone for these steps.
We don't handle or arrange the U.S. Department of State or embassy steps. See how non-Hague authentication works.
Who receives it in Egypt — and translation
In the U.S., the Consular Section of the Embassy of Egypt in Washington, D.C. legalizes documents issued in Florida; for degrees and certificates, the Egyptian Cultural and Educational Bureau in Washington comes first. In Egypt, legalized Florida documents go to the civil registry for Egyptian citizens' births and marriages, Ministry of Justice offices for notarizations and real estate registration, family courts for divorce and inheritance, banks, and investment authorities for companies.
Egypt's consulate lists translation of documents among its services but doesn't publish a translation rule in its legalization procedure. Egyptian courts and registries work in Arabic and usually ask for an Arabic translation, often made in Egypt. Ask the receiving office first. If it accepts a Florida translation, the translator certifies it, a different notary notarizes it, and it is authenticated in Florida with the original.
Egypt's consulate doesn't publish a document-age rule in its legalization procedure. Egyptian registries and courts may want recently issued records, so order fresh Florida certified copies and ask the receiving office how recent they must be.
Consular office serving Florida: Consular Section of the Embassy of Egypt, Washington, D.C. (its jurisdiction includes Florida).
Four steps, one week
Order online
Pick the document and destination country on the order form and pay by card. After we review your documents, FedEx emails you a prepaid label.
Send your document
Drop the envelope at any FedEx location.
We file in person
We review it, then walk it to the Florida Department of State in Tallahassee for the authentication certificate.
Returned to you
Back in 5–7 business days — anywhere in the U.S., or abroad for a flat $100.
Why articles of incorporations get rejected
- Sunbiz printout or photocopy
- Notarized copy of the articles
- Original articles only, with no amendments showing the current name
- Company inactive, so the foreign bank stops the file
What it costs for Egypt
$220 per document, $380 for two and $160 each for three or more — the state fee, request form, in-person filing in Tallahassee and FedEx shipping inside the U.S. are included. Shipping the finished authentication to Egypt is a flat $100 per order.
Not included: whatever the issuing office charges for the certified copy or certificate, and notarization (online notarization is $40 for the first document — $10 notarization fee + $30 technology platform fee — and $20 for each additional one).