Legalized Paperwork is a special type of process that is done for certain types of shipments traveling to specific destinations. It is best to perform this before the shipment leaves the U.S. as opposed to doing it in the destination country, as the destination country may take longer to process the shipment.
We recommend using Red Hot Document Company (RHDC) to assist in legalizing the shipment. The commercial invoice and a chamberized certificate of origin are required for the shipment to be legalized. Originals are required and will be shipped to you directly after processing by the Consulate. You should keep a copy for yourself, but the originals should be included with the shipment.
Many consignees will request the paperwork be legalized for a variety of reasons including tax exemptions. Some countries such as Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, the U.K., and Singapore require legalized paperwork. The lead time required to legalize the documents will vary by Consulate. When legalized paperwork is required, you cannot send the shipment until the original legalized paperwork is returned to you after processing with the Consulate.
