Federal document
Certificate of Non-Existence of Record
How to apostille a Certificate of Non-Existence of Record (CNR) — proof that a U.S. record, such as a passport or SSN, does not exist.
- Issuing agency
- US Department of State / Social Security Administration
- We can obtain it?
- Yes, we retrieve this for you
- Certification first?
- No prior certification needed
- Also known as
- CNR, no record certificate, certification of non-existence
A Certificate of Non-Existence of Record (CNR) is issued by a federal agency to prove that a particular record — for example, a U.S. passport or a Social Security number — does not exist for you. Foreign authorities sometimes require it, apostilled, as part of a residency or nationality file.
Why it needs an apostille abroad
The apostille certifies the CNR as genuine for Hague Convention countries; non-Hague destinations require embassy legalization.
How to get Non-Existence of Record for use overseas
Which agency issues it
The issuing agency depends on the record in question — the Department of State for passport records, the SSA for Social Security records. We advise which office to approach and, once you have the certificate, take it through apostille.
Common uses
- Foreign residency applications requiring proof of no prior U.S. record.
- Nationality and civil-registry matters abroad.
Non-Existence of Record apostille by country
Where the document is going decides the process. Hague Convention members accept an apostille; non-Hague countries need embassy legalization on top. Pick your destination:
Ready to start?
Tell us what you have and where it is going. We reply with the correct route, a flat quote and shipping instructions.