Cameroon Embassy in Washington D.C.: Services and Information

Nov 06, 2025 0

The Ambassador of the Republic of Cameroon to the United States of America in Washington D.C. welcomes you. The Cameroon diplomatic presence in the United States is primarily established through its embassy located in Washington, D.C., and several consulates across major cities, including Los Angeles, Houston, and New York. These diplomatic missions play a vital role in fostering bilateral relations by facilitating trade, cultural exchanges, and cooperation in areas like security and immigration.

The Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon in the United States informs the Cameroonian community and the diaspora of services provided. I hope that you will find the information you need to have a better understanding of Cameroon and our services. Please contact us anytime if you need more information.

Contact Information:

Appointments: (202) 265-8790 Ext.
Economic Section: (+1) 202 265 8790 ext.
Cultural Section: (+1) 202 265 8790 ext.

Consular Services

Within this section, the Consular Section of the Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon in the United States of America provides information to applicants about the procedures for acquiring entry visas to Cameroon, Cameroonian passports, Travel Documents or Consular Cards, Permits to import firearms for hunting purposes, Transcriptions of birth certificates, and other types of requests.

Visa Information:

Read also: Visiting the Cameroon Embassy

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cameroon to the United States of America, H.E. ETOUNDI ESSOMBA, hereby informs the general public that the Embassy will resume the issuance of entry visas to Cameroon as of Monday June, 22nd, 2020. All visa applications must include a proof of a negative result to the Covid-19 test, obtained within three (03) days. Note should be taken that the visa processing time may be much longer than usual. The Ambassador counts on your understanding as well as the respect of the aforementioned measures.

On March 18th, 2020, The Ambassador of Cameroon to the United States, His Excellency Henri ETOUNDI ESSOMBA, informs the public that THE ISSUANCE OF ENTRY VISAS TO CAMEROON IS SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

Special National Solidarity Fund:

The Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon in the United States informs the Cameroonian community and the diaspora of the creation by the Head of State of a Special National Solidarity Fund as part of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. This Fund, with an initial amount of one billion CFA francs, will be used to finance operations identified as part of the response strategy against the spread of this pandemic in Cameroon.

Document Legalization Services

International documents that are originated in one country, but are intended for use in another country require embassy legalization to be recognized by the legal system of the foreign country. Embassy legalization is the alternative method for authenticating a document that is utilized for countries that are Non-Hague Convention countries. These countries do not recognize the Apostille as a means to authenticating documents per the Hague Convention of 1961.

Embassy & Apostille Services USA is able to provide Apostille Services locally in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. We also provide Worldwide service for any federal documents that require legalization from an embassy in DC, or services from the US Department of State, such as FBI background checks.

For clients who need to present their documents in countries which require the Authentication and Embassy legalization procedure, we can carry out the process on your behalf for personal or commercial documents from start to finish. if you intend to use your documents in a country that is not a party to The Hague Apostille Convention, authentication at the US Department of State in Washington DC is usually a required step in the chain legalization process prior legalization at a foreign Embassy/Consulate.

Documents submitted for authentication at the US Department of State and possibly subsequent legalization at a foreign embassy/consulate/mission can be either a certified original or notarized/certified copy. In most general cases they can be photocopies certified as true and accurate copy of the document but in certain cases requiring special handling they need to be originals or certificates ready for international use. This is due to requirements by individual States and foreign countries who in certain cases do not accept copies of particular document types.

The procedure consists of getting a document certified through the chain authentication process which consists of:

Notarization (if needed)
Secretary of State certification
US Department of State certification
Legalization of document from embassy

Please note that all seals and signatures must be originals and all dates must follow in chronological order. All documents in a foreign language must be accompanied with a certified (notarized) English translation.

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Types of Documents

We can very broadly outline the process through the three categories of documents and the procedure required for authentication:

Government Documents: Any documents or certificates issued by a Federal, State or Local government entity. The Embassy Legalization process for these type of documents includes processing your documents with the US Department of State Authentication Office here in Washington D.C. and the Embassy of the destination country. For personal documents like birth, marriage, death and divorce certificates, you must legalize your document with the Secretary of State in the State that your document was issued.
General Documents: Any document or certificate NOT issued by a Federal, State or Local government entity. This is the largest category. The Embassy Legalization process for these type of documents includes processing your documents with a local Notary (we offer mobile notary services in DC Maryland Virginia), certification by the appropriate Secretary of State (we can travel for you in DC, Maryland), the US Department of State Authentications Office in Washington DC, and the Embassy of the destination country.
Commercial or Shipping Documents: Documents used for shipping product out. The legalization/authentication process for Commercial/Shipping documents is variable based on destination country. This is primarily because some Apostille/Hague Convention countries require that you follow a separate legalization process with your shipping documents.

Apostille Services

What is an Apostille? An apostille is a certification or seal issued by the US Department of State in Washington D.C. or the Secretary of State in your state which certifies your personal and commercial documents.

Common official papers or certificates that may require an apostille:

Birth Certificates
Marriage Certificates
Death Certificates
Divorce Decree
Single Status Affidavit
Background Checks (Local, State, FBI)
Power of Attorney
Copy of Passport
Copy of Driver License
Transcripts
Diplomas
Authorization Letter
Travel Consent Letter
Articles of Incorporation
Certificate of Good Standing
Certification of Free Sale
Certification of Origin
Corporate Power of Attorney
Commercial Invoice

Apostilles from the Secretary of State are normally placed on Personal and Commercial Documents such as Diplomas, Transcripts, Powers of Attorney, Company Agreements, Birth and Marriage certificates, etc.

FBI Background Check Apostille

We facilitate Background checks originating from the FBI can be processed through the US Department of State in DC.

Embassy of Cameroon, Washington, D.C.

Other Services

Economic Section

The Economic Section promotes commercial exchanges between Cameroon and the United States of America. This service is at the disposal of Cameroonian partners in the United States and the general public. It provides useful information on trade, investments, and business opportunities. For more information, contact the Economic Section at (+1) 202 265 8790 ext.

Cultural Section

The Cultural Section's mission is to provide useful information to Cameroonian students in the United States, promote cultural cooperation between Cameroonian and United States universities, and provide advise to American students who want to study in Cameroon and to Cameroonians who want to study in the United States of America. For more information, contact the Cultural Section at (+1) 202 265 8790 ext.

Registering Your Trip

Registering your trip with the Cameroon embassy is crucial for ensuring your safety and maintaining effective communication during your travels. By registering, you allow the embassy to provide timely support in emergencies such as natural disasters, political unrest, or medical emergencies. For instance, if a hurricane disrupts travel in Cameroon, registered travelers can receive immediate alerts and assistance in evacuating safely. Similarly, in cases of political unrest, the embassy can guide registered citizens on safe routes and provide shelter if necessary. In the unfortunate event of a medical emergency, having your information on file enables embassy staff to liaise with local healthcare providers and offer the necessary support.

Mission

To promote friendly relations and to develop cultural, scientific and economic relations between Cameroon and the United States of America.
Collecting, analyzing, and conserving all forms of data to be used by the US media or the Cameroon Ministry of Communication in the achievement of its mission.