For countries that have never imported apple trees before, they may require an Pest Risk Assessment to see what the risks are for importing plant material from a certain location. They typically will require a list of pests and diseases for apple in the area where the material is grown, along with a map showing the locations. This documentation must be provided by the controlling agriculture agency, in our case the USDA-APHIS, which usually follows up with it by sending a Market Access Request. We are able to provide this at no cost, but it is not a fast process, the last time taking about a year to complete. The documentation will come from the USDA-APHIS office on official letterhead and signed, but the USDA does not stamp their letters or certify them with any special embossing; confirmation can be had of their authenticity by contacting the official listed.