credentials

credentials
    n 1: a document attesting to the truth of certain stated facts
         [syn: {certificate}, {certification}, {credential},
         {credentials}]
    

CREDENTIALS, international law. The instruments which authorize and 
establish a public minister in his character with the state or prince to 
whom they are addressed. If the state or prince receive the minister, he can 
be received only in the quality attributed to him in his credentials. They 
are, as it were, his letter of attorney, his mandate patent, mandatum 
manifestum. Vattel, liv. 4, c. 6, Sec. 76. 
    

30 Moby Thesaurus words for "credentials":
      ID card, badge, calligram, calling card, card, certification,
      character, countermark, countersign, documentation, documents,
      dog tag, endorsement, identification, identification badge,
      identification tag, initials, letter of introduction, monogram,
      papers, press card, recommendation, reference, sanction,
      serial number, signature, tessera, testimonial, visiting card,
      voucher