How to Apostille a Birth Certificate from the United States
An apostille is a certificate issued by the Secretary of State for a legal document, such as a birth certificate, that allows it to be recognized in another country who is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. To obtain an apostille for your birth certificate, you need to follow these steps:
- Obtain a certified copy of your birth certificate from the issuing authority, such as the vital records office in the state or country where you were born. In the United States, we recommend that you contact the County Clerk’s office or State Registrar. If your birth certificate is from the District of Columbia, contact District of Columbia Department Health, Vital Records.
- Check the requirements of the country where the birth certificate will be used to make sure it meets their criteria for an apostille. Depending on your situation, they may also ask you to apostille other documents (Example: marriage, FBI background check, etc…). It’s important to know of all the documents being requested from you to avoid any delays or additional cost.
- Mail in your birth certificate with our order forms for processing. In the United States, an apostille is issued by the Secretary of State in the state where the birth certificate was issued. For example, if the birth certificate originates from Florida, you will need a Florida apostille.
- Wait for the apostille to be processed, which can take several days or weeks depending on the authority. The estimated processing time can be found here: Apostille Processing Time
- Once the apostille is processed, the state will attach it to your birth certificate, certifying that the document is authentic and can be recognized in the country where it will be used.
Obtaining an apostille on a birth certificate can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the Apostille process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!
