Apostille your birth certificate.
A certified copy of your birth certificate, authenticated by the issuing state's Secretary of State so it's recognized in every Hague Convention country — for dual citizenship, marriage abroad, visas, and school. We can even obtain the certified copy for you.
- Routed to the correct issuing state — even if it's across the country
- We can obtain the certified copy from vital records for you
- Certified translation coordinated for your destination
- Tracked, insured return shipping — nationwide
Get your apostille quote
Tell us about your document — we'll confirm the process, price, and estimated completion time.
What is a birth certificate apostille?
An apostille authenticates the seal and signature on your birth certificate so a foreign government will accept it under the Hague Apostille Convention. Without it, most countries won't recognize a U.S. vital record — and it's one of the most requested apostilles, because so many life events abroad start with proving where and when you were born.
U.S. birth certificates are state records, so the apostille comes from the Secretary of State of the state that issued the certificate — not where you live today. It has to be a certified copy from vital records, bearing the registrar's seal; hospital keepsake certificates and photocopies are rejected. Details like how recent the copy must be, or whether the county must certify it first, vary from state to state.
We confirm exactly what your issuing state needs, obtain a fresh certified copy if you no longer have one, add a certified translation where your destination requires it, and return the finished apostille to you ready to use.
- Document
- Certified copy of birth certificate
- Apostille authority
- Issuing state's Secretary of State
- Born abroad (CRBA)
- U.S. Department of State
- Certified copy
- We can obtain it for you
- Translation
- Certified, in-house
- Turnaround
- Standard & rush
Common reasons people apostille a birth certificate
- Dual citizenship or citizenship by descent (Italy, Ireland, Poland, Mexico, Germany)
- Getting married abroad
- Work, residency, or student visas
- Enrolling a child in school overseas
- Claiming a foreign passport for a child
- International adoption dossiers
- Foreign pension or benefits claims
- Proving identity for overseas employment
What we handle
Everything your birth certificate needs, in one place
Certified copy retrieval
Lost the original or living abroad? We order a fresh certified copy from the issuing vital records office and go straight to the apostille.
Correct-state routing
We send it to the Secretary of State that issued it — even if that's a different state from where you live now — so it isn't bounced.
State authentication
We prepare and submit the certified copy to the Secretary of State and track the apostille through to completion.
Certified translation
Where your consulate requires it, we add an in-house certified translation in the right order for your country.
Non-Hague legalization
For countries outside the Hague Convention, we arrange embassy or consulate legalization instead of an apostille.
Rush handling
On a deadline for a visa or a wedding date? We expedite wherever the issuing state allows and tell you honestly what's achievable.
- 50
- U.S. states + D.C. covered
- 132
- Google reviews · 5.0★
- 120+
- Hague countries served
- 2
- San Diego offices
How your birth certificate apostille works
- 1
Tell us the details
Share which state issued the certificate and your destination country. We confirm the exact requirements and a flat price.
- 2
Send it or let us obtain it
Mail your certified copy with our prepaid label, or have us order a fresh one from vital records for you.
- 3
We authenticate it
We submit it to the issuing state's Secretary of State — or the U.S. Department of State for a CRBA — and track the apostille.
- 4
Delivered ready to use
Your apostilled birth certificate returns by tracked, insured mail, with a digital scan for your records.
Get your documents moving today
A flat quote and a realistic timeline within one business day.
A real, verifiable apostille
The documents we handle come back with an official apostille attached where required — accepted in every Hague Convention country and verifiable online. Here's a real example (personal details redacted), alongside what clients say.
“Fantastic service! Frank was really helpful navigating this complex European requirement. Would highly recommend.”
“I needed to apostille a number of documents, for residency abroad, and Apostille Near Me handled everything in a very timely manner. Frank runs a fantastic operation and really cares about his customers.”
“I had the pleasure of working with Apostille Near Me, specifically Frank, and the process couldn't have gone any better. Excellent communication and very professional! I look forward to working with them again in the future.”
Birth certificate apostille questions, answered
Straight answers to what clients ask us most. Don't see yours? We're one call away.
Do I need the original birth certificate or a certified copy?+
You need a certified copy issued by the state or county vital records office — the version with the registrar's raised or printed seal and signature. The hospital 'souvenir' certificate and a plain photocopy cannot be apostilled. If you don't have a certified copy, we can obtain one from the issuing office for you.
Which state apostilles my birth certificate — where I was born or where I live now?+
The Secretary of State of the state that issued the certificate — where the birth was registered — not where you currently live. So someone born in New York but living in California needs the New York apostille. We route it to the correct state for you, even if it's across the country.
How recent does the certified copy need to be?+
It varies by state. Some Secretaries of State want a certified copy issued within the last few years, or one bearing a specific current official's signature; others accept older copies. We confirm your issuing state's exact requirement before we submit, so it isn't rejected for an out-of-date signature.
Can you obtain the certified copy for me?+
Yes. Through our document retrieval service we can order a certified copy from the issuing vital records office and move straight into the apostille — useful if you've lost the original or live abroad. Turnaround then depends on that office's processing time, which we estimate up front.
I was born abroad to U.S. parents — is it the same process?+
No. A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) is a federal document, so it's apostilled by the U.S. Department of State, not a state Secretary of State. We handle that federal path too — tell us your document and we'll route it correctly.
Do I need a certified translation of my birth certificate?+
Often, yes. Many consulates and foreign authorities require a certified translation into the destination country's language — sometimes attached before the apostille, sometimes after. We coordinate an in-house certified translation in the correct order for your country.
How long does a birth certificate apostille take, and what does it cost?+
Most state birth-certificate apostilles are completed within a few business days once we have your certified copy; obtaining a new copy or arranging non-Hague legalization takes longer. You get a flat quote before anything moves forward, with rush options where the state allows.
Still have a question? Call us at 1-800-889-7850
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Get your birth certificate apostilled
Tell us the issuing state and your destination country — a specialist replies within one business day with a flat quote and a realistic timeline.