Do You Need an Apostille for a Birth or Marriage Certificate?

If you've been asked to provide a birth certificate or marriage certificate to someone in another country, you may have been told that the document needs an apostille.

That can immediately raise more questions:

What is an apostille? Does my certificate need one? Where do I get it? Does the document need to be notarized first?

If your birth or marriage record was issued in Indiana, here's what you should know.

What Is an Apostille?

An apostille is a type of authentication used for certain public documents being presented in another country.

It does not change the information contained in your birth or marriage certificate. Instead, the apostille authenticates the signature and official capacity of the person who signed the public document and, when applicable, the seal or stamp on the document.

Apostilles are commonly requested when documents are being used internationally for purposes such as:

• Dual citizenship
• Marriage abroad
• Immigration or visa matters
• International adoption
• Education
• Employment
• Certain legal or business matters

Whether you actually need an apostille—and which documents are required—should be determined by the organization, government agency, embassy, consulate or other authority receiving your documents.

Does My Birth Certificate Need an Apostille?

If an Indiana birth certificate will be presented outside the United States and the receiving authority requires an apostille or authentication, the document may need to be authenticated by the Indiana Secretary of State.

But there's an important step before that:

You need the appropriate certified birth certificate.

The Indiana Department of Health issues certified copies of Indiana birth certificates. Certified copies may also be available through the local health department where the birth occurred.

Indiana offers both standard and long-form birth certificates. The Indiana Department of Health specifically identifies the long-form birth certificate as one that may be used for purposes including dual citizenship, marriage outside the United States, immigration/visas and apostilles.

Don't assume, however, that every foreign authority requires the same version. Before ordering your certificate, find out exactly what the receiving country or agency requires.

Does a Birth Certificate Need to Be Notarized Before Getting an Apostille?

Generally, no.

An Indiana birth certificate that is eligible for authentication is a vital record issued by a government authority. The Indiana Secretary of State specifically states that birth certificates do not require notarization before being submitted for authentication.

This is an important distinction.

A Notary Public should not simply notarize the original government-issued birth certificate in an attempt to make it eligible for an apostille.

Instead, you need the appropriate certified copy issued by the proper government authority.

What About an Indiana Marriage Certificate?

Indiana marriage records can also be authenticated for international use.

However, the Indiana Secretary of State has a specific requirement for marriage records:

An Indiana marriage license must first be certified by the current circuit court clerk of the county where the marriage occurred before the Secretary of State can authenticate it.

That means your regular keepsake copy or an unofficial photocopy may not be sufficient.

If you're obtaining a marriage record for international use, make sure you're requesting the appropriate certified record.

Does My Marriage Certificate Need to Be Notarized?

Like birth certificates, Indiana marriage records do not require notarization before authentication by the Indiana Secretary of State.

This is one of the areas where apostilles can be confusing.

Some documents going through the authentication process do require notarization. Indiana vital records such as birth and marriage certificates are treated differently because they are official public records.

What If I Was Born in Another State?

This is very important:

Indiana can only authenticate Indiana vital records.

If you currently live in Indiana but were born in Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, California or another state, your birth certificate generally needs to go through the authentication process in the state that issued the record.

For example, moving to Indiana does not turn an Ohio birth certificate into an Indiana document.

The same general principle applies to other state-issued public records.

What If I Was Married in Indiana but Born Somewhere Else?

You could potentially have documents going through two different states.

For example:

You were born in Illinois but married in Indiana, and a foreign authority requires both your birth certificate and marriage record.

Your Illinois birth certificate would generally need to be handled through the appropriate authority for Illinois, while your Indiana marriage record would go through Indiana's process.

Situations like this are one reason apostille requests can become confusing quickly.

What If My Documents Are Going to a Country That Isn't Part of the Hague Apostille Convention?

Not every international document follows exactly the same process.

The country where your document will be used matters.

Indiana now uses a single authentication certificate format for its authentication requests, but documents going to countries outside the Hague Apostille Convention may still be subject to additional requirements.

That's why one of the first questions in any apostille request should be:

What country will receive the document?

Never assume that the process for one country will be identical to another.

Do I Need an Apostille If I'm Using the Document in the United States?

Generally, no.

The Indiana Secretary of State states that authentications it issues are not for use within the United States.

Apostilles are associated with documents being presented internationally—not simply because someone wants an extra level of certification on a document being used domestically.

Can Dolph Notary Services Help With the Apostille Process?

Yes.

Dolph Notary Services provides apostille facilitation assistance for clients who need documents prepared for international use.

The process can involve determining where a document originated, identifying the appropriate authentication authority, checking whether notarization or certification is required, submitting documents for authentication, and coordinating their return.

I can help you navigate those logistical steps and reduce some of the confusion surrounding the process.

However, apostille facilitation is not legal or immigration advice. I cannot determine which documents a foreign government requires, advise you on immigration or citizenship eligibility, or guarantee that a receiving authority will accept a particular document.

The embassy, consulate, foreign government or organization receiving your documents should tell you exactly what documents and certifications it requires.

Need Apostille Assistance in Central Indiana?

If you've been told that your birth certificate, marriage certificate or another document needs an apostille, you don't have to figure out the logistics alone.

Dolph Notary Services provides apostille facilitation assistance in Indianapolis and throughout Central Indiana.

Have Notary, Will Travel!

Call/Text 317-527-1086

Contact Dolph Notary Services to discuss your documents, the country where they will be used and the apostille assistance you need.

This article is provided for general informational purposes and is not legal or immigration advice. Apostille and authentication requirements vary depending on the document, issuing authority, destination country and requirements of the receiving organization.