Authenticate Florida birth, death and marriage certificates for use abroad.
Isarey provides an expedited Apostille service to authenticate Florida birth, death and marriage certificates.
Apostilles and authentications on Florida marriage, death and birth certificates are obtained from the Secretary of State in Tallahassee. We offer an expedited service: 1 - 2 business days.
Apostilles can be obtained for Florida vital records signed by the State Registrar or the Clerk of the County Courts. The original certificate is required for submission to the Secretary of State.
Florida Birth and death certificates
Birth and death certificates should be issued by the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics or by a County Health Department and signed by the State Registrar.
Florida marriage certificates
Marriage certificates should be issued by the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics, signed by the State Registrar or the Clerk of the County Courts.
We can obtain certified copies of Florida marriage certificates on behalf of clients requiring an apostille or authentication.
Apostille or Authentication
Countries that have acceded to the Apostille Convention will recognise Florida Apostilles directly as confirming authenticity, without requiring additional certification in the United States. Florida birth, death and marriage certificates needed for use in non-Apostille countries require an Authentication Certificate from the Florida Secretary of State and must then be attested by the embassy of the recipient country (some embassies also require prior legalization by the U.S. Department of State in Washington DC).
Countries that accept Florida Apostille stamps directly include:
Spain - Italy - Portugal - Greece - Cyprus - France - Saudi Arabia - Germany - China
Countries requiring an authentication certificate and embassy attestation include:
United Arab Emirates - Qatar - Thailand - Taiwan - Vietnam
See: List of Apostille Convention Countries
Florida Apostilles cannot be obtained for Birth, Marriage, Death and Adoption certificates issued in other U.S. states. Notarized copies of Florida vital records cannot be used to obtain apostilles - the original certificate is required and the Apostille or Authentication will be attached to the original.
How to obtain a Florida birth, marriage or death certificate
Florida Death and Birth Certificates
Florida Death and Birth Certificates can be ordered online through VitalChek. Applications can also be made directly to the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics (mail-in or walk-in service) or to the local county health department in the county where the birth was registered. Florida birth and death certificates are restricted.
Birth Certificates: Only the person named in the certificate or their parents may obtain the certificate. Upon receipt of registrant’s death record, a birth certificate marked Deceased may be issued to a spouse, child, grandchild, or sibling.
Death Certificates: Only close relatives of the decedent or persons with a proven legitimate interest can obtain a death certificate, including the Decedent’s spouse or parent, child, grandchild or sibling, or any person who provides a will or other document that demonstrates legitimate interest in the decedent's estate.
Florida Marriage Certificates
Certificates can be ordered online from VitalChek or from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics. If the marriage took place less than 60 days ago, the Bureau of Vital Statistics may not yet have the certificate certified by the Clerk of the Circuit Court (required for an Apostille or Authentication) and you should contact the Clerk of the Circuit Court where the marriage licence was issued to obtain a certified copy. Florida marriage certificates are unrestricted, so that any person may order a copy.
Isarey can obtain Florida marriage certificates on behalf of clients requiring an Apostille stamp from the Florida Secretary of State
If you need any assistance with obtaining certified copies of Florida vital records, please contact us. We are happy to provide advice on how best to obtain Florida vital records and to provide a free pre-check of your documents to confirm eligibility for authentication by the Florida Secretary of State.
For a free quotation, advice on how to obtain documents or to confirm eligibility of your documents for a Florida Apostille, please contact us or upload your documents for a free quotation using our:
Online Quotation Form
Certified translations of Florida vital records
When Florida birth, death and marriage certificates are required for submission to the authorities of a country that does not have English as an official language, a certified translation is often required. The translation should normally be done after the Apostille is obtained on the original certificate, as the original apostille will also need to be translated.
There are generally two options for certifying the translation so that it is officially accepted by the consulates, embassies or authorities of the recipient country.
- A translation can be done in the United States. The translation is then certified before a notary and a second Apostille is obtained to authenticate it. The notarization and Apostille do not need to be issued in Florida and normally it is cheaper and easier to certify the translation in Washington DC with an Apostille from the Washington DC Secretary of State.
- A certified translation can be done in the destination country. We work with sworn translators in Italy, Brazil, Spain, France, Germany and many other countries, ensuring that your documents are correctly translated and that the translations are properly certified for official acceptance.
The best option normally depends on whether the documents and translations are to be submitted to authorities in the recipient country or to an embassy or consulate of the recipient country in the United States.
Please contact us for advice and assistance.
Vital Records from other U.S. states
As well as Florida, we provide apostille services across the United States. We work with local notaries and authentication companies in different states to ensure low-cost and expedited processing of apostilles and authentications of birth, death and marriage records as well as other State and Federal documents, including Apostilles for FBI Background Checks.
We obtain Apostille stamps on birth, death and marriage certificates from across the United States:
For further information about our apostille services in different states, please contact us.