Virginia Apostille FAQs

Virginia birth, death and birth certificates can be authenticated with an Apostille Stamp from the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Certificates must be issued by the Virginia Department of Health or the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Marriage certificates issued by Circuit Courts may be also be authenticated (Circuit Court documents should contain a Certification of Official Record/Triple Seal in addition to the signature and printed name of the Clerk of Court or Deputy Clerk.

Vital Record not issued within the last 12 months are not valid for a Virginia Apostille. A new copy must be ordered.

Virginia university degree certificates, course transcripts and high school diplomas can also be authenticated as notarized copies. A true copy is certified by a notary (this can often be done from a scan without having to submit the original) and then authenticated with an Apostille Stamp from the Washington DC Secretary of State. Authenticated documents can also be attested by the embassies of Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates.

For further information, see:
University Degrees and School Records

Apostilles are obtained from the Secretary of the Commonwealth in 4 - 5 business days

For urgent requests an expedited service is available (subject to the availability of appointments): 1 - 2 business days

Virginia Apostille Stamps can be obtained for Vital Record Certificates issued by the Virginia Department of Health or the Department of Motor Vehicles, court documents and marriage certificates certified by the Circuit Court, business documents, including Certificates of Good Standing, Existence and Registration certified by the Virginia State Corporation Commission and signed by the Virginia Clerk of the Commission, as well as documents certified by a Virginia notary, including Virginia university degrees and high school certificates, powers of attorney and affidavits.

Documents must have been issued or certified within the last 12 months to be valid for an Apostille in Virginia.

If documents are required for submission to the authorities or consulate of a signatory country of the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille stamp affixed by the Secretary of State of Virginia will generally be recognized directly as confirming authenticity, although a certified translation may also be required if presenting to a country that does not have English as an official language.

If documents are required for presentation in a country that is not a signatory to the apostille convention (e.g. United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Taiwan, Vietnam), then an apostille stamp is not valid. Documents will need to be authenticated at State level in Virginia, then by the State Department Authentication Division, and finally by the embassy or consulate of the destination country in the United States. A Certified Translation may also be required.

For further information about Virginia apostilles and authentications or to obtain a quote for assistance submitting your documents, with free eligibility pre-check, international collection and delivery by courier, please contact us or send us your documents using our Online Quotation Form.

Notarized documents in languages other than English can be authenticated with an Apostille in Virginia, but the notarial certification must be in English.

A Virginia Certificates of Good Standing (Corporations) or Certificates of Fact of Existence (LLCs) can be authenticated with an Apostille from the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Certificates must be certified by the Virginia State Corporation Commission and signed by the Virginia Clerk of the Commission.

Certified copies of Virginia birth, death and marriage certificates are available from the Virginia Department of Health. Certificates can be ordered online through VitalChek (express service), or directly on the Department of Health's website. Certificates can also be obtained from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (at all full service DMV locations).

• VitalChek - order Vigirinia vital records online
• VitalChek - order Vigirinia vital records online
• Virginia Department of Health - Vital Records FAQs
• https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/records/vital

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