Apostille Virginia Vital Records

Authenticate Virginia birth, death and marriage certificates for use abroad.

Isarey provides an expedited Apostille service to authenticate Virginia birth, death and marriage certificates.

Apostilles and authentications on Virginia marriage, death and birth certificates are obtained from the Secretary of the Commonwealth in Richmond.
Virginia Apostilles are normally obtained in 4 - 5 business days
An expedited service is also available: 1 - 2 business days

Apostilles can be obtained for Virginia birth, death and marriage certificates issued by the Virginia Department of Health - Vital Records Division or your local Department of Motor Vehicles within the past 12 months. Marriage certificates issued by the Circuit Court must contain a Certification of Official Record/Triple Seal.
Certificates must have been issued within the past 12 months

• Get a quotation to apostille Virginia documents
• FAQs - Virginia Apostille Services
• How to obtain Virginia vital records

Virginia Birth, Death and Marriage Certificates

Virginia Vital Record Certificates (birth, death, marriage or divorce certificates) must be issued by the Virginia Department of Health - Vital Records Division or the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. To be valid for an Apostille or authentication, the certificate must have been issued within the past 12 months. If your certificate is more than 12 months old, you will need to obtain a new copy. Virginia law prohibits notarization of vital records.

Virginia Marriage Certificates

Virginia Marriage Certificates also valid for an Apostille when issued by the Circuit Court. Circuit Court documents should contain a Certification of Official Record/Triple Seal two-page document. The date must be reflected on the document in addition to the signature and printed name of the (Deputy) Clerk of Court. The certificate cannot be more than 12 months old.

Apostille or Authentication

Countries that have acceded to the Apostille Convention will recognise Virginia Apostilles directly as confirming authenticity, without requiring additional certification in the United States. Virginia birth, death and marriage certificates needed for use in non-Apostille countries require an Authentication Certificate from the Virginia 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 Virginia 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

Virginia Apostilles cannot be obtained for Birth, Marriage, Death and Adoption certificates issued in other U.S. states. Notarized copies of Virginia vital records cannot be used to obtain apostilles - the original certificate is required and the Apostille or Authentication will be attached to the original.

Certified translations of Virginia vital records

When Virginia 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 Virginia 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 Virginia, 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.