Authenticate Massachusetts birth, death and marriage certificates for use abroad.
Isarey provides an expedited Apostille service to authenticate Massachusetts birth, death and marriage certificates.
Apostilles and authentications on Massachusetts marriage, death and birth certificates are obtained from the Secretary of State in Boston.
We offer an expedited service: 1 - 2 business days
Apostilles can be obtained for Massachusetts and Boston birth, death and marriage certificates certified by a Massachusetts City or Town Clerk (or assistant) or by the Massachusetts Registrar of Vital Records.
Apostille or Authentication
Countries that have acceded to the Apostille Convention will recognise Massachusetts Apostilles directly as confirming authenticity, without requiring additional certification in the United States. Massachusetts birth, death and marriage certificates needed for use in non-Apostille countries require an Authentication Certificate from the Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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
Massachusetts Apostilles cannot be obtained for Birth, Marriage, Death and Adoption certificates issued in other U.S. states. Notarized copies of Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts birth, marriage or death certificate
Massachusetts marriage, death and birth certificates
Massachusetts vital records can be ordered online through VitalChek or from the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (by mail or in person).
The Registry of Vital Records administers and issues copies of vital records that occurred in Massachusetts from 1931 to the present. Records for earlier events are available from the State Archives and are public records.
Massachusetts vital records are restricted and can only be obtained by the person named in the certificate or close relative. Additional restrictions apply to certificates for births to unwed parents or prior to adoption. Copies of Massachusetts marriage records will only be issued to the parties of the marriage.
Certificates can also be obtained from the town or city clerk where the birth death or marriage took place.
If you need any assistance with obtaining certified copies of Massachusetts vital records, please contact us. We are happy to provide advice on how best to obtain Massachusetts vital records and to provide a free pre-check of your documents to confirm eligibility for authentication by the Massachusetts Secretary of State.
For a free quotation, advice on how to obtain documents or to confirm eligibility of your documents for a Massachusetts Apostille, please contact us or upload your documents for a free quotation using our:
Online Quotation Form
Certified translations of Massachusetts vital records
When Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts, 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.