Apostilling a Death Certificate is easy as 1-2-3!
1. Download and complete our order form.
2. Mail your original document and the order form to us.
3. Receive your apostilled Death Certificate at your address anywhere in the world!
Please visit Our Services page to begin the process of making your documents legal in a foreign country.
An apostilled death certificate is usually required to settle the estate or inheritance of a deceased citizen in a foreign country, to sell the deceased person’s property abroad, or for retirement benefits.
Global Apostille obtains death certificates apostille issued by all 50 U.S. States and the District of Columbia.
To apostille the death certificate, you need to mail to our office the original death certificate or a certified copy issued by the County Clerk, Health Department, or State. Keep in mind that a death certificate can only be authenticated from the State that issued it, as the Secretary of State does not have the authority to authenticate documents issued from another State. For example, if the death certificate was issued in the state of Kansas, the apostille will also be applied for in the State of Kansas, or if a death certificate was issued in Florida, it will receive Florida death certificate apostille.
Before mailing us your documents for apostille processing, please check with us the requirements for the apostille issue in your state. While most states will accept death certificates issued more than 5 years ago, some states have set time limits on a death certificate validity to be eligible for authentication. For example, the State of Virginia requires that death certificates issued from Virginia must be issued 12 months ago or less.
Another important thing to remember when seeking an apostille on a death certificate is the issuing authority listed on a death certificate. Generally, death certificates are issued by the Vital Records Department at the county level of government or the state level. In some states, death certificates can be issued from the State Health Department. Some States accept health department-issued death certificates but not all. We recommend that you send us a copy of a death certificate you currently have for review. If the State finds your document unacceptable, we will contact you with specific instructions.
Depending on the country requesting an apostilled death certificate, you may also be required to provide a translation of a death certificate. Please contact us if you need help finding a certified translator.
An apostille on a death certificate is issued if a country requesting it is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. If you need to present your death certificate in a non-member country of the Hague Apostille Treaty, you will need to process death certificate legalization - a special authentication through the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., and legalization through the Embassy /Consulate office.
Questions? Please view our FAQ page or visit Contact Us page.