Guide
How to Get a Marriage Certificate for Use Abroad
How to obtain a certified marriage certificate that a foreign authority will accept — county vs. state vs. consular records, and which office authenticates each.
Quick answer
Order a certified copy from the office that recorded the marriage — usually the county clerk or state vital records office where you married. That makes it a state document, apostilled by that state. Only consular or federally issued marriage records go to the U.S. Department of State. If you married abroad, the host country’s certificate follows that country’s own process.
On this page
Figure out which record you have
| Where you married | Who issues it | Who authenticates it |
|---|---|---|
| In a U.S. state | County clerk or state vital records | That state’s apostille office |
| Consular or federal record | U.S. consular authority | U.S. Department of State |
| In another country | That country’s civil registry | That country’s own process |
Ordering a certified copy (U.S. marriages)
Find the recording office
The county clerk where the license was issued, or the state vital records office.
Order a certified copy
Ask specifically for a certified copy, not an informational or abstract copy — many foreign authorities require the long form.
Send it to the state apostille office
See your state page for which office that is.
Ask for the long form
When you’ll need it abroad
- Spousal and family visa applications
- Registering a U.S. marriage with a foreign civil registry
- Name-change recognition abroad
- Property and inheritance matters where marital status matters
Troubleshooting
The county issued an abstract
Order the long-form certified copy instead — many registries reject abstracts.
Your certificate lacks a registrar signature
Some older certificates aren't eligible for apostille until re-issued with a current certification.
You married in one state and live in another
The certificate goes to the state where you married, not where you live.
The registry needs a certificate of no impediment
That's a different document — ask what exactly they require.
Next: getting it apostilled
Once you have the document, it needs authentication before a foreign authority will accept it. See how to apostille it. Our price is $299 per document for Hague Convention countries and $399 for non-Hague countries including embassy legalization, with government fees included.
Frequently asked questions
Is a U.S. marriage certificate a federal document?
Almost never. Marriages are recorded by counties and states, so the certificate is a state document with a state apostille.
Where do I get a certified copy?
From the county clerk or state vital records office where the marriage was recorded.
We married abroad. Can a U.S. office authenticate our certificate?
No — a foreign certificate is authenticated through the country that issued it.
How long does a county take to issue a certified copy?
Anywhere from same day to several weeks, depending on the county.
Do I need the marriage license or the certificate?
The certificate — the license is the permission to marry, not proof that you did.
Sources: U.S. Department of State — Authenticate Your Document · Hague Conference — Apostille Section. Federal Apostille USA is a private service, not a government agency.
Ready to start?
Order online in minutes, or call and we will walk you through it. Federal documents from anywhere in the U.S. — one flat price, all government fees included.