Why do I need an apostille on my New York birth certificate?

Generally, an apostille on a birth certificate is required when a person is moving to another country to work, study, or marriage. Also, if you apply for dual citizenship, you will be asked to provide an apostilled birth certificate among other documents. An apostille confirms the authenticity of your birth certificate, including the stamps and signatures on it, and makes it legally accepted by all member countries of the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961. 

How can I get an apostille on my New York Birth Certificate? 

First, you need to obtain a certified copy of your New York birth certificate. In New York State, Vital Records Department has birth records (since 1881) for all of New York State except New York City. If you were born in one of the New York City boroughs (Manhattan, Kings (Brooklyn), Queens, Bronx, and Richmond (Staten Island) you will need to contact the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene or the New York City and request a certified copy of your birth certificate. Birth records are also available from the local Registrar of Vital Statistics where the event occurred.

The Health Department issues birth certificates for all people who are born in New York City. You may apply for a New York City birth certificate if:

• You were born in New York City
• You are listed on the birth certificate (as parent or registrant/infant)
• You are 18 or older

If you were born in New York State outside of New York City, you are eligible to get a copy of your birth certificate if: 

•    You are the person named on the birth certificate.
•    You are a parent of the person named on the birth certificate. The requesting parent's name must be on the birth certificate.
•    You are a spouse, child, or others, but only by order of a New York State court.

For a birth certificate issued in New York State to receive a New York Apostille an extra step is required: all records must then be certified by the New York County Clerk’s Office. For NYC birth certificates, when requesting your record, you will also need to request a “Letter of Exemplification.” 

After you have your New York birth certificate certified, you can mail it to our office for apostille processing. Remember that New York Apostille can only be issued on birth certificates issued in New York.  

Obtaining a birth certificate apostille is a complicated process and should always be handled by professionals only. Remember that trusting your important documents to incompetent people unfamiliar with the specifics of each country, may lead you to extra expenses, and delays of your important business by weeks, or even months. Complicated matters must be handled by experts, and that’s why we recommend that you should allow Global Apostille to take care of obtaining your Birth Certificate apostille.

For any questions, please visit our FAQ page or Contact Us page.