Birth Certificate Apostille
If you need your Pennsylvania birth certificate recognized abroad, an apostille from the PA Department of State is the official way to make it happen. We hand-deliver your document to Harrisburg and ship it back to you, tracked both ways.
What is a birth certificate apostille?
An apostille is a certification that authenticates the signature and seal of a public official on a document, so it will be accepted by foreign governments. For a Pennsylvania birth certificate, the apostille is placed on a certified copy issued by PA vital records and confirms the document is genuine.
Pennsylvania is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, which means the apostille it issues is recognized by all other member countries without further embassy or consulate legalization. If your destination country is a Hague member, an apostille is all you need.
We are a courier service. We pick up your prepared document, hand-deliver it to the PA Department of State in Harrisburg, and ship it back to you once the apostille is complete. You do not have to travel or wait in line.
When people need one
- Applying for dual citizenship or foreign nationality through ancestry
- Marrying abroad when a foreign government requires proof of single status or birth record
- Enrolling a child in school or a university in another country
- Applying for a foreign residency permit, long-term visa, or work authorization
- Completing an international adoption that requires verified birth records
- Proving identity or lineage for foreign inheritance or estate matters
How Keystone handles it
The same simple process for every document. We handle the slow part for you.
- Step 1
Order online
Tell us what you need apostilled and check out in minutes. We email a prepaid label right away. No account needed.
- Step 2
Mail us your document
Attach the prepaid label and send it our way. You get tracking so you can follow it all the way to our door.
- Step 3
We apostille it and ship it back
We hand-carry it to the Pennsylvania Department of State in Harrisburg, get the apostille added, and ship it back, tracked.
Before you send it
We are a courier service, not a notary. Your document must already meet the state requirements before you mail it. If the state cannot accept it, we send it back so you can fix it and reorder.
- A State-issued certified copy from the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records. The document must have an official raised seal or security paper and the registrar's signature. A hospital-issued souvenir birth record is not accepted.
- The certified copy must be original. Photocopies, laminated copies, and scanned prints are not accepted by the Department of State.
- Do not notarize a certified birth certificate. A certified vital record is apostilled as-is. Adding a notarization to it is unnecessary and may cause the application to be rejected.
- The certificate must be issued in Pennsylvania. Documents from other states require an apostille from that state's designated authority, not Pennsylvania.
- Make sure the name on your shipping address matches the order so we can return the document to the right person.
Common questions
Do I need to notarize my birth certificate before sending it?
No. A certified copy issued by Pennsylvania vital records is apostilled exactly as it is. You should not notarize it. Only photocopies or privately obtained records need to go through a notary first.
What if my birth certificate is from another state?
Pennsylvania can only apostille documents issued within Pennsylvania. If your birth certificate is from another state, you need an apostille from that state's Secretary of State or designated authority. We only process Pennsylvania documents.
How do I get a certified copy from Pennsylvania vital records?
You can order a certified birth certificate directly from the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records online, by mail, or in person. Once you receive it, send the original certified copy to us and we will take care of the apostille.
How long does the apostille process take?
Processing time at the PA Department of State varies. We hand-deliver your document on the next business day after we receive it. Once the apostille is complete, we ship it back to you tracked. We will keep you updated by email throughout.
Can I order from outside the United States?
Yes. You can place your order from anywhere in the world. If you are abroad, you will need to arrange to send the original certified copy to us by international mail or courier. We will return the apostilled document to any address worldwide.
Ready when you are.
Order in minutes, mail us your document, and we handle the rest.