Divorce Decree Apostille
A Pennsylvania divorce decree apostille proves your marital status abroad. Whether you are planning to remarry in another country, applying for a visa, or handling a name change overseas, the apostille makes your court record acceptable to foreign governments and institutions.
Which court issues your certified copy?
Contact the prothonotary (or clerk of courts) in the Pennsylvania county where the divorce was granted. They can certify a copy of the final decree with the official court seal. This is different from a copy provided by your attorney, which is not court-certified and cannot be apostilled.
What is a divorce decree apostille?
A divorce decree in Pennsylvania is issued by the Court of Common Pleas in the county where the divorce was granted. When the county prothonotary or clerk of courts certifies that copy with the court seal and an official signature, the PA Department of State can apostille it. The apostille authenticates the court official's signature and confirms the document is a genuine public record.
An apostilled divorce decree is recognized in all Hague Apostille Convention member countries without needing further verification from an embassy or consulate. Foreign governments, civil registries, and immigration offices routinely require it before accepting that a prior marriage has ended.
We are a courier service. We do not interact with the court or obtain records on your behalf. Once you have the court-certified copy in hand, send it to us and we will personally deliver it to the PA Department of State in Harrisburg and return the apostilled document to you by tracked shipping.
When people need one
- Remarrying abroad when a foreign civil registry requires proof that a prior marriage has ended
- Applying for a spouse visa or family-based immigration benefit that requires documentation of prior marital status
- Changing your name on a foreign passport, national ID, or official records after a divorce
- Proving single or divorced status for property transactions, bank accounts, or legal filings in another country
- Completing foreign citizenship or residency applications that ask for marital history documentation
- Supporting a foreign court proceeding where marital status or property division is at issue
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 court-certified copy of the divorce decree, certified by the prothonotary or clerk of courts in the Pennsylvania county where the divorce was granted. The document must bear the court's official seal and the clerk's signature.
- Do not notarize a court-certified divorce decree. A copy certified by the court clerk is apostilled as-is. There is no notarization step for court records.
- Send the original court-certified copy. Photocopies, uncertified printouts, and attorney-provided copies without a court seal are not accepted by the PA Department of State.
- The divorce must have been granted in Pennsylvania. If the divorce was granted in another state, that state's designated authority must issue the apostille.
- Make sure the decree reflects the final judgment. Interim orders or temporary orders are generally not accepted. Confirm with the foreign institution what specific version they require before ordering.
Common questions
Do I need to notarize the divorce decree before sending it?
No. A copy certified by the Pennsylvania court clerk is apostilled exactly as it is. You do not add a notarization. Only uncertified or privately obtained copies would need additional steps before the apostille can be applied.
How do I get a court-certified copy of my Pennsylvania divorce decree?
Contact the prothonotary or clerk of courts in the Pennsylvania county where the Court of Common Pleas granted the divorce. Ask for a certified copy of the final divorce decree with the court seal. Processing times and fees vary by county. Once you have it, send the original to us.
My divorce happened in another state. Can you apostille it?
No. Pennsylvania can only apostille documents issued within Pennsylvania. If your divorce was granted in another state, you need an apostille from that state's designated authority, typically the Secretary of State. We handle Pennsylvania documents only.
Will the apostille show the contents of my divorce?
The apostille authenticates the document. It does not add, summarize, or conceal any content. The certified decree you send is the document that gets apostilled. Whatever is in the decree will be visible to whoever receives it.
How long does the process take?
We deliver your document to the PA Department of State on the next business day after we receive it. State processing times vary. We email you updates at each step and ship the apostilled document back to you by tracked mail as soon as it is returned to us.
Ready when you are.
Order in minutes, mail us your document, and we handle the rest.