Marriage Certificate Apostille
A Pennsylvania marriage certificate apostille confirms the authenticity of your official marriage record so foreign governments, embassies, and institutions will accept it. We handle the hand-delivery to Harrisburg and return the apostilled document to you, tracked both ways.
What is a marriage certificate apostille?
When you marry in Pennsylvania, the county register of wills or clerk of the orphans court records the marriage and can issue a certified copy of the marriage certificate. An apostille placed on that certified copy confirms the official's signature and seal are genuine, making the document legally recognizable in any Hague Apostille Convention member country.
The apostille does not change or add to the marriage itself. It simply authenticates the document so a foreign government can trust it without needing further verification from an embassy or consulate.
Our role is to courier your document. We receive the certified copy you send us, deliver it in person to the PA Department of State in Harrisburg, and ship it back once the apostille is attached. You do not need to visit any government office.
When people need one
- Having your marriage legally recognized in another country for residency, property, or tax purposes
- Applying for a spousal visa or family reunification visa in a foreign country
- Pursuing dual citizenship or nationality that requires proof of marriage
- Changing your name on foreign government records, passports, or official documents after marriage
- Setting up joint accounts, property ownership, or legal rights abroad as a married couple
- Completing paperwork for international relocation where foreign authorities require a certified marriage record
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 certified copy of the marriage certificate issued by the Pennsylvania county register of wills or clerk of the orphans court where the marriage was recorded. The document must bear the official seal and the clerk's signature.
- Do not use a copy signed only by the officiant or clergy. The apostille process requires a court-certified record, not a ceremonial certificate.
- Do not notarize a certified marriage record. The county-issued certified copy is apostilled as-is. Notarizing it is unnecessary and may cause the application to be returned.
- The marriage must have taken place in Pennsylvania. If your marriage was recorded in another state, you need an apostille from that state's designated authority.
- Send the original certified copy. Photocopies and digital printouts are not accepted by the PA Department of State.
Common questions
My officiant gave me a marriage certificate at the ceremony. Is that the right document?
No. The ceremonial certificate signed by the officiant or clergy is not apostillable. You need a certified copy issued by the county register of wills or clerk of the orphans court where the marriage license was filed. Contact the county where you married to order one.
Do I need to notarize the marriage certificate before sending it?
No. A certified copy issued by the county court is apostilled exactly as it is. You should not add a notarization. Only uncertified copies or private documents need to go through a notary first.
How do I get a certified copy of my Pennsylvania marriage record?
Contact the register of wills or clerk of the orphans court in the Pennsylvania county where you married. Some counties also allow you to order certified copies through Pennsylvania vital records. Once you have it, send the original to us and we handle the rest.
Will the apostille be accepted in every country?
The apostille is accepted in all countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention. If your destination country is not a member, a different legalization process through the foreign embassy may be required. We can only process the Pennsylvania apostille itself.
Can I order if I live outside the United States?
Yes. You can place your order from anywhere. If you are abroad, 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.