Documents You Need to Get Married Abroad — An Apostille Checklist
Every document a foreign wedding usually asks for, notarized and apostilled
In short: Marrying abroad usually means proving who you are and that you're free to marry — most often a notarized single-status affidavit and a birth certificate, plus a divorce decree or death certificate if you were married before. Each has to be apostilled by the U.S. state that issued or notarized it, and many countries also want a certified translation. Because we're a notary and an apostille service under one roof, we prepare, notarize, apostille and return the whole set by mail — wherever you live.
Start here: ask the wedding authority what they require
Before you prepare a single page, contact the office that will marry you — the civil registry, town hall, church, or consulate in the destination country — and get their requirements in writing. Countries differ on which documents they accept, the exact wording they expect, whether they want an apostille or embassy legalization, and how recent the documents must be. A few minutes of confirmation up front prevents a rejected document and a missed wedding date.
The core checklist
Most couples marrying abroad need some combination of the following, each apostilled so the foreign authority will accept it:
- Single-status / no-record affidavit. A sworn statement that you're free to marry. The U.S. issues no national “certificate of no marriage,” so this is usually a notarized affidavit — we can draft the wording your destination expects, notarize it and apostille it in one step. See our single status affidavit apostille page.
- Birth certificate. A certified copy proving identity and, often, parentage. See birth certificate apostille.
- Proof a prior marriage ended (if this applies). A certified divorce decree if you're divorced, or a death certificate if you're widowed.
- Police or background check (some countries). A number of countries ask for a criminal-record check for the marriage itself or the spousal visa that follows — often the federal FBI background check, which is apostilled by the U.S. Department of State.
- Passport copy and any country-specific forms the registry names.
Notarized vs. issued documents — they take different paths
Knowing which bucket each document falls into matters, because it decides where the apostille comes from. Notarized documents (the single-status affidavit, any sworn statement) are apostilled by the state where they're notarized — not where you live. That's why we can notarize and apostille your affidavit in Illinois for clients anywhere. Issued documents (birth and death certificates, divorce decrees) are apostilled by the state that issued them: an Illinois birth certificate is apostilled by Illinois; one from another state is apostilled there. We map each document to the right path so nothing bounces.
Translation is often required
Many destination countries require every document — and sometimes the apostille itself — to be accompanied by a certified translation into the local language. Requirements vary: some accept a translation prepared in the U.S., others insist on a sworn translator in-country. Confirm this with the wedding authority; we can coordinate a certified translation alongside the apostille so the set arrives complete.
Watch the age limits
Single-status affidavits and no-record letters are usually only accepted if they were issued recently — commonly within 3 to 6 months of the wedding. Don't prepare them too early. Build your timeline backward from the wedding date, leaving room for the apostille (and translation, if needed) and international shipping.
Apostille or embassy legalization?
If you're marrying in a country that belongs to the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille is all you need. If it isn't a member, the documents need authentication plus embassy legalization instead — a longer chain we also handle. See apostille vs. authentication vs. legalization to see which applies to your destination.
How it works — a 100% remote process
- Tell us what you need. Call or text 847-436-5222 or request a quote. We confirm exactly which document you have and where it's going.
- Send us your document. Mail or courier it to our Naperville office.
- We submit to the Illinois Secretary of State. Standard by mail, or we hand-carry it to the Chicago counter for expedited processing.
- We return it, tracked. Back to you or straight to your recipient, domestic or international, with status you can follow the whole way.
Cost & turnaround
Notarized documents start at $99 per document (notarization included when we do it); issued records such as birth certificates and decrees start at $99 as well. Return shipping is at cost, or you provide a prepaid label. Standard 5–7 business days at the state; expedited hand-carry typically 2–5 business days. A foreign wedding usually means several documents — ask us to handle the whole set together.
Out of state or overseas? We work entirely by mail — see getting an Illinois apostille from another state and apostille by mail.
Why Efficient Biometrics
We're a licensed and insured service with a real, staffed office in Naperville (682 Illinois Route 59) — not a P.O. box — a notary on site, document-level tracking so you always know where your originals are, and local proximity to the Chicago Secretary of State counter for genuine expedited service. Call or text 847-436-5222.
Frequently Asked Questions
What documents do I need to get married abroad?
Most commonly a notarized single-status affidavit and a birth certificate, apostilled — plus a divorce decree or death certificate if you were married before, and in some countries a police or FBI background check. Always confirm the exact list with the authority that will marry you.
Can you handle all of the documents in one order?
Yes — that's the point of using us. We notarize the affidavit, apostille the whole set, coordinate a translation if needed, and return everything together, tracked.
Do the documents need to be translated?
Often yes, into the destination country's language. Some countries accept a translation done here; others require a sworn translator in-country. We can coordinate a certified translation with the apostille.
How recent do the documents have to be?
Single-status affidavits and no-record letters are frequently only accepted within 3 to 6 months of the wedding, so don't prepare them too early. Check the age limit the destination sets and plan backward from your wedding date.
My documents are from another state — can you still help?
Notarized documents like the affidavit we can handle in Illinois wherever you live. Issued records are apostilled by the state that issued them; we'll tell you exactly what each one needs.