Federal document
Marriage Record Issued by a Federal Authority
How to apostille a federally issued or consular marriage record for spousal visas and foreign registration.
- Issuing agency
- US Department of State / consular authority
- We can obtain it?
- No — you request it from the agency
- Certification first?
- No prior certification needed
- Also known as
- consular marriage record, marriage abroad certificate
Marriage records issued by a U.S. consular authority abroad, or otherwise federally issued, may need to be apostilled for spousal visas or to register the marriage in another country.
Why it needs an apostille abroad
The apostille certifies the record for Hague Convention countries; non-Hague destinations require embassy legalization. Note that most U.S. marriage certificates are STATE documents — if yours was issued by a county or state, it authenticates through that state, not federally.
How to get Federal Marriage Record for use overseas
Federal vs. state
Tell us who issued your marriage record. A consular or federally issued record authenticates through the Department of State; a state or county certificate goes through that state's process. We confirm which applies before you send anything.
Common uses
- Spousal visas abroad.
- Foreign marriage registration.
Federal Marriage Record apostille by country
Where the document is going decides the process. Hague Convention members accept an apostille; non-Hague countries need embassy legalization on top. Pick your destination:
Ready to start?
Tell us what you have and where it is going. We reply with the correct route, a flat quote and shipping instructions.