How to Obtain an Apostille for a Pennsylvania Marriage Certificate

Whether you are applying for a spousal visa, registering your marriage in a foreign country, or handling international inheritance matters, you will likely be asked to provide an apostilled marriage certificate. For marriages that took place in Pennsylvania, the process differs slightly from other vital records because of how marriage records are maintained at the county level.

County vs. State Records

In Pennsylvania, birth and death certificates are maintained centrally by the state Department of Health. Marriage certificates, however, are maintained locally by the Marriage License Bureau (often part of the Register of Wills or Orphans’ Court) in the specific county where the marriage license was issued—not necessarily where the ceremony took place.

Step 1: Procuring the Right Document

To obtain an apostille, you cannot use the decorative marriage certificate given to you by your officiant on your wedding day. You must obtain a certified copy of your marriage record from the county courthouse.

Furthermore, the Pennsylvania Department of State requires that the certified copy bear the signature of the current Register of Wills or Clerk of the Orphans’ Court, along with the raised, embossed, or stamped seal of the county court. When ordering the document, be sure to inform the clerk that it is for “apostille purposes” to ensure they provide the correct format.

Step 2: Department of State Authentication

Unlike notarized documents, certified county marriage records do not need to be notarized. The Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth keeps a registry of the signatures of all county Clerks and Registers of Wills.

Once you have the certified copy from the county, you will submit it directly to the Pennsylvania Department of State in Harrisburg, along with the completed Request for Legalization of Documents form and the required fee.

What If the Signature is Outdated?

If you submit an older certified copy of your marriage certificate signed by a clerk who has since retired or left office, the Department of State may reject it because they can only verify current signatures or those still in their active database. It is almost always safer and faster to order a fresh certified copy from the county before applying for the apostille.

By understanding the county-level origin of Pennsylvania marriage records, couples can avoid the common mistake of sending unacceptable documents to the state, ensuring a smooth authentication process for their international needs.