Vital Record

Pennsylvania Birth Certificate Apostille

Apostille for Pennsylvania birth certificates. Required for dual citizenship, marriage abroad, and international residency. Official Vital Records certified copy with raised seal mandatory.

Amelia Rivera
Reviewed by Amelia Rivera
Lead Apostille Specialist • 10+ years experience
Start PA Birth Certificate Apostille See Process

⚡ Do You Have the Right PA Birth Certificate?

Pick what you currently have:

✅
PA birth certificate with raised (embossed) seal
Good to apostille
❌
Hospital souvenir / commemorative certificate
Not legally valid
❌
Old PA certificate without raised seal (common pre-1975)
Often not accepted; order new raised-seal copy
⚠️
Birth before 1906
May need county courthouse (not state Vital Records)
❌
Birth certificate from another state
Must be apostilled by that state

📜 What Pennsylvania Apostille Actually Certifies

Pennsylvania does not apostille the "content" of your birth certificate. It authenticates the signature of the Pennsylvania official (State Registrar) on the certificate so a foreign authority can trust it.

PA Department of Health explicitly notes that many countries require authentication of the State Registrar's signature via a PA Department of State apostille.

Important: Pennsylvania guidance is clear that birth certificates do not require notarization. Notarizing is unnecessary friction.

At a Glance

Item Details
Document Type PA Birth Certificate (Vital Record)
Issuing Authority Pennsylvania Department of Health — Vital Records
Apostille Authority Pennsylvania Department of State — Apostilles & Certifications
Notarization Required? ❌ No
Fee $15 per certificate issued
Walk-In Option Yes (fastest), plus mail/drop box options
Processing Varies by volume; processed in date order received

Accepted

  • ✓ PA birth certificate with raised seal
  • ✓ Signed by State Registrar
  • ✓ Original certified copy (not a scan)

Not Accepted

  • ✗ Hospital commemorative certificates
  • ✗ Older certificates without raised seal
  • ✗ Photocopies/scans/printouts
  • ✗ "Notarized birth certificate" (unnecessary)

📋 Requirements Checklist (Reject-Proof)

Must Have

  • PA birth certificate with raised seal
  • Destination country name (Hague vs non-Hague)
  • PA DOS Apostille/Certification Request Form
  • $15 per certificate (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania)
  • Return envelope or prepaid air bill

Cannot Accept

  • Souvenir / commemorative certificates
  • No raised seal (common older versions)
  • Missing destination country on form
2

Do NOT Notarize

Pennsylvania explicitly states: Birth certificates do not require notarization.

Notarizing adds unnecessary friction and doesn't help for vital records.
3

Fill Out PA DOS Request Form

The official form requires:

  • • Requestor contact info
  • • Country the document is being prepared for
  • • Number of documents × $15
  • • Payment method
4

Prepare Submission Package

Include:

  • • Original PA certified birth certificate (raised seal)
  • • Completed request form
  • • Check/money order payable to Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ($15 per certificate)
  • • Return envelope or prepaid air bill
Return shipping gotcha: PA DOS says they do NOT accept FedEx or DHL for return shipment of documents.
5

Submit: Walk-In, Mail, or Drop Box

PA DOS says the fastest way is to visit their office; you can also mail or use the drop box.

📬 PA Department of State Address

Pennsylvania Department of State
Apostilles & Certifications
North Office Building, Room 201
401 North Street
Harrisburg, PA 17120-0029

6

Keep Apostille Packet Intact

Don't detach pages or remove staples after issuance.

Fees & Timing

Item Fee Notes
PA Apostille / Certification $15 per certificate State fee
Processing time Varies Depends on volume; processed in date order
Timing advice: If you have a deadline abroad, add buffer for (1) ordering the raised-seal certificate, (2) shipping to/from Harrisburg, (3) variable state processing volume.

🔍 PA-Specific Special Cases

Births Before 1906

PA DOH notes births prior to 1906 may require contacting the appropriate county courthouse.

Old Certificates (Pre-1975)

PA DOH says many pre-1975 birth certificates without a raised seal are no longer accepted for legal purposes — order a new raised-seal version.

⚠️ Rejection Library (How People Lose Weeks)

• Submitting hospital commemorative certificate

• Using old copy without raised seal

• Forgetting to list destination country

• No return envelope / wrong return method (FedEx/DHL restriction)

• Trying to "speed it up" by notarizing (doesn't help for birth certificates)

Frequently Asked Questions

Amelia Rivera, Lead Apostille Specialist

Expert Insight

Amelia Rivera, Lead Apostille Specialist

10+ years with PA vital records apostille process

"Pennsylvania's raised seal requirement trips up a lot of people. I'll get clients who have an old birth certificate from the 1960s or 70s that looks perfectly official—it's got the state seal printed on it, names, dates, everything—but it doesn't have a raised (embossed) seal. Foreign authorities reject those routinely now because modern security standards require the physical embossed seal for authentication."

"The other big mistake: people try to notarize their PA birth certificate thinking it will 'make it stronger' for international use. That's a waste of time and money—PA explicitly says vital records don't need notarization. Just order a raised-seal certificate from PA Vital Records, submit it directly to PA DOS with the $15 fee and the destination country listed, and you're done. Keep return shipping simple: self-addressed stamped envelope or USPS/UPS prepaid label (not FedEx or DHL)."

Verification Log

Last Content Review:January 2026
PA DOS Process Verified:January 2026
Raised Seal Requirement:Confirmed
Fee Schedule Updated:January 2026

✓ Final "Before You Send" Checklist