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.
⚡ Do You Have the Right PA Birth Certificate?
Pick what you currently have:
Good to apostille
Not legally valid
Often not accepted; order new raised-seal copy
May need county courthouse (not state Vital Records)
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
Step-by-Step: Pennsylvania Birth Certificate Apostille
Order the Correct PA Birth Certificate
PA DOH notes your birth certificate must contain a raised (embossed) seal to meet today's legal requirements, and that hospital commemorative certificates are not acceptable for legal/governmental purposes.
Do NOT Notarize
Pennsylvania explicitly states: Birth certificates do not require notarization.
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
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
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
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 |
🔍 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
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)."