Marriage is a sacred union celebrated globally, transcending borders and cultures. For couples who tie the knot in Florida and plan to take their marital vows to foreign lands, the importance of apostilles for their marriage certificates cannot be overstated.

Submitting apostilled (legalized) marriage certificates serves various essential purposes, especially when abroad. Some of the common reasons include:

Legal Recognition: Properly apostilled marriage certificates are crucial for establishing the legal recognition of the marital union in foreign jurisdictions.

Immigration Processes: Many countries require proof of marriage for immigration purposes, such as spousal visa applications.

Social Benefits: Couples may need to present apostilled marriage certificates to access benefits, health insurance, and other marital privileges in foreign lands.

Property and Inheritance Rights: Proof of marriage is often required when dealing with property transactions and inheritance matters in foreign countries.

The State of Florida issues two types of marriage certificates: Certification of Marriage and a certified copy of the Marriage Record.

If you have a Certification of Marriage, please check the name of the State Registrar who signed the document. The following signatures will be acceptable for Florida apostilles: 

Ken Jones (the current State Registrar)  *  C. Meade Grigg  *  Oliver Board  *  Edward Williams  *  Charles Mahan

If you have a certified copy of the Marriage Record, it should have a stamp and the signature of the Clerk (Deputy Clerk) of the Superior Court in the county where the marriage license was issued.

                

Please note that Certification of Marriage is considered a short form marriage certificate. A Certified copy of the Marriage Record issued by the Circuit Court has a lot more information. Please contact the receiving foreign agency or the Consulate of the country of intended use to determine what kind of marriage record may be required.

To start the process of getting an apostille for a Florida marriage certificate, you must first have a certified copy. If you were asked for several apostilled marriage certificates, for each Florida apostille you will need a separate certified copy. Please note that, under no circumstances, can a Florida vital record (including marriage certificates) be notarized. If the Secretary of State sees any kind of notarization on your document, the document will be rejected for an apostille.