Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island marriage certificates issued before 1950 are kept in the New York City Municipal Archives. We can get a certified exemplified copy of the marriage certificate, and have it apostilled or legalized by a foreign embassy.
How does it work? Our staff member will go to the New York City Municipal Archives, and look through the catalogs. The records are arranged by year, and by borough where the license was issued. The first and most important task is to find the film and the certificate number. We will do this. Then, we will look through the actual film, and find the certificate. After that, the certificate can be printed out and exemplified by the staff of the Municipal Archives. Some experience is required for working with the archived materials.
This is how a marriage certificate might look if the marriage was registered in 1930s:
The back of the certificate will look like this:
If you have a certificate like this, it does not mean that it is ready for an apostille or embassy legalization. The document will need a Letter of Exemplification.
Our staff member will go to the Municipal Archives, find the certificate, order an exemplified copy of the certificate, and then we will get it apostilled or legalized by a foreign embassy.
Marriage certificates from before 1950 are public records.
Your marriage certificate qualifies? Mail the original to us...
If you have the original exemplified marriage certificate, and it qualifies for an apostille / embassy legalization, mail it to us and we will get an apostille / embassy seal for it
New York Apostille: $175 (FedEx 2nd day within the U.S. is included).
New York Apostille / Embassy Legalization Order Form (PDF file)What is an "exemplified copy" of the marriage certificate?
An exemplified copy is an official copy of the document issued by a the New York City Municipal Archives with a Letter of Exemplification as shown above. Upon request, the Municipal Archives will issue an exemplified copy of the marriage certificate.
Please note...
Notarized copies of marriage certificates are not acceptable! In fact, New York notaries by law cannot notarize copies of vital records.
Copies certified as true copies by the document custodian (you) are not acceptable! You do need the original document.
Some foreign countries require that certified copies of marriage certificates are recent, e.g. were issued within the last six or twelve months.
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