Settling affairs across borders is hard enough without paperwork getting in the way. When an estate, inheritance, pension, or repatriation reaches another country, that country needs the death certificate authenticated first. We handle that step with care and precision — Oregon and Washington in-house, and because we cover all 50 states, a certificate issued anywhere in the country.
An apostille is an internationally recognized certificate attached to the death certificate that proves it's genuine — so a foreign government, bank, court, or insurer will accept it without an embassy visit. It's required across the 120+ countries in the Hague Apostille Convention. Get it wrong — the wrong copy, the wrong state, an unnecessary notarization — and it comes back rejected, adding delay to an already difficult time. That's the part we take off your plate.
Settling an estate or claiming inheritance in another country almost always requires an apostilled death certificate.
Foreign pension offices and insurers typically require an authenticated certificate before releasing funds or closing a policy.
Banks and registries overseas often need the apostilled certificate to release accounts, property, or other assets.
Returning a loved one's remains to or from another country requires the death certificate authenticated for that country.
You'll need a certified copy of the death certificate issued by the state or county vital records office — the one with the registrar's signature or raised seal. A photocopy or the informational copy from a funeral home is usually not accepted abroad. Don't have a certified copy on hand? You can order one from VitalChek before we begin. Not sure what you have? Send us a photo and we'll tell you gently and clearly.
No notarization needed. A death certificate is a vital record — it goes straight from the issuing agency to the state's authentication authority. Adding a notary stamp can actually cause a rejection.
This trips up almost everyone. If the death occurred in California but you live in Oregon, the certificate is apostilled by California — not Oregon. That's exactly why we cover all 50 states: you hand it to us and we handle it — directly in Oregon and Washington, or hand-carried by a member of our trusted courier team in every other state. One point of contact, so you're not navigating an out-of-state office during a hard time. Not sure which state, or need a certified copy first? Just ask.
This is our backyard. We handle Oregon and Washington death certificate apostilles start to finish — you hand it to us, we take it to the Secretary of State, and it comes back to you. Choose the timeline that fits your situation.
These tiers apply to both Oregon and Washington death certificates, handled in-house. Certificates from all other states are hand-carried by our trusted courier team — pricing and timelines vary, so call (503) 536-2326 for a quick quote. Additional fees may apply and will be discussed when you order.
Use a state-certified copy of the death certificate — not the funeral home copy. Don't have one? Order it at VitalChek, and we'll confirm the issuing state.
Bring it in, upload it, or mail it. We prepare everything and route it to the correct authority — the issuing state's Secretary of State. No notarization needed.
In-house for Oregon and Washington, or hand-carried by our courier team elsewhere. Your apostilled certificate comes back to you, ready to use abroad.
If the destination country doesn't use English, it will likely require a certified translation of the apostilled death certificate. The order matters: get the apostille first, then translate the full packet — so you never pay to redo it. We handle translation too, certified or standard, typically $50 to $75 per page. We'll confirm your timeline up front.
You can request an apostille from the issuing state on your own. Here's how that compares to letting us handle it.
| Do it yourself | Oregon Fingerprinting | |
|---|---|---|
| Processing time | Weeks, and it varies by state | As fast as 1–2 business days (OR & WA) |
| Right copy & steps | You guess which copy and whether to notarize | We confirm it before anything is submitted |
| Rejection risk | High — wrong copy, wrong state, needless notary | We catch issues before submission |
| Another state's record | You navigate an out-of-state office alone | Our courier team hand-carries it for you |
| Support | None — you're on your own | A real person, start to finish |
We apostille the full range of state documents. If you're assembling a packet for probate or an estate abroad, we can handle it all in one coordinated order.
Also apostilled: birth and marriage certificates, divorce records; notarized documents (powers of attorney, affidavits, single-status letters); diplomas and transcripts; and business or corporate records. See our full state apostille page for every document and the 50-state picker.
Need a document notarized first? Some estate documents — like a power of attorney or an affidavit — must be notarized before they can be apostilled. Our sister company, The Notaryous LLC, handles mobile notary across Portland Metro & Clark County, WA, so we can notarize and apostille in one coordinated process.
We route the certificate to the state that issued it and return it apostilled for the 120+ Hague Convention countries — Oregon and Washington in-house, every other state through our trusted courier team.
Oregon and Washington in-house, all 50 states covered. Tell us where the certificate was issued and where it's headed — we'll take care of the rest, with care.
