Divorce certificate & decree apostille — Oregon, Washington & all 50 states
Remarrying abroad, updating your status for immigration, or restoring your name overseas? The receiving country needs your divorce record authenticated first — and the tricky part is knowing whether they want the short certificate or the full court decree. We sort that out and handle it. Oregon and Washington in-house, all 50 states covered.
Divorce certificate or divorce decree?
These are two different documents, and countries ask for different ones. Here's the difference — and if you're unsure, we'll confirm it with you before anything is submitted.
Divorce certificate
A short vital record issued by the state confirming the divorce and its date. Certified by the state's vital records office. Some countries accept this alone.
Divorce decree / judgment
The full court order that legally ended the marriage, issued by the court. Needs a certified copy from the clerk of the court that granted it. Many countries require this complete version.
Not sure which to get? It comes down to what the receiving country requires — and a decree sometimes needs the county clerk to authenticate the judge's signature before the state can apostille it. Tell us the country and we'll tell you exactly which document and which certified copy to bring. No guessing, no wasted trips.
What a divorce apostille does
An apostille is an internationally recognized certificate attached to your divorce record that proves it's genuine — so a foreign registry, court, or consulate will accept it without an embassy visit. It's required across the 120+ countries in the Hague Apostille Convention.
Remarriage abroad
Most foreign civil registries require proof a prior marriage legally ended before they'll issue a new marriage license.
Immigration & residency
Visa and residency applications often require an authenticated divorce record to establish current marital status.
Name restoration or change
Restoring a maiden name or updating records overseas frequently means proving the change with the apostilled decree.
Dual citizenship & records
Foreign authorities updating your civil status may require the authenticated divorce record for their files.
Your divorce record is apostilled by the state where the divorce was granted
This trips up almost everyone. If you divorced in Nevada but live in Oregon, the record is apostilled by Nevada — 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, zero legwork. Not sure which state, or which certified copy to request? Just ask.
Oregon & Washington, handled in-house
This is our backyard. We handle Oregon and Washington divorce 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 deadline.
Standard
- Roughly 10 business days
- Standard apostille (not embassy legalization)
- Standard processing — no rush handling
- Best when your timeline is flexible
Premium
- Expedited, prioritized processing
- Standard apostille (not embassy legalization)
- Built to meet tight deadlines
- The go-to for professionals & families on a clock
White-Glove VIP
- Fastest option available
- Standard apostille (not embassy legalization)
- Priority, top-level white-glove handling
- For urgent travel, marriage & immigration deadlines
These tiers apply to both Oregon and Washington divorce documents, handled in-house. Records 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.
Your divorce apostille in 3 steps
Tell us the country
We confirm whether you need the certificate or the full decree, and which certified copy to bring — before anything is submitted.
Hand it to us
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.
We authenticate & return it
In-house for Oregon and Washington, or hand-carried by our courier team elsewhere. Your apostilled record comes back to you, ready to use abroad.
Many countries also want a translation
If your destination country doesn't use English, it will likely require a certified translation of the apostilled divorce record. 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.
Chasing the court & state offices vs. handing it to us
You can request a certified record and apostille on your own. Here's how that compares to letting us handle it.
| Do it yourself | Oregon Fingerprinting | |
|---|---|---|
| Which document | You guess certificate vs. decree | We confirm what your country requires |
| Certified copy & steps | You chase the court clerk and county authentication | We tell you exactly what to bring |
| Processing time | Weeks, and it varies by state | As fast as 1–2 business days (OR & WA) |
| Another state's record | You navigate an out-of-state court alone | Our courier team hand-carries it for you |
| Support | None — you're on your own | A real person, start to finish |
Need more than a divorce record?
We apostille the full range of state documents. If you're assembling a packet for remarriage or immigration abroad, we can handle it all in one coordinated order.
Also apostilled: birth and marriage certificates, death certificates; 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. Just here for an FBI background check? That's a federal document — see federal apostille.
Remarrying abroad? Many countries also want a single-status or "freedom to marry" letter alongside your divorce record — some require it notarized first. 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.
Your divorce record, authenticated for use abroad
We route your record to the state that granted the divorce and return it apostilled for the 120+ Hague Convention countries — Oregon and Washington in-house, every other state through our trusted courier team.
Divorce apostille FAQ
Ready to apostille your divorce record?
Oregon and Washington in-house, all 50 states covered. Tell us the country and we'll confirm the right document, then handle it and return it ready to use abroad.