Birth Certificate Apostille

For a baby born in the United States, the birth certificate, also known as a U.S. birth certificate, becomes particularly important if you plan to return to your home country. To have this birth certificate recognized in China and other member countries of the Hague Convention, it must undergo a process known as a Hague Apostille. This certification ensures the document’s authenticity and validity, allowing for smooth use both domestically and internationally. About a month after the baby’s birth, you will receive a birth certificate issued by the health department. In addition to applying for a U.S. passport and a Chinese travel document, don’t forget that obtaining a Hague Apostille is also a crucial step, especially for procedures in China such as household registration and pass issuance.

To summarize the process for obtaining a Hague Apostille in two steps: first, a U.S. notary must verify the birth certificate, and then the Secretary of State’s office must issue the Hague Apostille.

This certification signifies that the document’s signatures and seals are genuine and valid, granting the document legal recognition within Hague Convention countries. China, Hong Kong, and Macau all accept Hague Apostilles, so if you wish to use the U.S. birth certificate in these locations, you’ll need to complete this certification.

The Hague Apostille can be processed on either the original or a photocopy of the birth certificate, depending on how the document will be used. If it’s inconvenient for you to handle the process, we offer a service to manage it on your behalf, ensuring a quick and reliable procedure. Required materials for processing include the U.S. birth certificate and scanned copies of the photo pages of the parents’ passports. The processing time varies: approximately 2-3 business days for photocopies and 3-4 weeks for the original document, excluding mailing time.