Apostille Guide
How to Get an Illinois Birth Certificate Apostilled
An Illinois birth certificate is one of the most frequently apostilled documents in the state, and one of the most frequently rejected. Almost always for the same reason.
- Written by
- Janet L. Chantharasy, Commissioned Illinois Notary Public, Illini Notary and Signing Services
- Published
- Last updated
People need an Illinois birth certificate authenticated for dual citizenship applications, for marriage abroad, for foreign school enrollment, for residency and visa files, and for inheritance matters. The document itself is straightforward. The requirement that trips people up is what kind of copy the Illinois Secretary of State is able to authenticate.
The short version is that the copy has to be a certified copy issued by a records authority, carrying that authority's signature and seal. Anything else, however official it looks, is not an authenticatable document.
Which Copies Can Be Authenticated
Illinois birth records are held by more than one authority, and a certified copy from any of the following is a genuine vital record:
- A certified copy issued by the county clerk in the Illinois county where the birth was recorded
- A certified copy issued by a local registrar of vital records
- A certified copy issued by the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records
Any one of these is a valid starting point. There is no requirement to obtain a state level copy when a county certified copy already exists, which saves people a surprising amount of time.
What Gets Sent Back
- A hospital souvenir certificate, with footprints or decorative artwork, which is not a vital record at all
- A photocopy or scan of a certified copy, however clear the copy is
- A certified copy issued by a state other than Illinois, which must go to that state's own competent authority
- A certified copy that has been laminated, cut, stapled through the seal, or otherwise altered after issuance
What the Apostille Actually Certifies
This distinction matters more than it sounds. An apostille certifies the authenticity of the official signature on the document, the capacity in which that official acted, and the seal or stamp the document bears.
It does not certify that the contents of the record are accurate. It does not correct a misspelled name, a wrong date, or an outdated parent's name. If the record itself contains an error, the correction has to happen at the issuing authority before authentication, because the apostille will faithfully authenticate an incorrect record.
How the Process Runs
Once a certified copy is in hand, the Illinois Secretary of State authenticates it. The state's authentication fee is $2 per document, and it is passed through at cost and itemized separately from the professional service fee. That figure is as currently stated by the Illinois Secretary of State, verified September 2026.
Prices shown are estimates. Your exact quote is confirmed once we have the full scope of your documents and service needs.
Where the destination is not a party to the Apostille Convention, the document continues to legalization at that country's embassy or consulate rather than ending at the apostille. The destination decides which of the two applies, which is why the destination is the first thing we confirm.
One Practical Note on Translation
Some receiving institutions require a translation of the birth certificate, and some require the translation itself to be certified or notarized. This is set by the institution receiving the document, not by Illinois and not by the Apostille Convention. Ask the receiving party directly, in writing where possible, before the document is submitted.