Frequently Asked Questions:
Michigan Apostille and Authentication Services
General Questions
- What is a Michigan Apostille Stamp and why would I need one?
- How can I obtain an Apostille Stamp to certify a document in Michigan for use abroad?
- How do I legalize documents issued in Michigan for submission to countries that are not members of the Apostille Convention?
- How long does it take to obtain an apostille from Michigan?
- What documents can be certified in Michigan with an Apostille Stamp?
- Will an apostille stamp from Michigan be accepted abroad?
- Where can I find more information about certifying Michigan documents?
- Where can I see reviews of Isarey's Michigan Attestation and Apostille Services?
Birth, death and marriage certificates
- How can I obtain an apostille on a vital record certificate issued in Michigan?
- How can I obtain a new certified copy of a Michigan birth, death or marriage certificate suitable for an Apostille?
Corporate documents
- How can I obtain an Apostille for a Michigan Certificate of Incorporation?
- How can I get an Apostille on a Michigan Certificate of Good Standing?
Academic documents
Notarized documents
Answers
What is a Michigan Apostille Stamp and why would I need one?
A Michigan Apostille is a certificate that is affixed by the Michigan Secretary of State to a public document. It certifies the authenticity of the signature appearing on the document as that of an authorized Michigan public official and confirms the capacity of that official (e.g. State Registrar, notary public).
Apostille stamps are often required when submitting a Michigan document, such as a birth certificate, to the authorities of a foreign country or to a foreign embassy in the United States (for example, as part of a visa or citizenship application). Apostilles are recognised by the authorities and embassies of countries that are members of the 
Hague Apostille Convention
For more information on Apostilles, see:
How can I obtain an Apostille Stamp to certify a document in Michigan for use abroad?
Apostille Stamps to authenticate Michigan documents can be obtained from the Secretary of State. Apostille stamps are only valid for documents that are required for submission to countries that are signatories to the Hague Apostille Convention
How do I legalize documents issued in Michigan for submission to countries that are not members of the Apostille Convention?
Michigan documents that need to be authenticated for non-apostille countries (e.g. United Arab Emirates, Qatar) must be authenticated by the Michigan Secretary of State with an Authentication Certificate and then attested by the recipient country's embassy in the United States. Most embassies will also require an additional authentication the U.S. Department of State in Washington DC.
How long does it take to obtain an apostille from Michigan?
We offer expedited Apostille services in Michigan. Apostilles from the Secretary of State are normally obtained in 1-2 business days
What documents can be certified in Michigan with an Apostille Stamp?
The Michigan Secretary of State issued Apostille Stamps for documents signed by:
- A Michigan Notary Public (documents must be complete and contain original signatures).
- Certified copies of vital records (birth, marriage, divorce, or death) from the Michigan State Registrar, a Michigan county clerk, city clerks in Wayne, Macomb, and Oakland counties.
- The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
Documents issued by court clerks are not acceptable. An English translation must be provided if the document is written in a foreign language.
To confirm whether your Michigan document is valid for an Apostille Stamp, please Contact us for a free document check.
Will an apostille stamp from Michigan be accepted abroad?
If documents are required for submission to the authorities or consulate of a signatory country of the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille stamp affixed by the Secretary of State of Michigan will generally be recognized directly as confirming authenticity, although a certified translation may also be required if presenting to a country that does not have English as an official language.
If documents are required for presentation in a country that is not a signatory to the apostille convention (e.g. United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Taiwan, Vietnam), then an apostille stamp is not valid. Documents will need to be authenticated at State level in Michigan, then by the State Department Authentication Division, and finally by the embassy or consulate of the destination country in the United States. A Certified Translation may also be required.
Where can I find more information about certifying Michigan documents?
For further information about Michigan apostilles and authentications or to obtain a quote for assistance submitting your documents, with free eligibility pre-check, international collection and delivery by courier, please Contact us or send us your documents using our Online Quotation Form.
Where can I see reviews of Isarey's Michigan Attestation and Apostille Services?
You can see reviews from past clients who have used our attestation and apostille services:
How can I obtain an apostille on a vital record certificate issued in Michigan?
Apostilles for Michigan marriage, death and birth certificates are obtained from the Michigan Secretary of State. To be eligible for an Apostille, certificates must be certified by the Michigan State Registrar of Vital Records, a Michigan County Clerk or designated deputy County Clerk, or City Clerk/Registrar (Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties only).
A certified copy is printed on special security paper and contains a raised, embossed seal. Uncertified originals or copies certified by a notary are not valid for an Apostille Stamp.
How can I obtain a new certified copy of a Michigan birth, death or marriage certificate suitable for an Apostille?
Certified copies of Michigan Birth, Death and Marriage Certificates can be obtained online from VitalChek, by mail or in person (with appointment) from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics), or from the Office of the County Clerk in the county where the death, birth or marriage was registered.
You may order copies of Michigan birth certificates for yourself or your child, as long as you are named on the record being ordered. Michigan death and marriage certificates are unrestricted.
Isarey can obtain certified copies of marriage and death certificates directly in Michigan for clients requiring an Apostille or Authentication (Certificate of Authority).
How can I obtain an Apostille for a Michigan Certificate of Incorporation?
Certified copies of Articles of Organization and Articles of Incorporation can be ordered online from the Corporations Division:
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
How can I get an Apostille on a Michigan Certificate of Good Standing?
A Michigan Certificate of Good Standing can be authenticated with an Apostille from the Secretary of State (Office of the Great Seal). Certificates of Good Standing for Michigan LLCs and corporations can be obtained online from:
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
How can I authenticate Michigan university degree certificates for use abroad?
Michigan university diplomas, transcripts and school certificates must be certified by a Michigan notary before being submitted to the Secretary of State for an Apostille. Contact the school or university to arrange a notarized certificate.
Michigan university degree certificates, course transcripts and high school diplomas can also be authenticated as notarized copies. A true copy is certified by a notary (this can often be done from a scan without having to submit the original) and then authenticated with an Apostille Stamp from the Washington DC Secretary of State. Authenticated documents can also be attested by the embassies of Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates.
For further information, see:
University Degrees and School Records
Can Michigan Apostilles be obtained on documents not written in English?
Yes - but an English translation of the document must be provided.
How can I get a quote to certify my documents?
To receive a quote, you can upload your documents using our online quotation form or send us your documents by email. After reviewing your documents and requirements, we will get back to you with a quotation:
If you don’t have the documents available, just describe the documents you need to certify, and we will get back to you with an estimation of cost and delivery times.
Using our quotation form, your documents will be uploaded over a secure connection and immediately encrypted on our server. For added protection, you can upload password-protected files and provide us with the passwords separately:
PDF,
PERSONAL DATA: If your documents contain personal data belonging to people outside your household, please ensure that you are authorised to share this data before uploading your documents. If your documents contain sensitive personal data, such as biometric data, medical data or data on criminal convictions, please ensure that you indicate this when prompted, upon submitting your documents. For further information on our processing of personal data contained in uploaded documents, please see:
Privacy Policy (Customer Inquiries)
For further information on confidentiality in our handling of document content please see:
Confidentiality (Client Content)