U.S. Marriage Certificate Notarization and Authentication / Phone 518-956-5673

Authentication of U.S. Marriage Certificates

When couples married in the United States return to China to handle procedures such as property purchase or divorce, they need to provide authenticated documents of their U.S. marriage certificate, specifically the three-level authentication from the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in the United States.

With years of experience in handling U.S. marriage certificate authentication, our colleagues in the United States visit embassies and notary offices daily, ensuring efficient processing of your documents.

Required Materials for U.S. Marriage Certificate Authentication

1. Scanned copy of the U.S. marriage certificate;
2. Scanned copies of both spouses' passports;
3. Power of Attorney;
4. Declaration Letter;
5. Authentication Application Form;

Process for Notarization and Authentication of U.S. Marriage Certificates

1. After receiving the marriage certificate, take it to the local County Clerk's office for authentication. Before authentication, the scanned copy of the marriage certificate should first be notarized by a local Notary Public or a "Certified Copy" should be issued by the relevant authority.
2. Take the materials authenticated by the County Clerk to the Secretary of State for further authentication;
3. Take the documents authenticated by the Secretary of State to the Chinese Embassy/Consulate in the United States for final authentication. The Chinese Embassy authentication is the last step, and once you receive the authenticated document from the Chinese Embassy, the three-level authentication process is complete.

Processing Time for U.S. Marriage Certificate Authentication

The authentication of a U.S. marriage certificate typically takes about 10-15 working days (including shipping time from the United States to China).

Sample of U.S. Marriage Certificate Authentication