Versions
Many states issue two certified versions: one with cause of death (restricted to family and legal representatives) and one without. Foreign pension funds and insurers often require cause of death; civil registries for remarriage or citizenship generally do not. Order the version the receiving party specifies.
Who can order
Spouses, parents, children, siblings, executors and attorneys of the estate; eligibility and ID requirements vary by state. Funeral homes usually obtain the first certified copies on the family’s behalf; those are registrar-certified and apostillable. A photocopy from the funeral home’s file is not.
Where the apostille comes from
The competent authority of the state where the death was registered (the state where the death occurred), regardless of residence or burial location. If the death occurred abroad and was reported to a U.S. consulate, the Consular Report of Death Abroad is a federal document — see federal documents.
Typical uses
- Foreign estate and inheritance proceedings — courts and notaries in Italy, Spain, Mexico, Germany, Greece and elsewhere require an apostilled death certificate with translation, often alongside the will or letters testamentary.
- Pension and survivor benefits — Social Security–equivalent agencies abroad.
- Repatriation of remains — the consulate of the destination country typically requires the apostilled certificate, a burial-transit permit and embalming certificate (the permits are state/local documents, frequently also apostilled).
- Citizenship by descent — death certificates of ancestors in the lineage.
- Remarriage abroad — proof the prior marriage ended.
Translation and recency
Translate after the apostille. Recency windows are less common for death certificates than for birth or marriage records, but Italian and Spanish consulates frequently apply 6–12-month rules for citizenship files.
Common reasons for rejection
- Funeral home photocopy
- Certified copy signed by a registrar no longer on file
- Wrong version (cause of death required or prohibited by the receiver)
- Sent to state of residence rather than state of death
Frequently asked questions
Can the funeral home get the apostille?
Funeral homes can obtain certified copies but rarely handle apostilles. The family or a service submits the certified copy to the state.
The death occurred abroad. Where is the certificate apostilled?
If the foreign authority issued it, that country’s competent authority apostilles it — not a U.S. office. A U.S. Consular Report of Death Abroad is a federal document.
Is there a recency rule?
Not from the apostille office. Some consulates want copies issued within 6–12 months for citizenship files.
