A New York divorce produces a certificate and a judgment, and consulates ask for them interchangeably. They come from different offices, take different routes and are not substitutes for one another — the judgment carries the terms, the certificate only proves the divorce happened.
Certificate of divorce
Issued by the New York State Department of Health. If it bears the signature of the Director of Vital Statistics or the NYS Registrar, it goes directly to the Department of State for the apostille with no County Clerk step. Note the exception in the city rules: New York City divorce certificates are handled through the state route rather than through NYC Health and Mental Hygiene like birth and death records.
Judgment of divorce
This is the court’s order and it comes from the County Clerk of the county where the case was heard. Because it is a court record certified by a County Clerk, that certification is what the Department of State authenticates. The Department does not obtain these for you — the county is the only source, and older files sometimes take the clerk’s office time to retrieve.
Which one does your consulate want? Immigration, residency and remarriage applications usually want the judgment because it contains the terms and the date of dissolution. Registry updates and name-change recognition often accept the certificate. If the instruction says only “divorce papers”, file both — it costs far less than discovering mid-application that you have the wrong one.
Send the complete certified record
Judgments run long and clients often send only the pages they think matter. The County Clerk certifies the document as a whole; a record that has been split, reordered or partially copied is no longer certified and will be refused. Send it exactly as the clerk issued it, exhibits included.
Fees and filing
$10 per document at the Department of State, plus County Clerk fees. Same-day walk-in service is available at the New York City, Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo and Utica counters, capped at ten documents per customer — which is worth knowing if you are filing a judgment alongside vital records for the same application.
How we handle it
- Tell us the destination country and what the receiving authority asked for. We identify whether you need the certificate, the judgment, or both.
- We obtain the certified copy from NYS DOH or from the County Clerk of the county of record.
- We file at the Department of State counter in person with the request form and payment.
- Certified translation runs in parallel where required.
- The apostilled originals return together by trackable courier.
Where do I get a certified copy of my New York divorce judgment?
From the County Clerk of the county where the divorce was granted. The Department of State does not obtain court records. Older files can take the clerk’s office additional time to retrieve.
Does a New York City divorce certificate follow the NYC route?
No. Divorce certificates are the exception — they are handled through the state route rather than through NYC Health and Mental Hygiene, which handles city birth and death records.
Can I send only part of the judgment?
No. The County Clerk certifies the document as a whole. Send the complete certified copy exactly as issued, exhibits included.
Do I need both the certificate and the judgment?
Often. Consulates vary and change requirements without notice. Filing both at once is far cheaper than a failed application.
My divorce was in another state but I live in New York.
New York can only apostille New York records. A decree from another state goes to that state’s competent authority — we file in all fifty states, so send it to us either way.
New York documents, filed at the counter
Tell us the document and the destination country. We confirm the certification chain before anything is filed, quote the exact total, and present it in person.
Start an order Ask a question firstCall (760) 469-2997 or email submissions@federalapostille.org.
