FAQ / What is the difference between a Divorce Certificate and a Divorce Decree?

Divorce Records

* DESCRIPTION: There are two types of divorce records:

Divorce Decree is the document prepared by the court, setting forth the terms and conditions of the divorce. It is signed by the judge and filed with the County Clerk of the County where the decree was issued.

Divorce Certificate is the document issued by State Department of Health confirming the fact of divorce granted on or after a certain date. The Divorce Certificate contains basic information about the husband and wife, and the date and place the marriage ended.
# LEGALIZATION: APOSTILLE: If the document is intended for use in a foreign country it has to be legalized (another word is “authenticated”) for foreign use. This is a process in which various seals are placed on the document. The legalization procedure basically depends on one factor: whether the target country has joined the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (“The Hague Convention”). In this case the only legalization required is an Apostille certificate. (Apostille is a French word which means a certification). A document bearing an Apostille is valid in all of the Hague countries.
# CONSULAR LEGLAIZATION: Many foreign jurisdictions have not joined the Hague Convention. If the document is intended for a non-Hague country the consular legalization will be required. Before the consulate or the embassy can stamp the document, the document has to be authenticated on the state and federal levels.
# LEGALIZATION REQUIREMENTS: Only certified copies of Divorce Decrees and Divorce Certificates can be legalized for use in foreign countries. Notarized or computer generated copies are not accepted.

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