If you or your child was born in New York City and you have been told that the birth certificate needs to be authenticated for use abroad, the process involves several government steps. For a NYC birth certificate, you need to start with the correct version of the birth certificate, complete the required County Clerk certification, and then obtain a Certificate of Authentication from the New York Department of State. Depending on the country where the document will be used, additional federal authentication or legalization may also be required. In this guide, I’ll explain the NYC birth certificate authentication process step by step and how I can help if you don’t live in New York or simply don’t want to navigate the different government offices yourself.
Hello, I’m Corinne JOX, founder of Oui Oui Oui. I help clients from around the world obtain New York City documents and prepare them for international use. Many of the people who contact me no longer live in New York or even in the United States. My goal is to make the process easier and handle as much of the New York side as possible on their behalf.
What Do You Need to Authenticate a NYC Birth Certificate?
For the authentication process, you need a Long Form Birth Certificate with a Letter of Exemplification issued by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
The Long Form contains additional information from the birth record, and the Letter of Exemplification accompanies the certificate for authentication purposes.
Once you have these documents, they can proceed through the required New York certification and authentication steps.
How to Authenticate a NYC Birth Certificate
The New York portion of the process involves three main steps.
Step 1: Obtain the Long Form Birth Certificate With a Letter of Exemplification
The first step is obtaining a Long Form Birth Certificate with a Letter of Exemplification from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. You can request the birth certificate online, by mail, or in person. When ordering it for authentication purposes, make sure you select Apostille/Authentication as the reason for your request so that the appropriate documents are issued. If you request the certificate in person, an appointment is required.
Step 2: Have the Documents Certified by the Manhattan County Clerk
Once you have the Long Form Birth Certificate and Letter of Exemplification, the next step is to have the documents certified by the New York County Clerk in Manhattan. The County Clerk certifies the signature on the birth record so that the documents can proceed to the New York Department of State. Once this certification is completed, your documents are ready for the Certificate of Authentication.
Step 3: Obtain the New York State Certificate of Authentication
After the County Clerk certification is completed, the documents can be submitted to the New York Department of State. For documents that will be used in countries requiring authentication rather than an Apostille, the Department of State issues a Certificate of Authentication. At this point, the New York State portion of the authentication process is complete. However, depending on the destination country, additional steps may still be required.
Do I Need Federal Authentication?
Possibly. For some countries, your document may need to be authenticated by the U.S. Department of State after the New York State Certificate of Authentication has been issued. This is a separate federal step. Whether federal authentication is required depends on the country where the birth certificate will be used and the requirements of the authority receiving the document.
Do I Need Embassy or Consulate Legalization?
Possibly. Some countries may require the document to be legalized by their embassy or consulate after the required U.S. authentication steps have been completed.
Authentication or Apostille?
If you already know that your birth certificate requires authentication, you can follow the authentication process described on this page. If you’re not sure which certification you need, the destination country is important. An Apostille is generally used for countries participating in the Hague Apostille Convention, while a Certificate of Authentication is used for documents being presented in countries outside the Convention.
Can I Complete the Authentication Process Myself?
Yes. You can handle the New York authentication process yourself. First, obtain the Long Form Birth Certificate with a Letter of Exemplification from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Next, have the documents certified by the Manhattan County Clerk. Then submit them to the New York Department of State for the Certificate of Authentication. If your destination country requires additional federal authentication or embassy legalization, you will need to complete those steps afterward.
What If I Live Outside New York?
You do not necessarily need to travel back to New York just because your birth certificate needs authentication. Many people who need this service were born in New York but now live elsewhere in the United States or abroad. Parents may also need to authenticate the NYC birth certificate of a child after the family has moved outside New York. Depending on your situation, I can help coordinate the New York portion of the process and complete the required certification and authentication steps. Once the process I am handling is complete, your documents can be shipped to you with tracking.
I Can Help With the Authentication Process
If you’re abroad or simply don’t have time to handle the process yourself, I can help make the New York portion much easier. Depending on your situation and eligibility, I can help with obtaining the appropriate Long Form Birth Certificate with the Letter of Exemplification. I can then handle the Manhattan County Clerk certification and submit the documents to the New York Department of State for the Certificate of Authentication. If your destination country requires additional federal authentication or consular legalization, contact me with the country where the document will be used so we can determine what is required and which parts of the process I can assist with.
How Much Does NYC Birth Certificate Authentication Cost?
If you complete the New York portion of the process yourself, there are several government fees to consider. A NYC Long Form Birth Certificate with a Letter of Exemplification costs $15 per copy, plus any applicable processing fee depending on how you order it. The Manhattan County Clerk certification costs $3, and the New York Department of State charges $10 per Certificate of Authentication. Additional fees may apply if your document requires federal authentication, embassy or consulate legalization, shipping, or other services. If you would like me to handle the process for you, my service fee is separate from the government fees. Contact me and tell me about your situation and the country where the document will be used, and I will provide you with a quote.
What Is a Letter of Exemplification?
A Letter of Exemplification is an additional document issued with the Long Form Birth Certificate for authentication purposes.
The birth certificate and Letter of Exemplification proceed together through the required New York certification process.
Where Do I Order a NYC Birth Certificate?
Birth certificates for people born in the five boroughs of New York City are issued by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Eligible applicants can request a birth certificate online, by mail, or in person.
Can I Authenticate My Child's NYC Birth Certificate?
Yes.
If your child was born in New York City and the birth certificate needs to be authenticated for use abroad, you can obtain the Long Form Birth Certificate with a Letter of Exemplification and complete the required authentication process.