Authentication of US Birth Certificates (Using WI as an Example)

1) If you do not already have LONG FORM (long form has more detailed information on them)
CERTIFIED copies of your (and/or all your family members) birth certificate/s (just FYI, you can also
have marriage/divorce/and even death certificates authenticated too) from the state you/they were
born in, order them immediately. (website to order copies, visit here> https://vitalchek.com/and
click the “Order Now” button to order.) Choose the State. If/when it asks you the reason you are
ordering the certificate/s, choose “Long Form”, “Apostille/Authentication”, or “Legal Purposes”.

• I strongly advise you to order more than one copy of each since they charge the most for
the 1st copy and then you can order additional copies for only a fraction of the cost of the
first one. (For WI, example; 1st copy $20, additional copies only $3 each if ordered on the
same order.)

• I cannot speak for all states but in my state (WI), since I made more than one order on
the same day, I chose expedited delivery for one, and regular delivery for the other, and I
received both orders within 2 days of each other. So, in my opinion, the expedited
delivery fee is just a scam to get more $ out of you.
2) ***** Once your certified birth certificate copies arrive, a Non-HCCH (aka a Non-Hague
Convention Country) Country MUST be chosen and listed on both forms in steps 3 & 4 for this to
work, see this list of acceptable countries here> https://www.hcch.net/en/states/other-
connected-parties (A few examples are Bahamas, Columbia, Ghana, Haiti, Liberia, Madagascar)
****** SUPER IMPORTANT!! Not getting this part correct will result in NOT getting Authenticated!
3) Complete the simple 1-page request form from the state you have certificates needing to be
authenticated in. (To find the authentication request document specific to the state you need, do
an internet search for “State of birth certificate authentication”. It’ usually found on the
Secretary of State website (so please do not be fooled by other sites that may pop up in your
search results.) (Remember, you must authenticate certificates within the state they were
originally issued in, not the state you are currently living in (unless you are still living in the state
where you were born.)) (See attached example on page 3) of how to complete the State of WI form
properly, it should be similar for most other states.) Wherever on the form it asks for the Country
(with the exception of where it’s asking for your mailing address) is where you must list the Non-
Hague Country you chose back in step 2. Mail to the Secretary of State using a trackable service
(USPS Priority Mail is what I prefer and use), the completed form, the certificate/s for that state, a
money order payable to “Secretary of State” to cover the total for all (in WI it’s $10 per certificate),
and a postage paid trackable self-addressed (USPS Priority Mail is what I prefer and use) envelope
(with tracking #) for them to use to mail your completed certificate/s back to you in. (When you
receive your authenticated certificates back, do NOT take the Authentication Certificate that is
attached to them off or they will be NULL & VOID) (In Aug 2020, state of WI took approximately 2-
3wks to send our authenticated ones back) Mail to the address given for authentications in the
instructions area on the Secretary of State website for that state. The following website and mailing
address are only applicable for the state of WI:
https://sos.wi.gov/apostilles.htm Secretary of State Certification Desk
P.O. Box 7848
Madison WI 53707-7848
4) Next you will fill out another simple 1-page authentication request form DS-
4194, it is the one for the US Department of State (federal side which oversees
ALL the states). (See attached example (page 4) of how to complete this form
properly.) Here is the US Department of State webpage with the details and
downloadable blank form> https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/records-
and-authentications/authenticate-your- document/requesting-authentication-
services.html Mail with trackable service (USPS Priority Mail is what I prefer and
use), the completed form, all the certificate/s you received back from the
Secretary of State with the Authentication Certificate still attached, a money
order made payable to “U.S. Department of State” to cover thetotal for all (at
$20 per certificate), and a postage paid trackable self-addressed (USPS Priority
Mail is what I prefer and use) envelope (with tracking #) for them to use to mail
your completed certificate/s back to you in. <<<Make sure you list the tracking #
of this one in the “Section 2: Shipping Details” line that says, “Tracking Number”
of the completed DS-4194 form before sealing and sending to them. In "Section
4: Document Information" where it says, "Country of Use (Outside U.S.) this is
where you must list the Non-Hague Country you chose back in step 2. (It does
not matter which state/s the certificates came from; they will ALL go to the US
Department of State since they are the overseers of ALL states). (In Aug 2020, it
took 9wks for ours to come back to us and I had 9 certificates from 2 different
states included in one)
Mail to: Office of Authentications
U.S. Department of State
CA/PPT/S/TO/AUT
44132 Mercure Circle
P.O. Box 1206
Sterling, VA 20166-1206
 Wisconsin Secretary of State
Authentication and Apostille Certificate Order Form

1. CONTACT INFORMATION: Name, address, and phone # of person filling out this form.
Name: John Doe Smith
Address: 123 Easy Lane
Milwaukee WI 53212
Phone #: (414) 123-4567
Email: [email protected]

2. COUNTRY: Which country requires the Apostille or Authentication? (NOT USA)

Choose a non-HCCH (aka a non-Hague) Country to put here. A few examples are Bahamas, Columbia, Ghana, Haiti, Liberia, Madagascar

3. If country listed above is VENEZUELA OR ARGENTINA ONLY check one option below.
Apostille or X Authentication
4. FEES:
Standard Service - $10.00 per document (3 – 10 business day processing time)
Expedited Service - $35.00 per document (1-3 business day processing time)
PROCESSING TIMES DO NOT INCLUDE SHIPPING TIME AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO
UNEXPECTED STAFF SHORTAGES OR UNUSUAL WORK VOLUME.

Total Documents 3 x$10.00 = 30.00 (standard)

Total Documents x$35.00 = (expedited)

The Office of the Secretary of State does not accept credit cards. You may submit money orders,
cash, or checks (personal or business) which include a preprinted name, address, and are NOT
starter checks. Make checks payable in U.S. dollars, to Secretary of State.

5. RETURNING DOCUMENTS (Please mark one option.)

X Self-addressed, stamped envelope

Elect preprinted waybill for UPS or FedEx Express – do not use FedEx Ground or
handwritten carbon-copy air bills – If carbon copy air bills or FedEx ground service is
used, your document will be shipped back via regular mail service.

U. S. Postal Service: FedEx or UPS:

Secretary of State Certification Desk Secretary of State Certification Desk
P.O. Box 7848 State Capitol Mailroom
Madison WI 53707-7848 17 W. Main St. Madison WI 53703
For office use only

For Office Use Only

Apos #
Apos or Auth. X
Date / /
Initials
Expedited Fee
Credit #
Credit $
 U.S. Department of State OMB Control Number: 1405-0254
Expiration: 01-31-2025
REQUEST FOR AUTHENTICATIONS SERVICE Estimated Burden: 10 minutes
Type or print using black ink when completing this form.
Service Number
SECTION 1: CUSTOMER CONTACT INFORMATION
Person of Contact’s Name (Last, First, MI) Suffix/Prefix Email Date (mm/dd/yyyy)
Smith, John, D. [email protected] 01/01/2023
Phone: Cell Home or Work Extension Case Type (If Federal Agency Must Be Official Business)
(123) 456-7890 Individual ☐ Company ☐ Federal Agency Specify:
Mailing Address
Line 1
123 Easy Lane
Line 2 #456

City State/Province Country Zip Code

MyCity MyState USA 54321
SECTION 2: SHIPPING DETAILS
(Please complete this section ONLY if you are shipping the documents.)
Delivery Method: ☐ Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope ☐ UPS ☐ DHL ☐ Other 9000800070006000500040
Tracking Number:
(USPS # of 1 coming back 2 u)
SECTION 3: COURIER/REPRESENTATIVE CONTACT INFORMATION
Are you submitting/retrieving this request on behalf of Name (Last, First, MI)
another individual? ☐ YES ☐ NO Not Applicable
Company Phone Extension
Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable
(Note: Use Continuation Sheet for mail-in
SECTION 4: DOCUMENT INFORMATION requests exceeding 15 documents .)
Country of Use Document Type Number of Processing Fee Document Label
(Outside U.S.) Documents Per Document (For Official Use Only)
Bahamas, The Birth Certificate 1 $20 (1)

Received:
OP:
DATE:
CK#:
Cash:
DE:
DATE:

No FEE
No COU
No DOC
No RTN ENV

SECTION 5: PROJECTED COST

Document Total: 1 x $20.00 per Estimated Cost:
$20.00
document
For Official Use Only
Specialist Notes: Incorrect Fees Problem with Doc Rejection
Date: Call Email Specialist:
Date: Call Email Specialist:
Date: Call Email Specialist:
DS-4194 01-2023 Page 2 of 2