Certified copy or informational: which to order in the USA
In the USA, the same certificate exists in versions with and without legal value — and some states sell both on the same form, at similar prices. Ticking the wrong box means receiving a paper no proceeding accepts. This guide organises the choices once and for all.
Certified vs informational
- Certified copy — on security paper, with a seal (embossed or multicoloured) and the registrar's signature: the legal document, apostillable.
- Informational copy — the same information, marked “informational, not a valid document to establish identity”: it serves research and genealogy; for proceedings, no.
- Restrictive states use the distinction as access control: anyone buys the informational; the certified requires eligibility.
Long form vs abstract
Another American fork: some states issue the long form (the complete image of the original record) and the abstract/short form (a typed extract of the main fields). Proceedings with parentage analysis prefer the long form — and some bodies require it by name. When ordering, write: “certified long form copy” — the four words that avoid the second round.
The special federal documents
- CRBA (Consular Report of Birth Abroad) — the “birth” of Americans born outside: issued by the Department of State, federal apostille.
- Naturalisation and immigration: USCIS certificates and entry records (NARA) — federal counters, with their own certified-copy procedures.
- Military: records at federal archives (NPRC) — yet another door.
- The moral: not every American document is state-level; identify the issuer before choosing the apostille counter.
The typical package for use in Brazil
A certified (long form) copy + the state's Secretary of State apostille + sworn translation in Brazil. Mind the American particularities in the chain: middle names that appear and vanish, married surnames, and dates in month/day/year format — points the sworn translation solves with notes, as long as the translator is told about the whole chain.
Frequently asked questions
Is the embossed seal mandatory?+
What counts is the state's certification — embossing, security paper or a verifiable digital seal, per the local standard. The apostille then authenticates the registrar's signature; without the certified copy, there is nothing to apostille.
Does an apostilled informational copy count?+
No — the apostille does not turn a document without legal value into a legal document. Secretaries of State refuse to apostille informational copies.
Informative content about request procedures. We do not cover citizenship or visa eligibility. Rules and amounts may change; always confirm before acting.