Citizenship by Descent

Apostille for Citizenship by Descent

Claiming citizenship through your ancestors requires apostilled birth certificates, marriage records, and naturalization documents. We review and process documents from our Miami office.

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Documents We Apostille

Birth certificate (applicant)

Birth certificate (parent / grandparent)

Marriage certificate (parent / grandparent)

Death certificate (ancestor, if applicable)

Naturalization certificate (ancestor)

Divorce decree (if applicable)

Name change order

Passport copy (notarized)

Affidavit of lineage (notarized)

Church / baptismal records (notarized)

Immigration records (notarized)

DNA test results (notarized, if required)

Frequently Asked Questions

What documents need to be apostilled for citizenship by descent?

Most countries require apostilled birth certificates for each generation in the lineage — applicant, parent, and grandparent. Marriage certificates, death certificates, and naturalization records for ancestors may also be required.

How many generations back can I claim citizenship by descent?

It depends on the country. Portugal, Italy, and Lithuania allow claims through grandparents or great-grandparents. Germany and Poland generally require a direct parent-child link. We can advise on specific country requirements.

Do I need to apostille documents from multiple states?

Yes. If your ancestors were born or married in different states, each document must be apostilled by the Secretary of State of the issuing state. We coordinate multi-state apostille processing.

Can old or historical documents be apostilled?

Yes. Certified copies of historical birth and marriage records can be apostilled. We work with county clerks and vital records offices to obtain certified copies of older documents.

Get Your Apostille Today

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Prepare your documents with confidence

For descent or dual-nationality paperwork, organize records by generation and relationship. Identify missing links and changed names before ordering certified copies and translations.

A citizenship-by-descent file is built around relationships across generations, not just a single certificate. The responsible consulate, registry or legal professional should confirm eligibility and the exact records it needs. Authentication can support the use of a record abroad, but it does not establish citizenship or resolve a discrepancy in a family record.

Check that all pages, certification sheets and attachments are present. Keep the recipient’s written instructions and confirm where completed documents should be delivered. Timing is confirmed after document review and depends on preparation, the competent authority, translation and delivery.

Tell us the document, its issuer, destination country and intended use, and your deadline. We will review preparation, translation and delivery options before confirming an estimate and timing. Ask for instructions before mailing originals. Please mail with a tracking number.

Build a list linking each person and generation with the civil records requested by the receiving office.

Identify name changes, spelling differences, missing records and amendments before ordering apostilles.

Confirm accepted certified-copy formats, translations and whether separate supporting evidence is requested.

Does an apostilled family record establish citizenship eligibility?

No. The receiving authority evaluates eligibility and the evidence linking generations. Confirm its current checklist so you authenticate the records needed for the application.

What should I confirm before requesting an estimate?

Provide the document, issuer, destination, intended use, number of copies and deadline. Include the recipient’s checklist if available. This allows preparation, certification, translation and delivery to be reviewed before a cost estimate is confirmed.