U.S. Divorce Decree Apostilled for Mexico
If you were married before and want to remarry in Mexico, the Registro Civil will ask for the court-certified divorce decree, with the state apostille and a Spanish translation. We obtain the certified copy from the county, have it apostilled and coordinate the translation.
Which Mexican offices ask for this document
These are the most common procedures; the receiving office may ask for more:
Civil Marriage of a Foreign National in Mexico
- The foreign spouse’s birth certificate, apostilled in the state or province of origin and translated into Spanish by a perito.
- If previously married: an apostilled divorce decree, or the former spouse’s death certificate, with its translation.
- Passport and proof of legal stay in Mexico; each state or municipality may add requirements (medical tests, pre-marital talks, witnesses, a single status statement).
Notary Procedures in Mexico: Property, Estates and Companies
- A power of attorney signed in the U.S. or Canada must be signed before a notary there and apostilled in that same state or province.
- Once in Mexico it is translated by a perito, and the notario usually formalizes it (protocolización) before it is used.
- Have the Mexican notario review the wording before you sign, so it includes the powers the transaction needs.
Which version works and which does not
An apostille can only go on a public document with the right signature and seal:
- Certified copy with the Clerk of Court’s signature and seal
- Attorney copies without court certification
- Mediation agreements or summaries
- State divorce certificates that do not contain the judgment, when the authority asks for the full judgment
How to prepare this document
Follow this order so the authority apostilles it and the Mexican office accepts it:
Order a certified copy from the county court that granted the divorce.
Apostille from that state’s Secretary of State.
Spanish translation by a perito traductor.
Which authority apostilles your document?
The apostille comes from a specific office, depending on where the document was issued or signed. Pick your case:
Document review needed
We do not yet have a confirmed route for this combination. We review your document before telling you where it goes.
Already living in Mexico?
Tell us the county and state where the divorce was granted. We request the certified copy from the court, have it apostilled in that state and send it to you in Mexico with its translation.
1. Online review
Send us a photo or scan of the document. We check the signature, seal and authority before you send anything.
2. Shipping originals
If the procedure needs the original, we tell you how to send it by tracked courier or collect it from your address.
3. Delivery to your door
We send the apostilled document and, if you asked for it, the translation by a perito anywhere in Mexico.
Translation by a perito traductor
Mexican offices usually ask for documents in English or French to be translated into Spanish by a perito traductor authorized by the state judiciary. The translation normally includes the apostille. Each office decides which peritos it accepts: some only take peritos from their own state.
Usual timelines
These are the authorities’ timelines; shipping and translation are on top:
Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them
Filing a plain copy without court certification.
Bringing only the first page of the judgment when the Registro Civil asks for the complete document.
Apostille questions: Divorce Decree
I do not have a copy of my divorce. Can it be ordered from Mexico?
Yes. It is requested from the archive of the county court that granted it. Court times vary, so it is best to start early.
Will the state-issued divorce certificate work?
It depends on the authority. Many civil registries prefer the court-certified judgment; if you only have the state certificate, we check with you what is being requested before apostilling.
I was married in the U.S. What do I need to remarry in Mexico?
Normally the court-certified divorce decree, with the state apostille and a perito translation. If the previous marriage ended with a spouse’s death, the apostilled and translated death certificate is filed instead. Some states add local requirements.
We help you in Mexico
- Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH): https://www.hcch.net/es/instruments/conventions/specialised-sections/apostille
Pre-review: Divorce Decree
Before any paper moves, we review your document: who issued it, whether the signature and seal can be apostilled and what the Mexican office needs. You get the timeline and a quote in writing.
Pre-review: Divorce Decree
We check the authority, signature and seal, and send you a quote before you ship the original.