How a Florida marriage certificate is used in Brazil
When a Brazilian marries in Florida, the marriage is transcribed into the Brazilian register under CNJ Resolution 155/2012, at the 1º Ofício de Registro Civil of the couple's district in Brazil, or in Brasília without a Brazilian address. Besides the apostilled Florida certificate and its sworn Portuguese translation, the cartório asks for the Brazilian spouse's birth certificate (or proof a prior marriage ended), proof of domicile and a signed request. Names are the usual trap: the Brazilian spouse's names on the Florida certificate should match their Brazilian documents letter for letter.
Translation for Brazil
Our general rule for translations is certified by the translator, notarized by a separate notary and apostilled in Florida, but Brazil instead requires its own public translators. Under Law 14.195/2021, only a tradutor e intérprete público registered with a Brazilian Junta Comercial gives a translation public faith in Brazil, and the original-language document must accompany it. Apostille in Florida first, then have a Brazilian public translator translate the apostilled original, and ask whether the apostille page must be translated too.
What your Florida marriage certificate must look like
Two versions can be apostilled: a certified copy from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics (signed by the State Registrar; the $10 state apostille fee applies) or a certified copy from the Clerk of Court in the county that issued the license (the $20 state fee applies). The decorative certificate from the ceremony and church certificates cannot be apostilled. Vital Statistics copies certified before 2014 must be replaced; order a new one through VitalChek or the county clerk. The state fee is included in our price either way.
Step by step: marriage certificate apostille for Brazil
- Order online — pick "Marriage certificate" and "Brazil" on the order form; $220 per document, $380 for two, $160 each for three or more.
- Send a photo — reply to the confirmation email with a picture of the document. We check the certification before anything ships, so a defect is caught before it costs you a round trip.
- Drop it at FedEx — after approval, FedEx emails you a prepaid QR code; show it at any FedEx Office or Ship Center, no printer or label needed.
- Filed in person in Tallahassee — we walk the document into the Florida Department of State and ship the apostilled original back by FedEx within 5–7 business days of receipt — to your U.S. address, or to Brazil with international return shipping (+$100).
One Florida apostille is all the U.S. side needs for Brazil. Whatever the office there asks for after that — a translation, a filing deadline — is covered above.