Birth certificate apostille
Used for citizenship by descent, dual-nationality filings, foreign marriage, and school enrollment abroad.
What you need
A certified copy of the birth certificate — issued within the last few years, with a raised seal or the issuing county's certification. A photocopy or the version handed out at the hospital won't be accepted by the Secretary of State. If you're not sure your copy qualifies, send a photo before mailing anything and I'll tell you.
Where it was issued matters
A Washington State apostille only applies to a Washington-issued certificate. If the certificate was issued in another state, that state has to apostille it instead — see documents issued in another state in the FAQ.
Common destinations
International adoption dossiers and citizenship-by-descent filings (Italy, Poland, Ireland, Greece) are the two most common reasons this document crosses my desk. Both tend to have specific translation requirements on the receiving end — worth checking before you file.