Haitian civil status records — birth, marriage and death certificates — are held by the national archives in Haiti. Consulates in the United States can request and legalise them on your behalf, which removes the need for a relative to queue in Port-au-Prince, though the timing depends on what the archives actually hold.
Quick facts
The more precisely you can identify the record — full name as registered, date, place and the registrar’s details — the better the chance of it being found quickly.
Fees breakdown
| Service | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Request for a civil status record | Consular tariff | Birth, marriage or death |
| Legalisation of the record | Consular tariff | About five business days |
| National identity card | Consular tariff | Consulates assist with the process |
| Certificate or attestation | Consular tariff | Issued by the consulate |
| Certified translation into English | Per page | For use with U.S. authorities |
For a record that will be used before U.S. authorities, plan for both the legalisation and a certified translation, since the two serve different purposes.
How to file
- Collect everything you know about the record: names as registered, date, commune and registrar.
- Ask the consulate covering your area for the request form for that type of record.
- Submit it with your identification and the fee.
- Wait for the archives to locate the record, which varies widely by case.
- Have the document legalised at the same post.
- Arrange a certified translation if a U.S. authority will receive it.
Required documents
- Identification of the person making the request.
- Evidence of the relationship where the record concerns someone else.
- All available registration details of the event.
- Completed request form.
- Payment in the accepted form.
- Return envelope where the post offers a mail service.
Where to file
At the consulate covering your area. Posts serve assigned states and handle legalisation for documents created within them.
Consulate General of Haiti
View details →BostonConsulate General of Haiti
View details →Chevy ChaseEmbassy of Haiti
View details →ChicagoConsulate General of Haiti in Chicago
View details →MiamiGeneral Consulate of Haiti in Miami
View details →MobileConsulate General of Haiti
View details →New OrleansConsulate General of Haiti
View details →New YorkThe Consulate General of Haiti in New York
View details →OrlandoConsulate General of Haiti in Orlando
View details →WashingtonEmbassy of the Republic of Haiti
View details →Additional notes
Older records
Records from decades ago can take considerably longer to locate, and in some cases are incomplete. Start early and be as precise as possible.
Identity card
The national identity card is a separate document from the passport, and consulates support the process for the diaspora.
Translations
A certified translation communicates the content; legalisation certifies the origin. U.S. authorities frequently want both.
Keep spares
Because obtaining a record can be slow, request more than one copy when it finally arrives.