How to get a duplicate birth or divorce certificate while abroad: complete instructions 2026

Sooner or later, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians living abroad face the same situation: they need an official document from Ukraine, but are unable to travel there. Applying for a residence permit, registering a marriage abroad, opening a bank account, or confirming a child’s citizenship—in all these situations, you may need birth, marriage, or divorce certificates, and often with an apostille.

The good news: you don’t have to travel to Ukraine to get them. The bad news: without understanding the procedure, it’s easy to waste months and end up with a document that won’t work.

Step 1. Before ordering—find out the requirements of the receiving party

The most costly mistake is to obtain a duplicate and then discover that it isn’t suitable for a specific institution. So first—ask questions, then—submit documents.

Check with the receiving authority: is an apostille required (most EU countries, the U.S., the U.K., and Australia require it; for the Standesamt in Germany, an apostille is a standard requirement for Ukrainian documents); what type of translation is accepted—a notarized one from Ukraine or only a certified one in the country of submission (there is no institution of sworn translators in Ukraine, so you should ask the specific authority separately); is there a requirement regarding the “recentness” of the document (some institutions accept certificates issued no earlier than 6 months ago); is the original required, or is a certified copy sufficient.

Step 2. Is your old document acceptable—or do you need a duplicate?

If the civil status registration certificate was issued by Ukrainian authorities before 2016, an apostille can only be affixed to it after obtaining a new-style duplicate from any branch of the State Registry of Civil Status Acts (DRACS) in territory controlled by Ukraine.

The document may be intact and bear the original seal—but an apostille will not be affixed to it because its form is not listed in the Ministry of Justice’s digital registry. First—a duplicate, then—an apostille.

Check your document: if it was issued before 2016, you need a duplicate for the apostille; if the document is damaged or contains corrections, you also need a duplicate; if the record is missing from the Civil Registry Office registry, you must first have the record updated.

Step 3. Three ways to obtain a duplicate

Option A. A Ukrainian consulate or embassy abroad. Duplicate certificates are issued at Ukrainian embassies and consulates that have been granted such authority. However, there is a significant limitation: a certificate obtained through a consulate cannot be apostilled. If you need a document with an apostille, this option is not suitable. Additionally: the waiting list for appointments at most consulates is booked months in advance. Suitable for obtaining certificates and extracts when an apostille is not required.

Option B. State Enterprise “Document” (centers abroad). Centers operate in Berlin, Cologne, Warsaw, and some other cities and can forward a request to Ukraine. They act as intermediaries—the document is prepared in Ukraine, with corresponding processing times. If the document is an older version, an apostille will not be issued until a duplicate is obtained through the Civil Registry Office. Suitable for standard situations without a strict deadline.

Option С. Attorney’s Request. The attorney acts under a legal services agreement—without a power of attorney from the client, remotely. The attorney’s request is processed by the Civil Registry Office (DRACS) more quickly than a standard application. The request can be immediately formulated to issue a duplicate with an apostille—this eliminates a separate step and shortens the overall timeframe. At the same time, the lawyer coordinates with the translator and notary to avoid wasting time after receiving the document. Suitable for any situation, especially urgent ones.

Step 4. Required Documents

To proceed through a lawyer: a copy of your passport (foreign or domestic); a copy of the old certificate—if available; if not, provide the exact details: date and place of the incident, full names of all persons involved; a legal services agreement (signed remotely).

If you are obtaining a notarized power of attorney from a local notary abroad, it must be apostilled and translated into Ukrainian with a notarized certification of the translation.

Step 5. Correct sequence: duplicate → apostille → translation → delivery

A duplicate is issued by the Civil Registry Office (DRAZS)—through a lawyer within 1–3 business days, or independently within 30 days. The Ministry of Justice affixes the apostille to the Civil Registry Office certificates — within 3 business days, 670 UAH for individuals in 2026. A request made through a lawyer can cover both procedures at once. Translation — notarized in Ukraine is acceptable for most EU countries; if the authority requires a sworn translator, it is ordered in the destination country. Delivery — via courier service (DHL, FedEx, etc.) directly to you or to the institution.

If the deadline is tight: the translator and notary are engaged in advance and receive a draft based on the old document—so that on the day the apostilled duplicate is received, the entire process can be completed in a single day.

Common mistakes

You obtained a duplicate through the consulate—and it’s not eligible for an apostille. Certificates issued by the consulate cannot be apostilled. If you need an apostille, you must obtain it from the Civil Registry Office (DRACS) in Ukraine.

You tried to get an apostille on a document issued before 2016—and your request was denied. The Ministry of Justice rejects documents that are not in the digital registry. A duplicate is required.

You ordered a notarized translation in Ukraine for Poland. Poland requires a sworn translator—a Polish authority may not accept a notarized translation from Ukraine. Requirements must be clarified in advance.

We waited a month in line at the consulate, whereas a lawyer’s request would have yielded results in 3 days. The tools and timelines are fundamentally different.

Enwolt solves these problems

We sign the contract remotely, submit a lawyer’s request with an apostille, coordinate the translator and notary simultaneously—and send the result by courier directly to you or to the institution. Contact us for a consultation—we’ll review your documents and provide a realistic timeline.