Find the right guide for why you need a vital record — not just what type it is.
The fastest way to find the right guide is to start with your situation — the reason you need the document. Each guide below explains exactly which records are required, where to get them, and how to handle complications specific to that purpose.
Death certificates, how many copies to order, and the order to notify institutions when settling an estate.
What the State Dept. requires, what to do when names don't match, and timing tips for renewals and first-time applications.
Which records USCIS requires, certified translation requirements, and handling records that don't exist.
Marriage, divorce, court order — what records you need and the right order to update documents after a name change.
How to access records for deceased relatives, what's public, what isn't, and what to do when records are missing.
SSA requirements for benefits applications, survivor claims, and correcting name discrepancies in Social Security records.
Adoptee rights to original birth certificates by state, and how to access records in states that have opened their archives.
How to request vital records from a state you don't live in — step by step for birth, death, marriage, and divorce.