I recently got divorced in Costa Rica. I live in the United States and hired a lawyer in Costa Rica to represent me.

Question

My lawyer is asking me if I want an official English translation of my divorce decree from the “Casa Amarilla” that would include an apostille. He said in order for the decree to be used or recognized in the United States, it must have the apostille. I called a lawyers office here in Washington and was told that all i need is a copy of the divorce decree that has been registered by the court that issued it, and that I can have the decree translated here if I ever need to use it in the future. They said the apostille is unnecessary. The process of getting the apostille seems expensive. I dont want to do it if its unnecessary.   
 
Can anyone verify what I was told? Is it necessary to have an apostille from Costa Rica on the English translation in order for it to be used here? Or should I just get a certified copy of my decree from the court sent to me in Spanish and have it translated here in Washington if it is ever necessary?

Stanislav Kshevitskii · Answer

Both the U.S. and Costa Rica are signatories of the 1961 Hague Convention which abolished the requirement that U.S. consular officers authenticate Costa Rican civil documents for use in the United States. The Convention became effective in Costa Rica in 2011. 
The Government of Costa Rica can place an apostille stamp on the Costa Rican civil document (such birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, and documents executed by Costa Rican schools, universities or Notary Publics) should be done at The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto de Costa Rica) located in avenue 7-9, street 11-13 San José, contact number (506) 2223-7555.

James L. Arrasmith · Answer

It’s important to ensure your divorce decree is properly recognized in the United States. An apostille authenticates the document for international use between countries that are part of the Hague Apostille Convention, which includes both Costa Rica and the U.S. This means that having an apostille on your divorce decree or its translation can streamline its acceptance by U.S. authorities. 
 
However, if a U.S. lawyer advised that a certified copy registered by the Costa Rican court is sufficient, it might depend on where and how you plan to use the decree in the U.S. Some institutions may accept a certified copy without an apostille, especially if you handle the translation locally.  
 
To avoid unnecessary expenses, consider confirming with the specific U.S. entity that will require the decree. They can provide precise requirements, ensuring you only obtain what’s needed. This approach can save you time and money while ensuring your documents are properly prepared for their intended use.

Q: I recently got divorced in Costa Rica. I live in the United States and hired a lawyer in Costa Rica to represent me.