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Applying for Dual Citizenship

The Massachusetts Archives does not offer advice or special services for patrons interested in applying for dual citizenship. We do not work with the consulate offices that review applications and cannot intercede on behalf of researchers.

If you’re seeking dual citizenship, here are answers to some frequently asked questions that may help you navigate the process.

If you need certified vital records:

The Massachusetts Archives can issue state certified copies of births, marriage, and death records for the years 1841-1930.

All certified copies issued by the Massachusetts Archives are “long form” certificates and include all the information that was recorded at the time of the event. However, certain information that may be required by the consulate is not always present on the original record.

Depending on the original record’s format, certified copies issued by the Massachusetts Archives will be in one of two forms:

  • A full transcription of the relevant record from the original vital record register book
  • A printed image of the original vital record certificate

To place an order for certified copies of records, please mail or email the complete Application for Certified Vital Records to the Archives staff.

  • You can request a maximum of five different certificates at a time, and you can request up to five copies of each distinct record.
  • The cost is $3.00 USD per certificate.
  • All certificates will be sent through U.S. mail, and turnaround time can range from 1-4 weeks. We do not offer expedited shipping, and we cannot issue same-day certificates for those who place an order in person.

Refer to Researching Vital Records at the Massachusetts Archives for more information about obtaining copies of vital records.

If you are looking for state certified vital records from 1931 to the present, please contact the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics for assistance.

If you need to change the information contained on a vital record:

All certified records issued by the Massachusetts Archives must accurately reflect the information contained on the original record. Spelling variations and other minor discrepancies are extremely common on vital records.

If you receive a certified copy and a name is not spelled as expected, we unfortunately cannot correct or amend the original vital records in our possession. Massachusetts municipal clerks, however, are authorized to make corrections to their original records if they think an amendment is warranted. Contact the town or city clerk where the record was originally recorded to find out if an amended record can be created to correct a mistake.

If you need a certified letter of no finding:

All certified vital records are mailed along with a letter on state letterhead detailing our findings, whether we’re able to locate a record or not. If you need an additional certified letter of no finding for a specific record that is not found in our collection, you can request this service for a $3.00 fee. Please specify in your initial request that you will need a certified letter of no finding for any unsuccessful searches to expedite this process.

If we are able to locate a record that matches your request but the name is spelled differently than expected, we will not issue a letter of no finding for a specific spelling of a name. Instead, you will get a letter confirming that the record has been found, and explaining that spelling variations are very common.

If you need an apostille:

The Massachusetts Archives is not authorized to affix apostilles to certified documents. Once you receive the certified vital records you requested, you may need to fill out an Apostille and Certification Authentication Form and mail or deliver it in person to the Commissions Section of the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office. The Massachusetts Archives cannot send vital certificates directly to the Commissions Section for certification.

If you need certified naturalization or divorce records:

The Massachusetts Archives cannot issue search letters for naturalization or divorce records, as they are not part of our collection.

For information on how to access and obtain copies of historic naturalization or divorce records, please see the information provided by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.