Egypt Civil Documents · Updated August 2026
The Civil Documents You Need From Egypt for a U.S. Marriage Green Card
For your Egyptian records, USCIS and the U.S. State Department want the modern computerized versions issued by the Civil Status Department, not the older handwritten ones, each with a certified English translation.
Quick answer
For a U.S. marriage green card, the Egyptian spouse generally needs the Birth Certificate, Police Certificate, and Marriage Certificate. Egypt is not an apostille country, and USCIS generally does not require legalization anyway. Non-English documents need a certified English translation, which you can self-certify.
- 3 core documents
- Birth Certificate
- Police Certificate
- Marriage Certificate
- No apostille needed
For a filing inside the U.S., USCIS accepts a certified copy plus an English translation.
- Translate it yourself
Any bilingual person can certify the English translation. No licensed translator required.
The documents you actually need
Start with these core records in order. Each one lists who issues it, what it costs, how long it takes, and exactly what USCIS wants.
Birth Certificate
What USCIS needs: USCIS wants the computerized birth certificate, not the older handwritten one. The handwritten version is generally not accepted as primary evidence.
How to get it: Request the computerized ('mekennen') bilingual Arabic and English birth certificate at a Civil Status Department office or civil registry machine using your national ID and birth details. Egyptians abroad can request one through an Egyptian consulate or the Digital Egypt (Egyptians Abroad) portal.
- Issued by
- Civil Status Department (Ministry of Interior)
- Cost
- Approx 15 to 40 EGP (roughly 1 USD) per copy
- Timing
- Often same day at a civil registry office or machine; allow up to about one week if requested through a consulate
Police Certificate
What USCIS needs: Consular processing applicants (interviewing abroad) must submit an Egyptian police certificate plus one from any other country where they lived long enough to qualify. Applicants adjusting status inside the U.S. (AOS) generally do not file an Egyptian police certificate with USCIS, since the FBI background check runs from biometrics.
How to get it: Apply in person at the Ministry of Interior's criminal records department (General Department of Criminal Evidence) with your national ID and fingerprints. Egyptians abroad apply at the nearest Egyptian consulate, which takes fingerprints and forwards the request to Cairo, or through the Digital Egypt online criminal record service if they previously held a computerized certificate.
- Issued by
- Ministry of Interior
- Cost
- No fee inside Egypt; consular and online services charge a small service fee (approx a few USD)
- Timing
- About two weeks when routed through the Ministry of Interior; longer from abroad
Marriage Certificate
What USCIS needs: The original handwritten Ma'zoun contract is not the document to submit. After the Ma'zoun registers the marriage, the Civil Status Department issues the standard computerized bilingual certificate, which is what USCIS expects.
How to get it: For a Muslim marriage, the Ma'zoun performs the ceremony, issues the marriage contract, and registers it with the Civil Status Department. Once registered, request the standard computerized bilingual Arabic and English marriage certificate from a Civil Status Department office. Christian marriages are registered through the church and the CSO.
- Issued by
- Civil Status Department (Ministry of Interior)
- Cost
- Approx 15 to 40 EGP (roughly 1 USD) per copy
- Timing
- Usually issued within about one week once the marriage is registered
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At a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Apostille status | Egypt is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention (it is a longstanding HCCH member but has not joined the apostille treaty), so Egyptian documents cannot be apostilled. For local use they are legalized through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but for a U.S. marriage green card, USCIS generally does not require an apostille or legalization on a beneficiary's civil documents. |
| How records are kept | Civil records are held by the Civil Status Department under the Ministry of Interior and have been computerized and centralized. Modern computerized certificates are printed bilingually in Arabic and English; older handwritten versions still exist but are generally not accepted. |
| Typical time to gather | Computerized civil documents are typically issued same day to about one week; the police certificate takes roughly two weeks. |
| Translation | Arabic content needs a certified English translation. USCIS accepts a translation self-certified by any competent bilingual person attesting to accuracy and their competence; a sworn or government translator is not required. |
Source: U.S. State Dept Reciprocity Schedule: Egypt. Verified August 2026. Need to translate a document? See our certified translation guide.
What officers watch for
Full document reference
Every civil record from Egypt that can come up in a marriage green card case, with the issuing authority, cost, and how to obtain it.
| Document | Issuing authority | Cost | How to obtain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth Certificate | Civil Status Department (Ministry of Interior) | Approx 15 to 40 EGP | Request the computerized bilingual certificate at a Civil Status office or registry machine; available to Egyptians abroad via consulate or Digital Egypt portal. |
| Marriage Certificate | Civil Status Department (Ministry of Interior) | Approx 15 to 40 EGP | Ma'zoun registers the marriage with the CSO, which then issues the standard computerized bilingual certificate. |
| Divorce Certificate | Civil Status Department (Ministry of Interior) | Approx 15 to 40 EGP | After the divorce is registered, request the computerized certificate from the Civil Status Department; handwritten Ma'zoun-issued divorce papers should be converted to the CSO certificate. |
| Death Certificate | Civil Status Department (Ministry of Interior) | Approx 15 to 40 EGP | Request the computerized certificate from the Civil Status Department; used to prove termination of a prior marriage where a spouse is deceased. |
| Police Certificate | Ministry of Interior (General Department of Criminal Evidence) | No fee in Egypt; small service fee via consulate or online | Apply in person with national ID and fingerprints, or via an Egyptian consulate or the Digital Egypt online service; takes about two weeks. |
What applicants report
“Filers repeatedly report that the older handwritten birth or marriage certificate triggers a Request for Evidence, and that ordering the modern computerized ('mekennen') version from the Civil Status Department clears it. Many also note that even though the computerized form is already bilingual, officers still expect a separate certified English translation, so getting one up front saves a delay.”
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See how it worksFrequently asked questions
Do I need the computerized birth certificate or is the handwritten one okay?
Use the computerized birth certificate from the Civil Status Department. USCIS and the State Department expect the modern computerized version, and the older handwritten certificate is generally not accepted as primary evidence.
Does Egypt use apostilles for these documents?
No. Egypt has not joined the Hague Apostille Convention, so its documents cannot be apostilled. For a U.S. marriage green card, USCIS generally does not require an apostille or legalization on the beneficiary's civil documents; you provide the computerized certificate plus a certified English translation.
My marriage was done by a Ma'zoun. Which marriage document do I submit?
After the Ma'zoun performs the ceremony and registers the marriage with the Civil Status Department, request the standard computerized bilingual marriage certificate from the CSO and submit that, not the original handwritten Ma'zoun contract.
Do I need an Egyptian police certificate if I am adjusting status inside the U.S.?
Usually no. Applicants adjusting status inside the U.S. rely on the FBI check run from their biometrics. Applicants going through consular processing abroad do need the Egyptian criminal status certificate, plus one from any other country where they lived long enough to qualify.
Does the Arabic and English certificate still need a translation?
Yes. Even though the computerized certificate is printed bilingually, USCIS still expects a certified English translation of any Arabic content. The translation can be self-certified by any competent bilingual person.
Key takeaways
- ✓
The core documents most Egyptian applicants need are the Birth Certificate, Police Certificate, Marriage Certificate.
- ✓
Egypt is not an Apostille Convention member, and USCIS generally does not require an apostille or legalization for its filings anyway.
- ✓
You do not need a licensed translator: any competent bilingual person can translate a document and self-certify it for USCIS.
- ✓
A home-country police certificate is generally needed only for consular processing abroad, not for adjustment of status inside the U.S.
- ✓
Order fresh certified copies directly from the official issuer and keep the originals; documents from Egypt draw closer scrutiny.
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