Honduras Civil Documents · Updated August 2026
The Civil Documents You Need From Honduras for a U.S. Marriage Green Card
If you were born in Honduras, here are the civil documents you will need to file your U.S. marriage green card, where each one comes from, and what to watch out for.
Quick answer
For a U.S. marriage green card, the Honduran spouse generally needs the Birth Certificate, Police Certificate, and Marriage Certificate. An apostille is generally not required by USCIS for a filing inside the U.S. 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 requires a birth certificate for the immigrant spouse on Form I-485 or the immigrant visa packet. Order a fresh certified copy rather than reusing an old one.
How to get it: Request the certified copy of your birth folio from the RNP. You can generate it for free through the RNP Móvil app (select Certificaciones, then Nacimiento, scan the QR on your national ID) or pick it up in person at any RNP office. For births registered before 1984, the record may be a handwritten municipal folio bearing the RNP stamp.
- Issued by
- Registro Nacional de las Personas (RNP)
- Cost
- Free (approx. no charge in person or via the RNP Móvil app)
- Timing
- Same day when generated through the app or in person; allow extra time for older pre-1984 municipal records
Police Certificate
What USCIS needs: For consular processing at the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa, every applicant age 18 or older must present the original police certificate. If you are adjusting status inside the U.S. on Form I-485, USCIS generally does not require a Honduran police certificate because your background check runs through FBI fingerprints taken at your biometrics appointment.
How to get it: Two separate records are involved: the Antecedentes Policiales from the Dirección Policial de Investigaciones (DPI) and the Antecedentes Penales from the Poder Judicial. Apply in person, online, or through a representative with a power of attorney, presenting the original and a copy of your national ID (or residency carné) plus proof of the bank-paid fee. The DPI office in Tegucigalpa issues certificates covering the whole country.
- Issued by
- Dirección Policial de Investigaciones (DPI) and the Poder Judicial
- Cost
- Approx. a small government fee paid at a bank (varies by record; confirm the current amount when you apply)
- Timing
- Often issued within a few days once the fee is paid
Marriage Certificate
What USCIS needs: This is your primary proof of a legal marriage. If you were never married before, you generally do not need a single-status document for a marriage green card, but keep evidence ready if a prior marriage ended in divorce or death.
How to get it: If you married in Honduras, request the certified copy of your marriage folio from the RNP office where the marriage was registered. Since May 2022, the certificate must be a copy of the Folio del Libro de Matrimonios signed by the RNP registrar. It can be requested in person or, for many records, through the RNP Móvil app.
- Issued by
- Registro Nacional de las Personas (RNP)
- Cost
- Free (approx. no charge in person or via the RNP Móvil app)
- Timing
- Usually same day once the marriage is on file at the RNP
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At a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Apostille status | Honduras acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention, in force since December 30, 2004, with apostilles issued by the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores in Tegucigalpa. For a U.S. marriage green card, USCIS generally does NOT require an apostille on foreign civil documents, so budget for one only if a specific office or an outside authority asks for it. |
| How records are kept | Civil records are centralized at the Registro Nacional de las Personas (RNP), which issues birth and marriage certifications nationwide; births before 1984 may originate in the local municipal registry with an RNP stamp. |
| Typical time to gather | Most RNP documents are same-day; police and court records typically take a few days after the bank fee is paid. |
| Translation | Documents in Spanish need a certified English translation for USCIS. USCIS allows any competent bilingual person to translate and sign a certification of accuracy, so you do not have to pay a professional agency. |
Source: U.S. State Dept Reciprocity Schedule: Honduras. Verified August 2026. Need to translate a document? See our certified translation guide.
Full document reference
Every civil record from Honduras 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 | Registro Nacional de las Personas (RNP) | Free (approx.) | RNP Móvil app or any RNP office; must be the Copia de Folio del Libro de Nacimientos |
| Marriage Certificate | Registro Nacional de las Personas (RNP) | Free (approx.) | Request the Folio del Libro de Matrimonios signed by the RNP registrar where the marriage was registered |
| Divorce Certificate | Registro Nacional de las Personas (RNP), based on the court decree | Free (approx.) for the RNP record | Obtain the certified divorce record from the RNP; the underlying decree comes from the Juzgado (court) that granted it |
| Death Certificate | Registro Nacional de las Personas (RNP) | Free (approx.) | Request the certified death folio from the RNP (needed only if proving a prior spouse is deceased) |
| Police Certificate | Dirección Policial de Investigaciones (DPI) and Poder Judicial | Small bank-paid government fee (approx.) | Apply at the DPI (antecedentes policiales) and the Poder Judicial (antecedentes penales) with your ID and proof of fee payment |
What applicants report
“Consular filers report that the Tegucigalpa police and court records are the piece most likely to slow things down, since they involve a bank fee and two separate offices, so applicants suggest requesting them a few weeks before the interview. People adjusting status inside the U.S. note they were not asked for a Honduran police certificate at all, since USCIS relies on FBI fingerprints instead.”
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- U.S. State Dept Reciprocity Schedule: Honduras
- U.S. Embassy in Honduras: Marriage Certificate guidance
- Policía Nacional de Honduras: Antecedentes Policiales requirements
- HCCH: Apostille Convention status (Honduras acceded 2004)
- Government of Canada: How to get a police certificate, Honduras
Verified August 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an apostille on my Honduran documents for the green card?
Usually not. USCIS generally accepts RNP-issued birth and marriage certificates with a certified English translation and does not require an apostille. Honduras can issue apostilles through the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores if a specific office ever asks for one, but do not pay for it by default.
Where do I get my Honduran birth certificate?
From the Registro Nacional de las Personas (RNP). You can generate a free certified copy through the RNP Móvil app using the QR code on your national ID, or pick one up at any RNP office. Use the current RNP folio version rather than an old certificate.
Do I need a Honduran police certificate if I am already in the United States?
Generally no. If you are adjusting status on Form I-485 inside the U.S., USCIS runs your background check through FBI fingerprints at your biometrics appointment, so a Honduran police certificate is normally not required. It is required mainly for consular processing at the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa for applicants age 18 and older.
What is the difference between antecedentes policiales and antecedentes penales?
Antecedentes policiales are police records issued by the Dirección Policial de Investigaciones (DPI), while antecedentes penales are criminal court records issued by the Poder Judicial. Consular applicants are typically asked for both, so request them at the same time.
Do my Spanish documents need to be translated?
Yes. Any document in Spanish needs a full English translation for USCIS, along with a signed statement from the translator certifying accuracy and competence. USCIS lets any qualified bilingual person do this, so a professional translation service is optional.
Key takeaways
- ✓
The core documents most Honduran applicants need are the Birth Certificate, Police Certificate, Marriage Certificate.
- ✓
Honduras is a Hague Apostille Convention member, but USCIS generally does not require an apostille for a marriage green card filed inside the U.S.
- ✓
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 close to when you file, since older originals and short-form copies are common causes of delay.
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