Guides · Mexico · Divorce certificate
If you or your spouse were married before, USCIS asks for proof that each prior marriage ended. For a divorce in Mexico, the State Department names the acta de divorcio from the Civil Registry and, in some states, the marriage certificate annotated with the divorce. It goes as a photocopy with a complete English translation certified by the translator.
Updated October 26, 2026 · Sources · General information, not legal advice
The State Department's country-by-country document list (the Reciprocity Schedule) names the acta de divorcio from the Civil Registry, available in every state. In some states a marriage certificate annotated with the divorce is also accepted.
If you divorced administratively (both over 18, no children and by mutual agreement), the divorce is done at the Civil Registry and no family court ruling is needed.
The Form I-130 instructions ask you to prove that each prior marriage ended, not just the most recent one.
Divorce certificate: at the Civil Registry office. The State Department notes the procedure varies by state.
Online: on the national Civil Registry platform, at least in Jalisco and Mexico City, the divorce certificate isn't offered online (birth, marriage and death certificates are).
Court ruling: request it from the court that handled the case. Under the Federal Civil Code, once the ruling is final the judge sends a copy to the Civil Registry, which records the divorce and annotates the marriage certificate.
We found no official sample of the divorce certificate or ruling: they vary by state. This list covers the terms used by the law and the State Department, with the usual translation.
| On the document | In English | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Acta de Divorcio | Divorce Certificate | |
| Sentencia ejecutoria | Final judgment (not subject to appeal) | The Civil Registry records the divorce based on it. |
| Divorcio administrativo | Administrative divorce | Done at the Civil Registry, without a judge. |
| Juzgado de lo Familiar | Family Court | |
| Solicitantes | Applicants | Those requesting an administrative divorce. |
| Liquidación de la sociedad conyugal | Liquidation of the marital community property | |
| Anotación de divorcio (en el acta de matrimonio) | Divorce annotation (on the marriage record) |
Also translate everything that isn't on this list: seals, signatures, codes, handwritten notes and margin notes. Describe anything without words in brackets, for example [seal] or [signature].
The State Department names the Civil Registry's acta de divorcio, available in every state, and in some states the annotated marriage certificate. USCIS instructions say "divorce decree/certificate" without stating a preference. If you have both and aren't sure which to file, ask your attorney.
The Civil Registry's acta de divorcio. In an administrative divorce (both over 18, no children and by mutual agreement) no family court ruling is needed.
On the national Civil Registry platform, at least in Jalisco and Mexico City, only birth, marriage and death certificates are offered online. The divorce certificate is requested at the Civil Registry, and the procedure varies by state.
Yes. If you or your spouse were married before, Form I-130 asks for documents proving each prior marriage legally ended.
The Form I-130 and I-485 instructions ask for a legible photocopy and a complete English translation certified by the translator, and don't mention an apostille. USCIS can ask for the original at any time. Other foreign authorities may ask for one.