Documents to Get Before You Leave the U.S.
This is what our applications actually required
If you’re planning to live abroad, there are a few documents that are much easier to deal with while you’re still in the U.S. We didn’t fully appreciate that until we started working through French paperwork and saw how many later steps depended on things that had to come from home.
These are the ones that mattered most for us, and why handling them early saves time and trouble later.
Birth certificates (certified copies)
Many applications require an official version issued by the state or county, not a scan and not a photocopy. Ordering certified copies while you’re still in the U.S. is usually straightforward. Trying to do the same thing from another country can involve state offices, long processing times, and international mailing delays that you don’t control.
Marriage certificate (if your last name changed)
If your passport and birth certificate don’t match, this document is what connects them. Having a certified copy ready avoids having to explain name changes every time paperwork comes up and keeps applications from stalling while you track it down later.
Driving record (if you may exchange a license later)
Some countries require a recent official driving history from your state if you plan to exchange a driver’s license. This is much easier to request when you still have a U.S. address and dependable mail service, instead of trying to coordinate it from abroad.
What “certified” actually means
In practice, it means the version issued directly by a government office. It does not mean something printed from a website, scanned from an old copy, or notarized locally. If it doesn’t look like an official document, it is more likely to be rejected.
Translations
For French administrative use, documents must be translated by a sworn translator recognized by the French courts. These translations are done in France (or by a French-certified translator) and cannot be replaced with a U.S. translator or a notarized translation from home. This is a separate step from ordering the documents and has to be planned into your timeline.
Costs to expect
Ordering certified documents in the U.S. is usually inexpensive, often in the $10–$30 range per document. Sworn translations in France are a different category. They are typically priced per page and can easily run €40–€70 per page, depending on the document and the translator. If you need multiple documents translated, this becomes a noticeable line item instead of a minor fee.
Bottom line
If a document might be needed later for residency, healthcare, or a driver’s license, it is worth getting it while you are still in the U.S. The same request is usually slower and more expensive once you are living in another country.
We show how these documents actually get used in this week’s YouTube video when we walk through our Carte Vitale application.
– Scott & Liza
