Apostille Services In Houston, Texas
An Apostille certifies your official documents for legal use in 129 member countries worldwide. We handle the entire process for you, start to finish, so your birth certificate, FBI background check, diploma, or corporate document is accepted anywhere it needs to go.
★★★★★ Highest-Rated Apostille Service In Texas · Trusted By Houston's Energy And Legal Firms · Serving Texas Since 2016
How The Texas Apostille Process Works
In Texas, Apostilles are issued by the Texas Secretary of State for documents signed by a Texas official, county clerk, or notary. Federal documents, such as an FBI background check, are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State. Knowing which authority handles your document, and preparing it correctly, is where most people get stuck. We handle all of it for you.
Submit The Document
Bring it to our Katy office by appointment, let us pick it up anywhere in greater Houston, or mail it in.
We Prepare And Process It
We confirm it is the correct official or certified version and notarize it if needed, then take it to the Texas Secretary of State, or the U.S. Department of State for federal documents, and obtain the official Apostille.
You Receive It
We return your finished, apostilled document by hand delivery, courier, or shipping, anywhere in the world.
Not sure if your document is state or federal? That is exactly the kind of thing we sort out for you. You never have to guess which office to send it to or how to prepare it. We manage the entire process from start to finish.
How Long Does An Apostille Take?
You choose the speed. Three published turnaround tiers, so you can match the timeline to your deadline. Priced per document. Tell us when you need it, and we get it there.
Mail it in or drop off by appointment. Filed with the State and returned ready to use abroad.
We come to you. Notarized, filed, and covered by the Gold Guarantee.
When the date will not wait. Front of the line, fully handled, hand delivery included.
All visits are by appointment only. No walk-ins.
The Highest-Rated Apostille Service In Texas.
Proven And Trusted
The highest-rated Apostille company in Texas, chosen by executives, law firms, and corporate clients across the Houston metro for accuracy and reliability.
Handled Start To Finish
You never touch the government process. We prepare, notarize, authenticate, and deliver, so you never guess a step or stand in a line.
The Gold Guarantee
If a document is rejected due to an error on our part, we correct it and reprocess it at no additional service charge. We stand behind our work.
Built For Speed
Tight timeline? Our Diamond Rush concierge service moves fast, with pickup at your location and delivery anywhere in the world.
Trusted By Teams At Companies Including
Exxon Mobil · BP · JP Morgan Chase · Baker Hughes · Equinor · Huntsman · Bechtel · Morgan Stanley
Company names are referenced to describe our client experience and do not imply their endorsement or sponsorship of Houston Apostille.
What Is An Apostille?
An Apostille is an official certificate attached to a public document that verifies the authenticity of the signature, seal, or stamp on it. Once a document carries an Apostille, it is legally recognized in every country that belongs to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, without any further embassy or consulate step.
In plain terms, an Apostille is an internationally accepted proof that your document is genuine. It does not certify the contents of the document itself. Instead, it confirms that the official who signed or sealed it had the authority to do so, which is what allows a foreign government, university, employer, or court to trust and accept it.
The Apostille exists because of an international treaty signed in 1961, now joined by 129 member countries. Before the treaty, getting a document accepted abroad meant a slow chain of approvals through multiple government offices and a foreign embassy. The Apostille replaced all of that with a single, standardized certificate.
In short: an Apostille is a one-step international seal of trust that makes your official U.S. document valid for use in another member country.
When Do You Need An Apostille?
You need an Apostille any time you must present an official U.S. document to a government, institution, or business in another country. The document has to prove it is genuine, and the Apostille is what does that.
Common Reasons People Request An Apostille
- Immigration and residency applications abroad
- Dual citizenship (Italian, Mexican, and more)
- Working or being licensed in another country
- Getting married overseas
- Studying at a foreign university
- Business transfers, acquisitions, and agency filings
- Buying or selling property abroad
- Opening a foreign bank or business account
Hague Country Or Not? This Decides Your Next Step.
If the country where you will use your document is a member of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, an Apostille is all you need. Most countries are members, including nearly all of Europe, Mexico, and much of Latin America and Asia.
If your destination country is not a Hague member (for example, the UAE, Qatar, or Canada), the state Apostille is still your essential first step. Those documents then require an added Embassy Legalization step, which we handle for you as well. Not sure which path applies? We will tell you exactly what your country requires and take care of every step.
Not sure whether your country needs the extra step? One call settles it.
Birth Certificate Apostille
A birth certificate is the single most common document people need apostilled. Whether it is for dual citizenship, immigration, an overseas marriage, or enrolling a child in school abroad, the receiving country needs proof that your birth certificate is authentic. That is exactly what the Apostille provides.
One important detail catches many people off guard: you cannot apostille a hospital souvenir birth certificate or a plain photocopy. It must be a certified copy issued by the state or county vital records office, with the registrar's signature.
Texas Birth Certificate Apostille
Issued in Texas? We authenticate it through the Texas Secretary of State and return your finished document. If you need a certified copy first, we guide you on how to obtain one.
Texas Birth Certificate Apostille →All 50 States, Mailed In
Born elsewhere? Many clients live in Texas but were born in another state, or live out of state entirely. We accept certified birth certificates from across the country and handle the authentication. Mail it in and we take care of the rest.
See Our Mail-In Service →What Documents Can Be Apostilled?
Nearly any official document can be apostilled, one way or another. Some are apostilled directly as public records, and others simply need to be notarized first. If you have a document that needs to be recognized in another country, there is almost always a path to authenticate it, and we will find it for you.
Personal & Vital
- Birth certificates
- Marriage certificates
- Death certificates
- Divorce decrees
- Single status affidavits
- Adoption records
Federal & Background
- FBI background checks
- Certified naturalization documents
- Federal court documents
- Social Security letters
Education
- Diplomas and degrees
- School transcripts
- Letters of good standing
- Professional licenses
Business & Legal
- Powers of attorney
- Articles of incorporation
- Certificates of formation
- Corporate resolutions
- Commercial contracts
- Affidavits and declarations
Do not see your document listed? We handle all documents. Start your order and you will find a comprehensive list to select your specific document type. Open The Apostille Start Form →
Public vs. Private Documents
Every document falls into one of two categories, and knowing which one yours is determines how it gets apostilled. Getting this step wrong is the single most common reason an Apostille request is delayed or rejected. This is exactly the kind of detail we handle for you.
Public Documents
Records issued by a government office, such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or court order. They already carry an official seal, so they can be apostilled directly. They only need to be the certified version from the issuing agency, not a plain photocopy.
Private Documents
Documents you create, such as a power of attorney, affidavit, or company resolution. They do not carry a government seal on their own, so a notary public must witness the signing first. The notarization is what makes them eligible for an Apostille.
The Mistake That Stalls Most Applications
Do not have a public document, like a birth certificate, notarized before submitting it for an Apostille. Adding a notarization to a document that is already official can actually invalidate it for authentication. Knowing when to notarize and when not to is where we protect you from a costly rejection.
Not sure which category yours is? Tell us in a one-minute call and we will place it correctly.
What About Foreign-Issued Documents?
A common question we hear: "Can you apostille my birth certificate from Mexico?" or another country. A U.S. authority can only apostille a document that was issued in the United States. It cannot place an Apostille directly on a document issued by a foreign government.
That does not mean you are out of options. There is a clear, legitimate path, and it is one we handle often.
The Path For Foreign Documents
A foreign document can be professionally translated, and that certified translation is then notarized and authenticated here in the United States. This is a completely standard and accepted process under the Hague Convention. If you have a document from another country that you need recognized here or elsewhere, we will map out exactly what needs to happen. Ask us about Certified Translation.
Corporate Documents, Authenticated Fast And Handled For You.
Legal secretaries, executive assistants, and operations teams across Houston rely on us to authenticate their company documents so they never have to manage the process. We pick up, prepare, authenticate, and deliver, with concierge service and a dedicated point of contact from start to finish.
- Certificate of Formation and Status
- Unanimous Written Consent
- Sales Representative Agreements
- Fastest turnaround with concierge white-glove service
Apostille FAQs
How much does an Apostille cost in Texas?
Our Texas Apostille service starts at $200.00 per document for the Bronze tier, with faster Gold and Diamond Rush options available. Pricing is per document, not per order. See our full pricing and turnaround options for every tier.
Why is the state fee only $15 but your service starts at $200?
Great question, and an important one. The $15.00 is simply the Texas Secretary of State's filing fee to place the Apostille. It is not a service. It does not get you an appointment, and the State can be booked out for months. It does not prepare your document, notarize it, catch an error before it costs you weeks, offer any consultation, move at rush speed, or deliver anything back to you. If one detail is wrong, you start over with no help. What you pay us is for the entire service around that stamp: guaranteed access, expert preparation, notarization, consultation, speed when you need it, and your finished document delivered to your hand. We pay the $15.00 filing fee for you. In short, $15.00 buys a government stamp if you can navigate the process alone and wait. Our service gets it done right, done fast, and done for you.
How long does it take to get an Apostille?
Turnaround depends on the tier you choose. Bronze is 10 business days, Gold is 7 business days, and our Diamond Rush concierge service is 5 business days or less for urgent deadlines. Faster than five days is available, quoted by phone. We match the speed to your deadline and we stand behind it.
Do I need the official document to get an Apostille?
You need either the official document or a certified copy from the issuing agency, with the official signature or seal. A plain photocopy or a hospital souvenir certificate cannot be apostilled. We make sure your document qualifies before we begin, so you never lose time to a rejection.
Can you Apostille an FBI background check?
Yes. An FBI background check is a federal document, so it is authenticated through the U.S. Department of State rather than the Texas Secretary of State. We handle FBI background check Apostilles regularly and manage the entire federal process for you.
Can you Apostille a document issued in another country?
A U.S. authority cannot place an Apostille directly on a foreign-issued document. However, a certified translation of that document can be notarized and authenticated here in the United States. This is a standard, accepted path, and one we handle often.
What if the country I need it for is not in the Hague Convention?
The state Apostille is still your first step. For non-Hague countries, the document then needs an added Embassy Legalization step, which we also handle for you. We will tell you exactly what your destination country requires. Embassy Legalization is a separate service with its own pricing, quoted case by case based on the destination country and document type.
Get Your Apostille Handled The Right Way.
You have the answers. Now let the highest-rated Apostille team in Texas take it from here. The fastest way to start is a call.
📞 Call 281-713-5485Or Start Online
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