Apostille Services
Frequently Asked Questions

An apostille is an official government certification that authenticates a document for use in a foreign country. It verifies that the signature, seal, or stamp on a document is legitimate — so that foreign governments, embassies, and institutions can trust and accept it. The apostille itself does not certify the content of the document, only the authenticity of the official who signed or issued it.

You need an apostille when presenting a U.S. document in a foreign country that is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. Common reasons include: applying for dual citizenship or foreign residency, getting married abroad, international adoption, enrolling in a foreign university, conducting international business, presenting a U.S. diploma or transcript overseas, and immigration or visa applications requiring authenticated documents.

Over 120 countries are members of the Hague Apostille Convention and accept apostille-certified documents. This includes Mexico, most of Europe, many Latin American countries, India, China (with certain limitations), and many others. The Texas Secretary of State issues a universal apostille certificate designed to function in all Hague member countries.

The Texas Secretary of State can apostille Texas-issued documents including: birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, court records, notarized documents, diplomas and transcripts (notarized), affidavits, power of attorney, and business documents. Note: Federal documents (like FBI background checks or Certificates of Naturalization) must go through the U.S. Department of State — not the Texas SOS.

Recordable documents are issued or recorded by state or county officials — like birth certificates, marriage licenses, and court records. These cannot be notarized; they must be recently issued certified copies (within the last 5 years) to qualify for an apostille. Non-recordable documents — like affidavits, personal statements, translations, and diplomas — can be notarized by a Texas notary and then apostilled. Knowing which category your document falls into is critical for a successful submission.

Standard service uses mail submission to the Texas Secretary of State. The state's official processing window for mailed requests is up to 25 business days from the date of receipt — and they explicitly warn this can be exceeded due to high demand. Add shipping time to Austin and back, and you're realistically looking at 3–5 weeks total. This is the state's timeline, not ours.

With Rush service, we hand-deliver your documents directly to the Texas SOS office in Austin and submit in person via scheduled appointment (Tue–Thu) or walk-in (Mon & Fri). Both in-person methods offer same-day processing at the state level. We then return your completed documents to you — total turnaround is approximately 3–5 business days including our travel time.

Same Day service uses the Texas SOS Bulk Drop-Box submission path, which carries an official 24–48 hour processing window. The state sends an email notification when the documents are ready. We handle immediate pickup and delivery back to you. This is the fastest legally available pathway through the Texas Secretary of State — period.

The price difference reflects real costs: transportation to Austin and back, same-day scheduling, and the complexity of navigating SOS submission rules. The Texas SOS charges $15 per document regardless of submission method — the premium you pay DTX covers mobile service, ink printing, document preparation, and the logistics of fast-tracking your submission through the correct channel. You're not just paying for speed — you're paying for someone who knows the system to handle it all for you.

Have your original document or certified copy ready. If it's a recordable document (birth certificate, marriage license, etc.), make sure it was issued within the last 5 years. If it's a non-recordable document, it will need to be properly notarized before it can be apostilled — we can handle that notarization at the same appointment. Also know which country the document is going to, as that information is required on the submission form.

Yes. For non-recordable documents (affidavits, translations, personal statements, diplomas, etc.) that need both a notarization and an apostille, we can handle the notarization on-site at your appointment. Then we take the notarized document and process the apostille submission. One appointment — full service.

No — and neither can the Texas SOS. Federal documents must be authenticated through the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., not through a state agency. This includes FBI identity history summaries (background checks), Certificates of Naturalization, and other federally issued documents. We can help direct you to the correct federal process if needed.

For recordable documents (vital records, court documents), the Texas SOS requires the certified copy to be less than 5 years old. If yours is older, you'll need to order a freshly issued certified copy from the issuing agency (county clerk, vital records office, court, etc.) before we can proceed. We can advise you on this step during your consultation.