CERTIFIED VITAL RECORD FOR USE ABROAD
Death Certificate Apostille Services
A certified death certificate may need an apostille or authentication for an estate, pension, insurance claim, burial, property transfer or other official matter outside the United States. The correct authority depends on the state that issued the record and the destination country.
Texas Death Certificate Requirements
Certified Record
Use a certified copy issued by Texas Vital Statistics or the appropriate local registrar. An ordinary photocopy is not a recordable public document.
Record Date
The Texas Secretary of State states that recordable documents submitted for a Universal Apostille must be less than five years old.
Destination
The destination determines whether the Texas certificate functions as a Hague apostille or a non-Hague authentication requiring more steps.
Common International Uses
- Settling an estate or inheritance abroad
- Burial or repatriation arrangements
- Foreign pension or insurance claims
- Transferring property or closing accounts
- Updating civil-status or consular records
Records Issued Outside Texas
A death certificate issued by another state must receive its apostille or authentication through that issuing state. We review out-of-state records and help coordinate the correct route; the Texas Secretary of State cannot apostille another state’s public record.
Request a Death Certificate Review
Tell us the issuing state and country where the record will be used.