CURRENT TEXAS APOSTILLE TERMINOLOGY
Texas Universal Apostille: What It Means
The Texas Secretary of State now issues a single Universal Apostille certificate to authenticate eligible Texas public records for use outside the United States. Its function changes according to the destination country.
Hague Convention Destination
The Universal Apostille operates as an apostille. It validates the origin of an eligible Texas public record for presentation in another Hague Convention country.
Non-Hague Destination
The Universal Apostille operates as an authentication. The certificate will likely need U.S. Department of State validation, followed by any embassy or consular step required by the destination.
Records the Texas Process Can Cover
Recordable Documents
- Birth and death certificates
- Marriage licenses or applications
- Divorce decrees and judgments
- Other eligible Texas state or county records
Texas states that recordable documents submitted for this process must be less than five years old.
Non-Recordable Documents
- Powers of attorney and affidavits
- Diplomas and transcripts
- Contracts, letters and business records
- Eligible translations with a notarized translator statement
These documents require a complete and accurate Texas notarization that meets current state instructions.
What Texas Does Not Process
- FBI and federal documents: handled by the U.S. Department of State.
- Records from another state: handled by the issuing state.
- Foreign-issued records: handled through the issuing country or its designated authority.
Confirm the Correct Route
Share the document, issuing authority and destination country for a free review.