Services
Documents headed overseas
An apostille makes your U.S. document valid abroad. I prepare the notarization correctly and guide you through the state's process.
An apostille is a certificate that makes a U.S. document acceptable in another country, and in Texas only the Secretary of State issues them. The catch is that the document has to be prepared exactly right before it goes to Austin. Paperwork that isn't notarized the way the state expects comes straight back, and you lose weeks.
That's where I come in. I notarize the documents that need notarizing and check that the certificate wording will pass. Some documents can't be notarized at all: birth and death certificates, for instance, need certified copies from vital records instead, and I'll point you to the right office for those. Then I'll walk you through submitting everything to the Secretary of State.
Most apostille requests I see involve dual citizenship, marriage abroad, international adoption, foreign job offers, or school enrollment overseas. Start with the checklist the receiving country gave you, and call me with what's on it.
- People applying for dual citizenship
- Families adopting internationally
- Anyone marrying, working, or studying abroad
How it works
- 1
Tell me what the country wants
Read me the checklist from the receiving country or agency. I'll tell you which pieces I can notarize and which need certified copies.
- 2
We meet and notarize
I come to you and complete the notarizations with wording the state will accept.
- 3
Submit to the Secretary of State
You mail or deliver the package to Austin. I'll walk you through exactly what goes in the envelope.
What's included
- Notarization prepared for apostille – certificate wording the state will accept
- Document review before submission – catching problems before Austin does
- Guidance through the Secretary of State process – what goes in the envelope and where it goes
- Direction to vital records for certified copies – birth and death certificates can't be notarized; I'll point you to the right office
Accepted the first time
Certificate wording that passes the Secretary of State's review, so weeks aren't lost to a rejection.
One person to call
I keep track of which documents get notarized and which need certified copies, and tell you exactly what to send.
Deadlines respected
Foreign deadlines don't wait. We start from your date and work backward.
About the fee
My quote covers the notarization and travel. The Secretary of State charges its own fee for each apostille, which you pay them directly. I'll spell out both when we talk.
Common questions
Can you issue the apostille yourself?
No notary can. Apostilles come only from the Secretary of State. What I do is make sure your documents are notarized correctly the first time, so the state doesn't send them back.
How long does the apostille take?
That depends on the Secretary of State's workload and how you submit. Build in extra time, especially if a foreign deadline is involved, and start the paperwork as early as you can.
Please note: I am not an attorney licensed to practice law in Texas and may not give legal advice or accept fees for legal advice. I can't prepare or explain your documents; I make sure the signing itself is done correctly.
Other ways I can help
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Day, evening, and weekend appointments across East Texas.