• Law

    Getting An Apostille For Your Document

    The apostille is a certification of authenticity attached to a document for international use. More specifically, it is an international certificate issued by a designated authority that states that the signature, seal or stamp is genuine.

    In the United States, the Secretary of State’s office can issue an apostille for documents originating from any state. The state where you live may also provide this service. If not, contact your local Secretary of State’s office or Attorney General’s office and request a certified copy of your birth certificate with an apostille seal attached. You may also request that a notary public attach an apostille seal to your birth certificate when they witness your signature or other document.

    You must take your birth certificate and other documents bearing apostilles to an embassy or consulate in order to obtain visas and passports abroad. Always check with the embassy or consulate beforehand so you know what documents are required and how many copies need to be made.

    The process of attaching an apostille to your birth certificate can be complicated, so you should contact an attorney or notary public to help you. You may also want to consider having a lawyer review your documents before sending them overseas.

    Apostille in Austin

    The State of Texas does not require the use of apostilles for any official documents. However, if you are planning to take your birth certificate or other legal documents to another country that requires an apostille, it’s important to know how long it will take for them to process your request. The State of Texas only accepts apostilles from the US Department of State, which can take up to two weeks. If you need your document processed more quickly than this, you will need to contact apostille services Austin who can help expedite the process and get your documents back to you as fast as possible.