An apostille is a stamp or seal that is placed on documents to show that they have been certified by a government agency. It is used for authenticating documents for use in countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention.

The United States became a member of the Hague Apostille Convention in 1981, meaning that any document issued by an official U.S. agency can be authenticated with an apostille.

An apostille stamp can be placed on any document, but it typically appears on birth certificates and marriage licenses. The most common application of an apostille is when you’re applying for a visa or work permit. It will help ensure that your documents are properly translated and not fraudulent.

You can also use an apostille to authenticate any legal documents that you want to take with you when traveling internationally. The United States, Canada and Mexico are among the countries that have no restrictions on the use of apostilles.

Is The Process Same in All States?

The process of getting an apostille is not the same in every state. You can find out what to do by contacting your local government office or court clerk. In most cases, you’ll need to provide them with the original document, a certified copy and a cover letter explaining why you need an apostille. Many states also require you to pay a fee. Most states will return your original documents after processing them and the certified copies when they send you the apostille.

Houston, Texas Getting An Apostille

To get an apostille in Houston , you’ll need to take your original documents, a certified copy and a cover letter explaining why you need an apostille to the Texas Secretary of State. You’ll also have to pay a fee. Or, if you’d rather not do the paperwork yourself, you can hire a Houston apostille documents service to handle it for you. They’ll take care of all the necessary steps so that your documents are ready to use internationally.