Diploma Apostille in Texas
The Texas Secretary of State in Austin is the official apostille authority for Diplomas. State fees are $15 per document. We service all cities in Texas — find yours below.
Texas Apostille Requirements
- Authority: Texas Secretary of State
- Office Location: Austin
- State Fee: $15
- Important Rule: Walk-in service available.
Select your city to view local apostille processing options and courier times.
What Is a Diploma Apostille?
An important point is that getting an apostille does not mean your document is translated. The majority of Hague member countries require a sworn or certified translation as well as the apostille. Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany, and the UAE almost always require the apostille plus a sworn translation. Our service includes complete packages that cover both apostille and certified translation.
The Hague Apostille Convention replaced a previously complex chain of certifications that was standard before the Hague system. Under the old system, getting a US document recognized abroad involved multiple rounds of authentication at different government levels followed by embassy stamps. The Convention simplified this into one standardized certificate issued by one designated authority. In Texas, that authority is the Texas Secretary of State in Austin.
Diplomas are one of the most common apostille categories nationally. This is because Diplomas come up in many international processes including visa applications, residency permits, citizenship documentation, employment verification, and foreign legal proceedings. For residents of Texas, only the Texas Secretary of State can issue this certification in TX.
Texas: State vs Federal Authority
The most commonly misunderstood thing to know about the apostille process for your document is determining which government authority issues apostilles for your specific document type. In the US, there are two distinct apostille pathways: state-level and federal-level. State-issued documents — like birth certificates, marriage certificates, and Diplomas go to the state apostille office. Documents from US federal agencies, such as FBI Background Checks, must go to the US Department of State in Washington D.C..
For state-issued Diplomas, the apostille can only be issued by the Texas Secretary of State in Austin. Before submission, the document needs to be in certified form with an authentic seal. The Texas Secretary of State verifies the document's origin and seal and attaches the apostille typically in 1 to 3 weeks.
A frequent and expensive error is submitting your Diploma to the incorrect government authority. If you send a state Diploma to the US Department of State in DC, it will be rejected and returned. In reverse, mailing a federal document to a state Secretary of State office results in the same rejection. In both cases, the wasted transit time adds 2 to 4 weeks to your timeline.
Why Local Offices Cannot Help
For Texas residents who need a Diploma apostilled urgently, relying on postal mail to the Texas Secretary of State is risky. Using a physical runner is the only way to access same-day processing at the Texas Secretary of State. Our courier service handles Texas-area pickups and submissions with complete end-to-end shipment tracking on every submission.
People across Texas mistakenly believe they can get an apostille through any notary in TX. This assumption is wrong. A local notary can only witness signatures and verify identity. They cannot issue an apostille certificate — only designated government offices hold this power.
Something else to consider is that the receiving country check whether the apostille was issued by the proper office. If the apostille comes from an unauthorized office, the receiving country will refuse the document. This could delay your entire application even if you have all other documents in order.
The Texas Apostille Authority
The Texas Secretary of State in Austin is typically open Monday through Friday. Processing times without expedited service generally range from 5 business days to 4 weeks depending on seasonal demand. For Texas residents who need faster turnaround, a physical courier can reduce processing time to 2 to 5 business days.
Before your document can be submitted to the Texas Secretary of State: some documents require prior notarization. Diplomas, powers of attorney, and affidavits often must be notarized before the Texas Secretary of State will apostille them. We identifies whether any notarization is needed before submitting to the Texas Secretary of State so you are not surprised by a rejection.
In TX, the designated apostille authority is the Texas Secretary of State in Austin. Only the Texas Secretary of State is authorized to grant Hague Apostille certificates on Texas-issued public documents. The Texas Secretary of State is authorized to verify the seals and signatures of all Texas public officials and is consequently the only authorized source for apostilles on Texas-issued records.
How to Get Your Diploma Apostilled in Texas
One of the most overlooked steps is verifying that your document is current enough for the destination country. FBI Background Checks, for example, are typically required to be dated within 6 months at the time of submission to the foreign authority. If your document is past its useful window, you will need to obtain a fresh copy before submission to the Texas Secretary of State. We check document dates as a standard step to avoid submitting documents that will be refused.
Depending on your document type require notarization before they can be apostilled. If your Diploma is not a government-issued record, a notarization is usually required by a licensed notary prior to submission to the Texas Secretary of State in Austin. We manages the full notarization and apostille process so you never have to navigate this alone.
After we receive your Diploma, we inspect each document for any issues that could cause rejection. This pre-flight review identifies issues like improper certification, wrong document versions, or missing state fees. Catching these before submission saves days or weeks — a first-attempt rejection.
How Long Does a Diploma Apostille Take in Texas?
Turnaround for apostille certification vary depending on how the document is submitted and the Texas Secretary of State's current workload. Mail-in submissions from Texas to the Texas Secretary of State in Austin usually require 4 to 8 weeks in total — including transit time, government processing, and return. During peak periods, particularly during visa application seasons, backlogs can push timelines to 8 to 12 weeks.
For Texas residents in a rush, the quickest option is a runner that hand-delivers to the Texas Secretary of State in Austin. The Texas Secretary of State in Austin can complete apostilles same-day for in-person deliveries. Our runner uses this option wherever available to return apostilled documents to Texas in 2 to 5 business days.
The US Department of State operates on a separate schedule for federal documents. Regular postal submissions to DC for federal apostilles often takes 6 to 11 weeks because of the volume of requests from all 50 states. A DC-based courier can complete the federal apostille in 2 to 5 business days by physically submitting at the federal office.
What to Include With Your Submission
An easy-to-miss detail: for non-English documents, some Texas Secretary of State offices may require a certified English translation before apostilling. In other cases, the Texas Secretary of State apostilles the foreign-language document as-is and translation is handled separately after the apostille. Our team clarifies document-specific requirements when you place your order.
Before sending your document to the Texas Secretary of State, ensure you have: the original document or a certified copy, notarization if required for your document type, the Texas Secretary of State's request form if applicable, payment for the state fee of $15, and a prepaid FedEx or USPS return. Leaving out any item will cause rejection.
Some Texas residents ask whether they should include a cover letter with their apostille submission. For mail-in submissions, including a short cover page is advisable with your contact information and document details. The Texas Secretary of State processes high volumes of requests and a simple cover sheet helps the office handle your request correctly and quickly.
Common Apostille Mistakes to Avoid
Mailing an uncertified copy instead of an original or certified copy is a common rejection reason. The Texas Secretary of State in Austin requires the original document or a properly certified copy. Submitting a scan or uncertified copy will be rejected without processing. Request a new certified copy before starting the apostille process.
Failing to provide a prepaid return label is a simple but common mistake. The Texas Secretary of State in Austin does not automatically return documents. Without a prepaid return envelope, your apostilled document may sit uncollected for days. Our service includes return shipping — no separate arrangements needed.
The single most expensive apostille error is routing your Diploma to the incorrect office. Texas residents sometimes send state documents like Diplomas to the US Department of State in DC. In both cases, the office will reject the submission and return the document unprocessed. This mistake costs weeks — the time lost in transit to and from the wrong authority — before you can resubmit correctly.
Get Your Diploma Apostilled in Texas
Our courier network covers the Texas Secretary of State in Austin, typically returning your apostilled document in 2 to 5 business days. No need to visit any government office.
Order NowFrequently Asked Questions — Diploma Apostille in Texas
Does my Diploma need to be notarized before apostilling in Texas?
Yes. Most Secretary of State offices — including the Texas Secretary of State in Austin — require that Diplomas be notarized or officially certified by the issuing institution before an apostille can be attached. We coordinate the full process: notarization, submission to the Texas Secretary of State, and return of the completed apostille.
Which state handles the apostille if I now live in Texas but attended school elsewhere?
The apostille must come from the state where the issuing institution is located — not the state where you currently live. If your Diploma was issued by a Texas institution, the Texas Secretary of State in Austin is the correct office. If you attended school in another state, that state's Secretary of State handles the apostille.
How do I get a certified copy of my Diploma suitable for apostilling?
Contact the institution that issued your Diploma — typically the registrar, alumni office, or records department — and request an officially certified copy bearing an original seal or signature. This certified copy, not a photocopy, is what the Texas Secretary of State in Austin will accept. We can advise on institution-specific requirements when you place your order.
Will my apostilled Diploma from Texas be accepted in countries that require specific formats?
Countries like Germany and the UAE have specific requirements for educational documents beyond the apostille — including certified translations and sometimes additional attestation. The apostille from the Texas Secretary of State in Austin satisfies the Hague authentication requirement, but you may also need a sworn translation and, in some cases, attestation by the destination country's embassy. We offer full packages that cover apostille plus translation.