Translation with notarization or apostille for international use. We coordinate the Texas Secretary of State apostille process and handle notarization in Wharton County.
5-7 business days including apostille processing. Expedited available in some cases.
People often confuse apostille and notarization, and the difference matters for how your document will be received. A notarized translation has a notary public signing to confirm the identity of the certifying translator. An apostille is an authentication certificate issued by a government authority (in Texas, the Secretary of State) that verifies the signature of the official who certified the document. If your document is going to a country that recognizes the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, you will likely need an apostille. If it is staying in the US, notarization is usually sufficient.
We help you figure out which one you need before you pay for anything. This saves people money and avoids the frustration of getting one when you needed the other.
For documents issued in Texas, apostilles are obtained from the Texas Secretary of State. For documents issued in other US states, you need that state's Secretary of State. For foreign documents being submitted abroad, the issuing country's designated authority handles apostille. We coordinate the Texas Secretary of State process for documents that need it and advise on out-of-state or foreign document apostille requirements.
Marriage abroad when one partner is US-based. Buying property in Mexico or another Hague country. Enrolling children in foreign schools. Using US diplomas or degrees for foreign university admission. Establishing businesses or bank accounts abroad. Submitting family documents for foreign nationality applications. These are the scenarios where apostille-ready translation is needed.
For apostille processing, we typically need the original document or a certified copy. Scan quality alone is usually not enough for the apostille process itself. We review your specific situation before starting and confirm what originals are needed before you send anything.
Standard processing through the Texas Secretary of State takes 2-4 weeks. Expedited processing is 3-5 business days (for an additional fee paid to the Secretary of State). We coordinate the full process once the translation is complete.
No. USCIS does not require apostille on translated documents submitted for immigration purposes. USCIS requires certified translation only. Apostille is for documents going to foreign countries.
We work with a licensed notary in Wharton County for notarization of translation certifications. We do not notarize the original documents themselves, only the translator certification attached to the translated document.