Apostille Service in Killeen, Texas
Apostille Request Form
Killeen grew up alongside the Army post that was officially renamed from Fort Hood to Fort Cavazos on May 9, 2023. The installation remains the city’s dominant employer, and that makes Killeen a place where families are constantly preparing to move, including to assignments outside the United States.
Foreign governments, landlords, schools and employers often ask those families for apostilled documents. Apostille Authentications prepares Texas records for authentication and submits them to the Texas Secretary of State. We serve Killeen and the post by mail and courier from our Texas office in Houston.
Getting Documents Ready Before Overseas Orders
An Army article on PCSing out of Fort Cavazos notes that orders are generally processed about 120 days before the report date, and that family members going overseas need official passports from the Department of State. The same window is a good time to deal with any documents a host country or employer may ask for.
Records Killeen families often prepare include:
- Marriage certificates, for a spouse’s residence registration or local employment
- Birth certificates for children enrolling in local schools or applying for visas
- Powers of attorney that let a spouse or relative handle property, vehicles or banking while you are away
- Divorce or custody orders when a child’s travel requires proof of consent
- Diplomas and transcripts for spouses who plan to work or study abroad
Ask the gaining command’s sponsor or the receiving organization exactly what they want before ordering. Requirements differ by country and by purpose, and many items never need an apostille at all.
Which Authority Handles Your Document
Military life produces both kinds, and each goes to a different authority:
| Document | Issued by | Who authenticates it |
|---|---|---|
| Bell County birth, death or marriage record | Bell County Clerk or Texas Vital Statistics | Texas Secretary of State |
| Bell County divorce decree | Bell County District Clerk | Texas Secretary of State |
| Document signed before a Texas notary public | The signer, notarized in Texas | Texas Secretary of State |
| FBI background check | FBI | U.S. Department of State |
| Consular Report of Birth Abroad | U.S. Department of State | U.S. Department of State |
The Texas Secretary of State says it does not authenticate federal documents. For the federal route, see our FBI and federal apostille service.
If your orders or job are in a Hague Convention country, the Texas apostille is the certificate you need. Canada joined the Convention in January 2024. Countries outside it, such as Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, require embassy legalization instead. Our country guide shows which applies.
Bell County Offices for Killeen Records
Killeen is in western Bell County, and the county seat is Belton, about 16 miles east. Bell County’s vital records ordering page says the County Clerk maintains long-form birth certificates for Belton, Harker Heights, Killeen, Fort Hood and rural areas. Temple is the exception; its births from 1950 on are kept by the City of Temple.
- Bell County Clerk, Vital Records: 1201 Huey Rd., Belton, TX 76513; 254-933-5165; Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Bell County District Clerk: divorce decrees and court orders. The copy request form goes to P.O. Box 909, Belton, TX 76513, with a cashier’s check or money order; personal checks are not accepted.
- Texas Vital Statistics (DSHS): statewide alternative for births and deaths; mark “Apostille” as the reason.
Bell County has also been building a new annex at 507 N. Gray St. in downtown Killeen to replace the Priest Drive complex. Reports did not say whether clerk services will be offered there, so call before going.
A&M-Central Texas and Central Texas College Records
Texas A&M University-Central Texas, at 1001 Leadership Place, began in 1999 as Tarleton State University-Central Texas. It orders official transcripts through Parchment for $3 each, and its Records and Admissions Office is in Founders Hall, Suite 108, reachable at 254.501.5857. Students who attended from 1999 to 2012 order through Tarleton instead. Central Texas College, founded in 1965, has its main campus partly in Killeen and partly in Copperas Cove. Killeen ISD serves almost the entire city.
None of these records can be apostilled as a plain copy. A school official has to sign a statement about the document in front of a notary first. Ask for that when ordering, and send us a scan so we can check it.
Veterans, Retirees and Civilian Employees
Soldiers are not the only Killeen residents with overseas plans. The city’s 2024 employer figures also list thousands of civilian personnel and defense contractor jobs, along with Killeen ISD, Central Texas College and AdventHealth. Contractors deploying to support missions abroad, teachers hired by international schools and veterans choosing to retire in another country all run into document requirements.
Retirement abroad tends to involve the longest list: proof of marriage for a spouse’s residence permit, birth certificates, a notarized power of attorney for a stateside relative, and sometimes an FBI background check. Gather the Texas records first, since a county copy can take longer to arrive than the federal check.
Fees and State Processing for Killeen Orders
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| State fee | $15 per document, paid to the Texas Secretary of State |
| Our fee | $195 per document |
| Mail processing in Austin | Up to two weeks after receipt |
| Counter processing in Austin | Same day; walk-ins Monday and Friday, appointments Tuesday through Thursday |
Apostilles come from the Authentications Unit at 400 West 15th Street, Austin, TX 78701, on Form 2102, which we complete. To order, get the certified copy, mail it to our Houston office with tracking, and we submit it and send it back to you, or to a forwarding address if you have already moved. See our pricing page for the full breakdown.
Killeen and Fort Cavazos Questions
Where do I get a birth certificate for a child born in Killeen or on Fort Cavazos?
The Bell County Clerk keeps long-form birth certificates for births in Killeen and on the post, which the county still lists as Fort Hood. The vital records office is at 1201 Huey Rd. in Belton, phone 254-933-5165. Texas Vital Statistics can also issue the certificate if you list Apostille as the reason.
Can a power of attorney be apostilled before I deploy or move overseas?
A power of attorney signed before a Texas notary public can be apostilled by the Texas Secretary of State. If it was notarized by a military legal office instead, contact us first, because the authentication route may be different.
My child was born overseas while I was stationed there. Can Texas apostille the birth record?
No. A Consular Report of Birth Abroad is a federal document, so it is authenticated by the U.S. Department of State rather than Texas.
How do I get an A&M-Central Texas transcript ready for an apostille?
Order an official transcript through Parchment, then ask the Records and Admissions Office (254.501.5857) whether it can provide a notarized statement. Texas needs that notarized statement before it will issue an apostille.
Do you have a Killeen office?
No. Killeen and Fort Cavazos clients send documents by mail or courier to our Texas office at 6124 Hwy 6 N in Houston, and we file them with the Secretary of State.
Contact Us Before You Ship Out
Facing a report date and a list of documents? Call (971) 514-3743 or email info@apostilleauthentications.com. You can also use our request form to tell us your destination and documents.
If you have already moved overseas, we can still help: tell us where the finished apostille should be delivered, and plan extra time for international shipping, since the state’s own processing time does not include mail in either direction.
State specific information
Need statewide details? See our Texas apostille service page for the Texas Secretary of State process, fees and timelines.