Apostille Service in Brownsville, Texas
Apostille Request Form
Brownsville is the Cameron County seat, sitting directly across the Rio Grande from Matamoros, Tamaulipas. Four international crossings link the two cities: the B&M Bridge, the Gateway International Bridge, the Veterans International Bridge and a rail bridge (Texas Center at TAMIU). Add a deepwater port and a rocket launch site down the road, and Brownsville produces an unusual variety of documents bound for other countries.
Apostille Authentications gets those documents apostilled by the Texas Secretary of State. Clients in Brownsville send papers to us by mail or courier, and we handle the filing from our Texas office at 6124 Hwy 6 N, Houston, TX 77084.
Matamoros Family Ties and Mexican Paperwork
Plenty of Brownsville households have parents, children or property in Matamoros. Mexico has been a party to the Hague Apostille Convention since August 1995 (HCCH), so a Texas apostille is what a Mexican registro civil, court or notario expects to see on a Texas record. Common examples:
- A Brownsville birth certificate used to register a child as a Mexican national
- A marriage record or divorce decree needed to remarry or update civil status in Tamaulipas
- A death certificate for an inheritance or property transfer in Mexico
- A notarized power of attorney letting a relative in Matamoros act on your behalf
The Mexican office will probably also want a Spanish version. Translate after the apostille is attached so the translation covers the certificate too. We can arrange that through our translation services if a U.S. translation is acceptable to the recipient.
Port of Brownsville and Cross-Border Commerce
The Port of Brownsville calls itself the only deepwater port on the U.S.-Mexico border, with about 40,000 acres available for development and 17 miles of waterfront. Its cargo includes steel, liquid, break-bulk and dry-bulk goods. A 2019 study cited by the port credits it with more than 51,000 jobs.
Shipping and industrial companies there deal with foreign buyers, suppliers and regulators. Documents they ask us to apostille include:
- Certificates of formation, certificates of fact or good standing issued by the Texas Secretary of State
- Notarized board resolutions and officer certificates
- Powers of attorney for customs brokers or foreign representatives
- Notarized commercial declarations requested by a foreign buyer
A document from another state, or one notarized outside Texas, cannot be apostilled in Austin. It has to go to the state where it was issued or notarized.
Starbase and the Space Workforce
SpaceX’s Starbase sits on the Boca Chica peninsula about 20 miles east of Brownsville, and voters there approved incorporating it as a Cameron County city in May 2025 (overview). Engineers, technicians and contractors who settle in the Brownsville area sometimes accept assignments or marry abroad, and their records follow the same path: Cameron County certificates for events recorded locally, Texas notarizations for private documents, and a federal apostille for an FBI check.
Where to Get Brownsville and Cameron County Records
Brownsville has a city vital records office as well as county offices, with addresses on E. Levee and E. Harrison streets downtown. Which one you need depends on where the event was recorded and what kind of record it is.
| Document | Issuing office | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Birth or death inside city limits | City of Brownsville, City Secretary’s Vital Statistics Section | City Plaza, 1034 E. Levee St., 1st Floor; 956-548-6042; walk-ins Mon-Fri 8:15 a.m.-3:00 p.m. |
| Long-form birth certificate for a birth elsewhere in the county; death and marriage records | Cameron County Clerk, Vital Records Division | 835 E. Levee St., 3rd Floor, Brownsville, TX 78520; 956-544-0815; Mon-Fri 8:00-4:30 |
| Divorce decree or district court order | Cameron County District Clerk | 974 E. Harrison St., Brownsville; (956) 544-0838 |
| Texas birth or death certificate from any county | Texas Vital Statistics (DSHS) | When ordering, give “Apostille” as the reason |
The city’s vital statistics page lists a $24 birth certificate fee, warns that its sign-in sheet closes at 3:00 p.m. or earlier on busy days, and requires original proof documents and approved photo ID. County details come from the Cameron County vital records portal and a local report on the District Clerk.
UTRGV, Texas Southmost College and Brownsville Diplomas
Higher education in Brownsville has changed names several times. Texas Southmost College partnered with Pan American University in 1973 to start a four-year program, which became the University of Texas at Brownsville in 1991; UTB was later merged into the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, which keeps a Brownsville campus (UTRGV archives). TSC operates on its own as a community college.
If your diploma says UTB, UTPA-Brownsville or UTRGV, contact UTRGV’s records office; TSC graduates should contact TSC. In every case, the school needs to provide a notarized copy or notarized registrar statement, because the Secretary of State authenticates a notary’s or public official’s signature, not the diploma itself.
What Austin Charges and How Long It Takes
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| Authority | Texas Secretary of State, Authentications Unit, 400 West 15th Street, Austin, TX 78701 |
| State fee | $15 per apostille |
| Mail-in timing | Up to two weeks from the day the state receives the request |
| In-person timing | Same day; walk-in Monday and Friday, by appointment Tuesday to Thursday |
| Required form | Form 2102 |
| Our fee | $195 per document, with the $15 state fee added |
See our pricing and Texas apostille service pages for more. For destinations outside the convention, such as the UAE, Qatar or Kuwait, the papers need embassy legalization instead; Canada, a member since January 2024, takes an apostille. Our country guide lists the rules.
One more exception matters for many Brownsville clients: federal records skip Austin altogether. An FBI identity history summary, which Mexican residency offices and overseas employers often request, is apostilled by the U.S. Department of State. Our FBI apostille page explains how that request works and how it can travel alongside your Texas documents.
Brownsville Apostille FAQ
I was born in Brownsville. Should I order from the city or from Cameron County?
If the birth happened inside Brownsville city limits, the City of Brownsville Vital Statistics office on E. Levee Street can issue it. For a birth elsewhere in the county, the city sends you to the Cameron County Clerk for the long-form certified copy. Either version can be apostilled if it is a certified copy.
Does the city office take cash?
No. According to the city, walk-in customers can pay with a local check, money order, cashier’s check, or a Visa, Mastercard or Discover card in the applicant’s name. Mailed requests need a money order or cashier’s check plus a notarized application.
I work at Starbase and need documents for a foreign assignment. Can you help?
Yes, if the documents are Texas public records or were notarized in Texas. Starbase is in Cameron County, so county-level records come from the clerk’s offices in Brownsville. A federal background check is a separate case and goes to the U.S. Department of State.
Can a UTB diploma still be apostilled now that the university is part of UTRGV?
Generally yes. Ask UTRGV’s registrar for a notarized duplicate or a notarized letter about the degree, and the Secretary of State then authenticates the notary’s signature.
Do I also need the Mexican consulate in Brownsville to stamp the document?
No. Mexico accepts apostilles, so the Texas apostille stands on its own. You may still need a Spanish translation for the office receiving it.
Begin Your Brownsville Request
Send us a short description of each document and the destination country, and we will tell you whether it is ready for Austin or needs a new certified copy or notarization first. Call (971) 514-3743, write to info@apostilleauthentications.com, or fill out our online request form.
State specific information
Need statewide details? See our Texas apostille service page for the Texas Secretary of State process, fees and timelines.