Apostille Service in Wichita Falls, Texas
Apostille Request Form
Wichita Falls is closer to the Oklahoma line than to the state capital, so a trip to the Texas Secretary of State is a serious undertaking for anyone who just needs a document certified for use abroad. Apostille Authentications serves Wichita Falls and Wichita County by mail. You send us your certified records, and we prepare the request, submit it in Austin, and send the apostilled documents back.
We are not a local walk-in shop and keep no office in the city. What we offer is familiarity with how Texas apostilles work and what the state will and will not accept, which saves Sheppard families, students and local professionals from guesswork.
Sheppard AFB and Its International Pilot Training Program
Sheppard Air Force Base is the city’s largest employer, with more than 7,000 employees according to Wichita Falls Chamber figures. It hosts two wings:
- 82nd Training Wing, which runs the base’s technical training and also instructs foreign nationals.
- 80th Flying Training Wing, home to the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program, a multinational effort begun in 1981 that trains combat pilots for the U.S. Air Force and NATO partners.
Because officers from many allied countries live in Wichita Falls during training, and because American personnel rotate to assignments overseas, documents created here often end up abroad. A child born at a local hospital, a marriage registered in Wichita County, or a degree earned during an assignment may each need an apostille before a foreign government recognizes it. The city even has a German school, Deutsche Schule Sheppard, serving German families stationed here.
Two Local Sources for Birth and Death Certificates
Wichita Falls residents can get vital records from either of two local offices, or from Texas Vital Statistics (DSHS). When ordering from DSHS, enter “Apostille” as the reason for the request.
| Office | Address | How to reach it | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wichita County Clerk | 900 7th St., Room 250, Wichita Falls, TX 76301 | (940) 766-8100: option 2 for marriage licenses, option 3 for vital records; online ordering portal | Birth, death and marriage records |
| Wichita Falls – Wichita County Public Health District, Vital Records | 1700 Third St., Wichita Falls, TX 76301 | (940) 761-7801 or (940) 761-7802; vr@wichitafallstx.gov | Certified birth and death records |
Request certified copies, since a plain copy cannot be apostilled. Details are from the Wichita County Clerk and the health district’s application form.
Divorce and Family Court Records in Room 108
The Wichita County District Clerk is the custodian of felony, family, juvenile, civil and delinquent tax court records, with files dating to 1882. Its office is in Room 108 of the same building at 900 7th Street and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Call 940-766-8100 and choose option 5.
Copies can be requested in person, by mail, or through eFileTexas. Ask specifically for a certified copy of the final decree or order you need. More information is on the District Clerk’s page.
Midwestern State University and Vernon College Graduates
Midwestern State University, now part of the Texas Tech University System, enrolls more than 5,500 students and offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Vernon College serves as the community college for all of Wichita County, with two-year degrees, certificates and workforce programs offered locally. Major employers in town also include United Regional Health Care System, Wichita Falls ISD and the City of Wichita Falls, so nursing licenses, teaching credentials and employment letters show up regularly as well.
Graduates teaching English abroad, starting graduate school overseas or applying for a foreign work permit usually need their degree or transcript apostilled. Ask your school about a notarized copy first, and use our translation service if the destination requires a translated version.
Graduates who have already moved away from Wichita Falls can still use this process. Your school can usually mail a notarized copy to wherever you live now, and you then forward it to us. Because the apostille confirms the Texas notary’s signature rather than your current address, it does not matter whether you are in another state or already overseas when you start. Allow extra time for international shipping in both directions.
Texas Only Certifies Texas Documents
Living near a state line creates a common mix-up. The Texas Secretary of State can only apostille documents that originate in Texas, such as Texas vital records, Texas court records and papers notarized by a Texas notary. A birth certificate from Oklahoma or a document notarized across the river must go to that state’s authority.
Federal documents have their own path too. FBI background checks, for instance, are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State; our FBI apostille service covers those. And for non-Hague destinations such as the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, an apostille is replaced by embassy legalization.
A quick way to avoid delays: before ordering anything, write down where each document came from (Texas county, another state, or a federal agency) and which country will receive it. That short list tells us immediately which office has to certify each item, and whether any part of your file needs legalization rather than an apostille.
What the Process and Fees Look Like
Once your documents are in order, the route is straightforward. We complete Texas Form 2102 and submit your documents to the Authentications Unit, Texas Secretary of State, 400 West 15th Street, Austin, TX 78701.
- State fee: $15 per document, paid to Texas.
- Our fee: $195 per document, in addition to the state fee.
- Mailed submissions: the state can take as long as two weeks from the day it receives them.
- In-person submissions: processed same day, with walk-ins on Mondays and Fridays and appointments Tuesday through Thursday.
We do not promise our own completion dates, since processing depends on the state. Learn more on our Texas apostille page.
Wichita Falls Apostille Questions
I was born in Wichita Falls. Should I order from the county or the health district?
Either can work. The Wichita County Clerk handles vital records through its office at 900 7th Street and an online portal, and the Wichita Falls – Wichita County Public Health District runs a vital records office at 1700 Third Street. Whichever you use, ask for a certified copy.
My spouse is a NATO officer finishing pilot training at Sheppard. Can you apostille our Texas marriage certificate?
Yes. A marriage record issued by a Texas county clerk can receive a Texas apostille, which Hague Convention countries accept, and that includes the European NATO nations that send pilots to Sheppard. Tell us the destination first so we can confirm.
How much does the Wichita County District Clerk charge to find an old divorce case?
The office lists a $5.00 search fee per name, paid before the search begins, and copies at $1.00 per page. Its posted certified-copy pricing is inconsistent, so confirm the exact charge at 940-766-8100, option 5.
Can Texas apostille a document from just across the Red River in Oklahoma?
No. Each state's Secretary of State only apostilles documents from its own state. An Oklahoma birth certificate or Oklahoma notarization has to go through Oklahoma, even if you now live in Wichita Falls.
Does a Midwestern State transcript need anything before the apostille?
Yes. A transcript or diploma must be notarized by a Texas notary, often arranged with the registrar's office, before the Secretary of State will certify it.
Contact Us About Your Wichita Falls Documents
Send us a note about the documents you have and the country receiving them, and we will tell you what needs to happen before they go to Austin. Call (971) 514-3743, write to info@apostilleauthentications.com, or complete the request form on our contact page.
State specific information
Need statewide details? See our Texas apostille service page for the Texas Secretary of State process, fees and timelines.