Apostille Service in San Marcos, Texas
Apostille Request Form
San Marcos is a university town first. Texas State University, founded in 1899 as Southwest Texas State Normal School, is now one of the largest universities in Texas, and its students and graduates regularly head overseas to study, teach, conduct research and work. Almost every one of those plans eventually involves a document that a foreign institution wants apostilled.
Apostille Authentications helps Bobcats, faculty, alumni and other San Marcos residents get Texas documents apostilled through the Texas Secretary of State. We work entirely by mail and courier and do not have an office in San Marcos. This guide covers university records, the Hays County offices located in town, and how our apostille service in San Marcos, Texas is priced.
Texas State University: Diplomas, Transcripts and Study Abroad
Texas State’s Study Abroad Office has grown its programs considerably. The university reported that the number of students studying abroad rose from 462 in 2011-2012 to more than 890 in 2016-2017, earning recognition from the Institute of International Education. Add graduates pursuing degrees and jobs overseas, and the demand for apostilled academic records is constant.
Records commonly apostilled for Texas State students and alumni:
- Bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral diplomas
- Official transcripts for foreign university admission or credential evaluation
- Enrollment verification letters for student visas
- Degree verification letters for work permits or professional registration abroad
How to prepare them: the Texas Secretary of State authenticates a signature, so a university record needs a registrar’s signature acknowledged before a Texas notary. Ask the registrar’s office for a notarized copy or notarized verification letter. If you are unsure what to request, contact us before ordering so you only pay for the right document once.
International students finishing at Texas State sometimes need the same records apostilled to take home. Whether an apostille is accepted depends on the home country; our list of countries that accept apostilles will help.
Faculty and staff also use apostilles, for example to submit a doctoral diploma for a visiting appointment overseas or to authenticate a notarized letter of invitation. The same notarization rule applies to letters written on university letterhead.
The County Seat Advantage: Hays County Government Center
San Marcos is the Hays County seat, and two of the offices you are most likely to need share the Hays County Government Center at 712 S. Stagecoach Trail.
| Office | Suite | Phone | What to request |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hays County Clerk, Records Division | Suite 2008 | 512-393-7738 | Certified birth and death certificates, marriage records |
| Hays County District Clerk | Suite 2211 | 512-393-7660 | Certified divorce decrees and district court orders |
The District Clerk’s lobby is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, with phone and email assistance until 5 p.m. The County Clerk lists weekday hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for marriage license finalization.
Parts of San Marcos extend into Caldwell and Guadalupe counties. If an event took place in one of those areas, the record belongs to that county. For birth and death certificates, Texas Vital Statistics (DSHS) issues records statewide; when ordering, enter Apostille as your reason.
Students who were born outside Texas should note that their birth certificates cannot be apostilled in Austin. A student from Illinois, for example, would need the Illinois authority to apostille an Illinois birth certificate, even though the Texas State diploma is handled here.
Research, STAR Park and Regional Manufacturing
Beyond the classroom, Texas State runs a materials science, engineering and commercialization program and STAR Park, a research park that serves as a technology incubator. Manufacturers in the Hays and Caldwell county region include CFAN, which makes composite fan blades for GE engines, along with Thermon and other industrial employers.
Researchers and companies in this ecosystem request apostilles for:
- Notarized research collaboration agreements with foreign universities
- Corporate documents for overseas partners or subsidiaries
- Powers of attorney for patent or business filings abroad
- Personal documents for visiting scholars and staff on international assignments
Companies in the region should keep in mind that business records issued by the Texas Secretary of State, such as certificates of formation and certificates of status, can be apostilled directly. Contracts, invoices and letters prepared in-house must be signed before a Texas notary first. If a foreign partner sends you a template to sign, check whether they also expect a translation, and order the apostille only after the final version is signed and notarized.
From Campus to the Capitol: The Filing Process
Every Texas apostille is issued by the Authentications Unit of the Texas Secretary of State at 400 West 15th Street in Austin. The office accepts walk-ins on Monday and Friday and appointments Tuesday through Thursday, usually finishing in-person requests the same day. Mailed requests can take up to two weeks from the date the state receives them.
Students juggling classes often prefer to mail documents instead. With our service:
- You email scans so we can confirm notarizations and certifications are acceptable.
- You mail the originals with tracking.
- We prepare Form 2102 and pay the $15 state fee per document.
- The state attaches the apostille; we send the documents back to you or straight to the overseas recipient.
Because processing is controlled by the state, we do not quote our own turnaround.
Price: $195 per document for our service, plus the $15 state fee and shipping. See pricing.
Graduating seniors leaving for programs abroad soon after commencement should start early. Ordering a diploma copy, arranging notarization and allowing for state processing all take time, and your diploma may not be available until some weeks after graduation. A notarized degree verification letter can sometimes fill the gap; ask the receiving institution whether it will accept one.
When Texas Is Not the Right Office
- Teaching abroad and FBI checks: Many overseas teaching programs ask for an FBI background check. That federal document is apostilled by the U.S. Department of State. Our FBI apostille service handles it.
- Non-Hague destinations: Documents going to the UAE, Qatar or Kuwait, among others, need embassy legalization instead of an apostille.
- Out-of-state records: A diploma from a university in another state, or a birth certificate from elsewhere, must be apostilled in the issuing state.
Need a translation for the receiving country? Visit our translation services page.
Unsure which category your document falls into? Send us a photo. We will tell you which office handles it and whether we can include it in your order.
San Marcos FAQ
How do I get my Texas State diploma apostilled for a job abroad?
Request a notarized copy or a notarized degree verification from the Texas State registrar, then mail it to us. We file it with the Texas Secretary of State and return it with the apostille attached.
I am studying abroad next semester. Do I need my transcript apostilled?
Only if the host university or visa authority requires it. Check their written instructions; if they ask for an apostille, the transcript must be notarized by the registrar first.
Where do I get a certified Hays County marriage record?
From the Hays County Clerk’s Records Division at the Government Center, 712 S. Stagecoach Trail, Suite 2008, San Marcos. Phone 512-393-7738.
My home is in the Guadalupe County part of San Marcos. Which county has my records?
The county where the event happened. A wedding or court case in Guadalupe County is recorded there, while birth and death certificates can also be ordered from Texas Vital Statistics.
Do you have a San Marcos office?
No. We work with San Marcos clients by mail and courier.
Ready to Send Your Documents?
Call Apostille Authentications at (971) 514-3743 or email info@apostilleauthentications.com. You can also submit details using our request form, and we will confirm exactly what your San Marcos documents need.
State specific information
Need statewide details? See our Texas apostille service page for the Texas Secretary of State process, fees and timelines.
Location We Cover For Texas State
- Houston
- San Antonio
- Dallas
- Austin
- Fort Worth
- El Paso
- Arlington
- Corpus Christi
- Plano
- Lubbock
- Laredo
- Irving
- Garland
- Frisco
- Amarillo
- Grand Prairie
- McKinney
- Brownsville
- Killeen
- Pasadena
- Mesquite city
- McAllen
- Denton
- Waco
- Midland
- Carrollton
- Abilene
- Lewisville
- Pearland
- Round Rock
- College Station
- The Woodlands
- Richardson
- Beaumont
- League City
- Odessa
- Sugar Land
- Tyler
- Allen
- Wichita Falls
- Edinburg
- San Angelo
- New Braunfels
- Conroe
- Atascocita
- Mission
- Bryan
- Baytown
- Temple
- Longview
- Pharr
- Flower Mound
- Cedar Park
- Missouri City
- Mansfield
- Georgetown
- Harlingen
- North Richland Hills
- San Marcos
- Victoria
- Pflugerville
- Spring
- Rowlett
- Leander
- Euless
- Wylie
- Port Arthur
- DeSoto
- Galveston
- Texas City
- Grapevine
- Bedford
- Burleson
- Cedar Hill
- Kyle