Texas Marriage Certificate Apostille
For Use Outside the United States
This guide walks you through how to get a Texas apostille for a marriage certificate in 2025 – without wasting months on rejected documents, wrong copies, or outdated instructions.
- Which exact type of Texas marriage document can be apostilled
- Why notarized copies and online printouts are rejected
- How the county clerk vs. DSHS split works for marriage records
- How long mail really takes in 2025, and when you should go to Austin in person
⭐ At a Glance — 2026 Snapshot
| Item | Status (December 2025) |
|---|---|
| Accepted document | Certified copy of a Texas marriage license issued by a county clerk |
| Not accepted | ❌ Notarized photocopies, hospital/chapel souvenirs, DSHS verification letters |
| State apostille fee | $15 per document (adoption cases $10, capped at $100/child) |
| Where to apostille | Texas Secretary of State – Authentications Unit in Austin |
| How to request | Form 2102 (or 2103 for adoptions) + original certified marriage record + payment |
| Mail-in processing | Slow In late 2025, mail requests often take several months due to high volume |
| In-person options | Walk-in and appointment-based submission in Austin, up to 10 documents per visit |
| Top rejection reasons | 1) Wrong document (verification letter / photocopy) 2) Issued in another state 3) Missing form/payment |
Bottom line: For a Texas marriage certificate, you must use a certified copy from the county clerk in the county where you married – and expect mail-in apostilles to be a slow process in 2026.
1. When Do You Need an Apostille?
You need an apostille when your Texas marriage certificate will be used outside the United States, and the foreign authority requires it to be "legalized" or "apostilled".
Common Situations
💑 Marriage & Family Visas
- • Spouse visa (EU, UK, Canada, Australia, etc.)
- • Family reunification
- • Proving marital status to foreign immigration authorities
Plan: Start 2–4 months before filing if possible.
🏛 Name Change & Civil Registration
- • Registering the marriage with a foreign civil registry
- • Changing last name in another country's records
- • Updating family book / "livret de famille" equivalents
📜 Dual Citizenship
- • Italian, Irish, Spanish, Polish citizenship by marriage or descent
- • Proving marital link in lineage cases
💼 Work & Residency
- • Employers or relocation agencies asking for full civil status file
- • PR (permanent residence) applications where marital history matters
2. Critical 2025 Changes & Risks
2.1 In-Person Submission Rules Changed in 2025
In 2025 Texas introduced a new mixed system of walk-in and appointment-based submission for apostilles. Documents are now accepted:
- • On some weekdays as general in-person submission
- • And on other days by appointment only
Limit: about 10 documents per person per visit. The exact pattern can change. Always check the current instructions on the Texas Secretary of State's site before you plan a trip.
2.2 Mail-In Processing Is Much Slower in 2025
Official pages still describe "standard" processing, but practical experience from 2024–2025 shows:
Mail-in apostille requests often take many weeks or even several months to complete.
If your spouse visa, wedding abroad, or relocation has a fixed date, treating mail-in as a "quick" option in 2025 is risky.
3. Texas Marriage Certificate Apostille Requirements
To be accepted for apostille, your marriage document must meet all of these conditions.
3.1 Correct Type of Marriage Document
ACCEPTED
Certified Copy of Marriage License
Issued by the county clerk in the county where the marriage was recorded. This is what you need for apostille.
NOT ACCEPTED
Marriage Verification Letter
From Texas DSHS / Texas.gov. This only confirms that a marriage was recorded; it is not a certified copy and is often rejected.
3.2 Issuing Authority
- ✅ Certified marriage license from a Texas county clerk (where the marriage was recorded)
- ❌ Marriage record from another state (California, New York, etc.)
- ❌ Religious / church certificates (church-only records)
- ❌ Chapel / venue souvenir certificates
- ❌ Plain photocopies or scans, even if notarized
3.3 Age of the Document
Texas can apostille a certified copy issued long ago, but the Secretary of State must be able to verify the county clerk's signature in their database.
Issued within last 5 years
Generally low risk
Older than 5 years
Growing rejection risk
Very old copies (10+ years)
High risk that clerk signature is not on file
3.4 Forms & Payment
- Form 2102 — Request for Official Certificate or Apostille (for non-adoption cases)
- For international adoptions involving marriage documents: Form 2103
- Destination country field filled in (e.g. "Italy", "Germany", "Mexico")
- Payment: $15 per document (Adoption cases: $10 per document, capped at $100 per child)
4. Step-by-Step Process (DIY)
You must obtain a certified copy from the county clerk in the county where you were married. Typical options:
- Request in person at the county clerk's office
- Request by mail to the county clerk
- Some counties offer online ordering of certified copies
Do not rely on a printed PDF, verification letter, or church certificate.
Check that it says "Certified Copy", has a county clerk seal (raised or printed security seal), and the county clerk's signature is clearly present.
Download Form 2102 from the official Texas Secretary of State site. Fill in your name, address, destination country, and payment details.
For mail-in: Check or money order for $15 × number of documents, payable to "Texas Secretary of State".
Include: Original certified marriage license, Form 2102, Payment, and Prepaid return envelope with tracking.
Authentications Unit
P.O. Box 13550
Austin, TX 78711-3550
6. Fees & Realistic Timelines
| Scenario | Approx. Total Cost | Timeline (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| DIY by mail | $41–65 | Many weeks to several months |
| DIY in-person (Austin) | $35–55 | Same day / few days |
| Professional Service | $120–250+ | 3–5 business days |
If your immigration or wedding timeline is tight, assume mail is slow and plan for an in-person or professional solution.
10. Common Mistakes (Marriage-Specific)
-
Sending a Verification Letter Instead of a Marriage License
People order a "marriage verification letter" from DSHS/Texas.gov and assume it's enough. It usually isn't. Foreign authorities want the certified marriage license.
-
Using a Photocopy or Online Printout
A PDF printed from a county website, or a scanned image you printed yourself, is not a certified copy.
-
Wrong State
If you got married in another U.S. state, Texas cannot apostille that marriage record.
15. Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apostille my marriage certificate if I was married in another state but live in Texas?
No. The apostille must come from the state that issued the marriage record.
Can Texas apostille a church or chapel marriage certificate?
No. Only official civil records (certified copies from a Texas county clerk) can be apostilled.
My county offers "electronic certified copies". Are those OK?
Maybe. Some "electronic certified copies" may not be usable for apostille if there is no physical security paper or traditional seal/signature. Check before relying on an electronic format.
Does the apostille expire?
No, the apostille itself does not have an official expiration. But some countries want documents issued within the last 3–12 months, especially for immigration.
"Texas is very strict about the 'no photocopy' rule. I've seen dozens of applications rejected because people tried to save money by notarizing a copy. Don't do it—order the certified copy!"