Reference page
Eight sourced facts about international document authentication, Texas processing, and the Hague Apostille Convention. Updated October 20, 2026.
What this covers
An apostille request can be time-sensitive, but the document’s origin, age, destination, and submission route still determine what happens next. This reference brings together current Texas instructions and international context from the Hague Conference on Private International Law.
Each fact links directly to its source. Requirements and processing times can change, and the receiving organization may have its own rules, so check the linked authority before submitting a request.
Citable facts
129
The Hague Conference on Private International Law reported that Algeria and Viet Nam acceded in 2025, bringing the Convention to 129 Contracting Parties at that time.
HCCH Annual Report 2025 ↗Source date: 20252,145,540
This figure illustrates the scale of international document use reported by one Convention authority. It is not a Texas volume estimate.
HCCH Statistics on Selected Conventions, Report of 2025 ↗Source date: 2024 reporting year148,211
The HCCH report lists this country-level total alongside the reporting periods supplied by participating authorities.
HCCH Statistics on Selected Conventions, Report of 2025 ↗Source date: 2024 reporting year$15
The fee is per document, not per page. Adoption apostille requests follow a separate $10-per-document fee and $100-per-child cap.
Texas Secretary of State, Request a Universal Apostille ↗Source date: Instructions checked October 20, 2026Up to 2 weeks
Actual timing can vary with volume. Mailing and return-delivery time are separate from the stated processing window.
Texas Secretary of State, Request a Universal Apostille ↗Source date: Instructions checked October 20, 20265 years
The office says older certified records may not be verifiable and cannot be apostilled, so the issuing date matters before a request is submitted.
Texas Secretary of State, Request a Universal Apostille ↗Source date: Instructions checked October 20, 202610 documents
Walk-in service is available on Monday and Friday. Requests with more than 10 documents may be dropped off for a stated three-day turnaround.
Texas Secretary of State, Request a Universal Apostille ↗Source date: Instructions checked October 20, 2026$100
The current adoption rate is $10 per certificate or apostille, with the cap applying to the adoption of each child.
Texas Secretary of State, Apostille and Authentication Information ↗Source date: Instructions checked October 20, 2026Methodology and sources
This page uses primary public sources only: current instructions from the Texas Secretary of State and annual reporting from the Hague Conference on Private International Law. Texas instructions were checked on October 20, 2026. International figures retain the reporting year supplied by the HCCH.
Texas figures describe state instructions, not a prediction of how long any individual request will take. International figures are country-level reports and are included for context, not to estimate Texas volume.
Nation’s Notary & Apostille Services. “Texas Apostille Facts & Statistics.” Updated October 20, 2026. https://nationsnotaryservices.com/texas-apostille-facts
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