Authentication of Educational Documents to Obtain an APOSTILLE

PLEASE NOTE: If you have documents from other schools that need to be processed with your apostille, the documents will need to be certified by each individual school. Texas A&M University - Commerce will not certify documents for other schools.

What is an apostille?

An apostille is a form of certification "to abolish the requirement of diplmatic or consular legalization for foreign public documents." In other words, it is a method for documents to be certified from country to country and is recognized by many (but not all**) countries as an authenticating or legalizing documents.

In Texas, the Texas Secretary of State is the authority that issues apostilles. The apostille is the certification by the Texas Secretary of State that the Notary Public has a valid commission to act on the state's behalf as a Notary Public.

You can read more about apostilles on the official Texas Secretary of State Website by clicking here.

You can also read over the Texas Secretary of State's official FAQ by clicking here.

**Because not all countries participate in the apostille process, please see below for the list of participating countries.

How do I request the necessary documents from Texas A&M University - Commerce for an apostille?

To request the necessary documents needed by the State of Texas to process an apostille, you will need to complete all of the following steps. Failure to complete even one of the following steps could prevent or delay your process:

Step 1: Review the list of participatory countries

• Before continuing on to steps 2 and 3, you first need to determine whether or not your receiving country is a paticipatory country, i.e. if your receiving country will accept and acknowledge your apostille. 
• Visit the Hague Conference's website to view a list of paticipatory countries.
  • Note that countries in bold are participating, but countries in italics are not participating.
• If your receiving country is participating, continue on to Step 2.
• If your receiving country is not participating, please note that your documents will require further legalization by the US Department of State and the Washington DC Embassy of your receiving country.

Step 2: Request an official Texas A&M University - Commerce transcript.

• Complete the Apostille Transcript Request Form
• Please allow 3-5 business days for processing
• Please note that transcripts meant for apostille purposes must be notarized and then mailed directly to the student or picked up in person by the student. Texas A&M Universtiy - Commerce Registrar staff will not mail your transcript to the Texas Secretary of State on your behalf.

Step 3: Order an original Texas A&M University - Commerce diploma.

• To order an original TAMUC diploma, please complete the following steps:

1. Visit the Registrar's MarketPlace store
2. Read over the information regarding ordering your diploma(s).
3. If you are ordering more than 1 diploma, change your Quantity to the number needed. NOTE: Each diploma costs $30.
4. Ensure you have entered the number of diplomas needed and click Add to Cart.
5. On the following page, enter the following information
   1. Your name - as you would like it to appear on your diploma
   2. CWID/SSN
   3. Address to be mailed
   4. City, State, Zip
   5. Daytime Phone Number
   6. Email Address
   7. Date of Graduation
   8. Degree Received
6. On the next page, confirm that the information you have entered is correct and click Checkout.
7. In the middle of the page, under Contact Information, enter your email address and click Continue Unregistered.
   1. Continuing Unregistered simply means you do not wish to register an account with the University's MarketPlace.
8. On the Payment Methods page, select your payment method and enter your billing information. 
9. When you have finished entering your information, click Continue.
   1. Please note, your card will not be charged at this time. You will be taken to one final screen to confirm your payment and submit your order.
10. After submitting your order, email Graduation@tamuc.edu with your name, CWID, and MarketPlace order number to let us know that you have requested your diploma for apostille purposes so that we are sure to notarize it, rather than processing it like a typical duplicate diploma request.

• Please allow 7-10 business days for processing.
• Please note that diplomas meant for apostille purposes must be mailed directly to the student or picked up in person by the student. Texas A&M Universtiy - Commerce Registrar staff will not mail your diploma to the Texas Secretary of State on your behalf.

Step 4: Registrar staff will have student's transcript and diploma notarized and deliver to student

• Registrar staff will deliver the notarized transcript and diploma to the student, either by US Mail or in person (depending upon the method of delivery noted by the student on the Transcript Request form).
• Please note that transcripts and diplomas meant for apostille purposes must be mailed directly to the student or picked up in person by the student. Texas A&M University - Commerce Registrar staff will not mail your transcript and/or diploma to the Texas Secretary of State on your behalf.

Step 5: File the appropriate paperwork with the Texas Secretary of State and pay any fees owed to the state

• Once a student has received their notarized transcript and/or diploma from Texas A&M University - Commerce, the rest of the apostille process will go through the state
• Students should visit the Texas Secretary of State FAQ, Question 5 - "How do I get an Apostille?" - for information about the process going forward, including how to request an apostille, who to contact, what additional fees are owed to the state, and how to pay those fees.