Hague member countries accept a single apostille from the Texas Secretary of State and need no federal step. Non-Hague countries require a three-step chain:
Other Services
Document Authentication in Houston
Need document authentication Houston filing through the U.S. Department of State? After state certification, we send the file to Washington, DC. Clients ship to Sam's Passport in Houston, the authenticated papers come back overnight. Call (713) 784-5501.
Outline
Sam’s Passport Inc. files document authentication requests with the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC for Houston clients whose documents are heading to non-Hague countries. This is the federal step between state certification and embassy legalization.
What is federal authentication?
Federal authentication is a seal applied by the U.S. Department of State confirming that a state-level certification (certificate of notary or apostille) is genuine. It is required for documents destined for countries that are not members of the Hague Apostille Convention.
- State certificationThe Texas Secretary of State certifies the notary or registrar’s signature.
- Federal authentication
The U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC confirms the state certification (this page).
- Embassy legalizationThe destination country’s embassy or consulate applies the final stamp.
Documents we authenticate
Any document that has already received state certification can move to federal authentication. Common types from Houston:
Birth, marriage & death certificatesState-certified vital records heading to non-Hague countries
Diplomas and transcriptsState-certified notarized copies for foreign schools or employers
Power of attorneyState-certified notarized POA for property or guardianship abroad
Corporate documentsState-certified articles, resolutions, and contracts
Court recordsState-certified judgments, adoption decrees, and name-change orders
FBI background checkThe FBI Identity History Summary goes directly to Washington, no state step needed (see FBI Background Check)
How we file from Houston
- Intake in Houston
Bring the state-certified document to 1811 Bering Drive, Suite 100, or ship FedEx/UPS Priority Overnight.
- Submit to Washington, DC
We send the document to the U.S. Department of State with the $8 authentication fee.
- Federal processing
The State Department verifies the state seal and applies its own authentication certificate.
- Return or forward to embassyAuthenticated documents ship back to you, or we forward them directly to the destination embassy for legalization.
Required documents
Federal authentication requires a document that has already been certified at the state level. Call (713) 784-5501 if you need the state step first.
What to send
State-certified documentOriginal document with the Texas Secretary of State (or other state) certification already attached
Passport copyA color copy of the applicant’s passport information pages
Driver licenseA copy of the applicant’s driver license
Sam's Request FormCompleted Sam’s Request Form with destination country listed
If the document has not yet been certified by the state, we can handle both steps. Tell us the destination country and we route the file correctly.
Ship your documents
Please use FedEx Priority Overnight or UPS Priority Overnight to ship your documents to Sam’s Passport Inc. Call before you ship so we can confirm the document already has state certification.
Houston office
What to include
Completed request formInclude your completed Sam’s Request Form
Copies of IDPassport information pages and driver license copies
Return labelA prepaid overnight label for return delivery when required
Call before you shipConfirm state certification is attached at (713) 784-5501
Clients nationwide can ship to our Houston office. Walk-in drop-off is also available at Suite 100.
Common questions about document authentication in Houston
What is U.S. Department of State authentication?
It is a federal seal confirming that a state-level certification on a U.S. document is genuine. Non-Hague countries require it as the second step before embassy legalization. Hague countries do not need it — an apostille is enough.
Does my document need state certification first?
Yes. The U.S. Department of State only authenticates documents that already carry a state seal — either a certificate of notary or an apostille from the Secretary of State. The one exception is federal documents like the FBI background check, which go directly to Washington.
How much does federal authentication cost?
The U.S. Department of State charges $8 per document. Sam's Passport adds a service fee ($150 regular, $200 rush, $250 emergency) plus FedEx postage to and from Washington, DC. If you also need state certification, those fees are separate.
How long does the authentication step take?
The federal step alone takes about 5-10 working days depending on U.S. State Department volume. If you also need state certification, add that processing time. The full state-plus-federal chain is about 10-15 working days.
Can Sam's Passport handle both state and federal steps?
Yes. We can file the document with the Texas Secretary of State first, then forward it to Washington for federal authentication. Tell us the destination country so we route correctly.
Can I mail documents from outside Houston?
Yes. Clients nationwide ship to our Houston office by FedEx or UPS Priority Overnight. Include Sam's Request Form, ID copies, and call (713) 784-5501 before shipping so we confirm the document is ready for federal filing.