In all cases, the certificate(s) must be enclosed with a letter written in English requesting the Apostille in accordance with the Hague Convention, along with the name of the country where the documents are to be submitted.

The documents requiring the Apostille, must include the original signature (signed notarization) from a registered notary or an official of the U.S. State, who is registered with the Department of State, or with the Secretary of State or with the Department of the Treasury.

In cases of civil status documents, in which the issuing person has not personally signed, but rather whose signature is presented as a facsimile signature on the document, must in addition obtain the original signature of the issuer before the super legalization and accordingly, the Apostille can beissued.

The Apostille is issued by the Secretary of State from the U.S. State in which the particular certificate was issued.

Procedure for Obtaining an Apostille

The authenticity of an American document (e.g. birth or marriage certificate) is confirmed by the interior governmental authorities from the issuing State (Secretary of State) with a so-called Apostille.

In all cases, the certificate(s) must be enclosed with a letter written in English requesting the Apostille in accordance with the Hague Convention, along with the name of the country where the documents are to be submitted.

The documents requiring the Apostille mustinclude the original signature (signed notarization) from a registered notary or an official of the U.S. State, who is registered with the Department of State, or with the Secretary of State or with the Department of the Treasury.

In cases of civil status documents, in which the issuing person has not personally signed, but rather whose signature is presented as a facsimile signature on the document, must in addition obtain the original signature of the issuer before the Apostille can be issued.

The Apostille is issued by the Secretary of State from the U.S. State in which the particular certificate was issued:

Arkansas

Arkansas Secretary of the State

1401 W. Capitol, Suite 250

Little Rock, AR 72201

Tel.: +1 501-682-3409

Web

Fee: US-$ 10

Louisiana

Office of the Secretary of State

Mailing Address:

Commissions Division

P.O. Box 94125

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70804-9125

Physical Address (also for using FedEX, UPS, DHL, etc.):

8585Archives Ave

Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Tel: +1 225 922 0330

Web

Fee: US-$ 20 (adoptions US-$ 10,00)Stand: May 2019

New Mexico

Office of the Secretary of State

New Mexico State Capitol North,

325 Don Gaspar, Suite 300

Santa Fe, NM 87501

Tel.: 1-800 477 3632

Web (Request Letter Form)

Fee: US-$ 3

Oklahoma

Office of the Secretary of State

Certification Department

421 NW 13thStreet, Suite 210

Oklahoma City, OK 73103

Tel.: +1 405-521-4211

Web

Fee: US-$ 25 (adoptions US-$ 10,00)

Texas

Office of the Secretary of State

Authentications Unit

P.O. Box 13550

Austin, TX 78711-3550

walk-in address:

1019 Brazos B-13, Room 106

Austin, TX 78701

Tel.: +1 512 463 5705

Web

Fee: US-$ 15 (US-$ 10 if used for an Adoption)

The Apostille (according to the Hague Convention from the 5thof October 1961) can be requestedat the Secretary of State for the above listed fees (with an international Money Order payable to the “Secretary of State”). The request should indicate for which country the Apostille is needed, i.e. Germany, and should be submitted with the original document (in some exceptions a recently issued Stand: May 2019

notarized copy of the certificate will be accepted).

Since the rules pertaining to the required documents and applicable fees may change at short notice, inquiries should be made directly at the Secretary of State regarding specifications and certainrequirements.

Although the information on this document has been prepared with utmost care, the German Consulate General Houston can not accept any responsibility for inaccuracies contained herein.