When a relative dies leaving money in a Nigerian bank, a family in Texas quickly runs into two problems at once: the bank will not release the funds without Nigerian estate authority, and the Texas documents proving the death and the family relationship are not automatically recognized in Nigeria. Both problems have a process, and getting the order of steps right saves months.
What an apostille is
An apostille is a certificate that authenticates a public document — a notary's signature, a court seal, a registrar's certification — so it will be accepted by authorities in another country. For countries in the Hague Apostille Convention, the apostille is the finish line. For countries outside it, the same Texas certificate is the first step in a short legalization chain.
Does an apostille work in Nigeria?
No. Nigeria is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so a plain apostille is not enough on its own. A Texas document destined for Nigeria has to travel the full legalization chain: first have it notarized, then certified by the Texas Secretary of State, then authenticated by the U.S. Department of State, and finally legalized by the Nigerian Embassy or Consulate in the United States. Only after that last step will Nigerian authorities and banks treat the document as valid.
How the Texas Secretary of State apostille works
Texas apostilles come from a single office: the Secretary of State's Authentications Unit in Austin. There is no county-clerk step — a document notarized by any Texas notary, in any of the 254 counties, goes straight to the state. Since October 2023 Texas issues one Universal Apostille (Form 2102) that works for every destination, whether or not the country belongs to the Hague Apostille Convention.
The state fee is $15 per document. Mailed requests can take up to 25 business days; in-person and appointment service in Austin is same-day for up to 10 documents, and a bulk drop-box handles larger batches in 24–48 hours. There is no online submission — every request is handled by mail or in person. Certified copies of vital records (birth, death, marriage, divorce) must be less than five years old.
Federal documents — FBI background checks, USCIS naturalization certificates, IRS letters — cannot be apostilled by Texas; they go to the U.S. Department of State. We confirm the correct authority before anything is filed, so your documents are never rejected on a technicality.
Releasing a Nigerian bank account after a death
A Nigerian bank will not release a deceased customer's funds without a will or Letters of Administration granted by the Probate Registry of the state where the deceased lived. There is no shortcut around this — even a spouse or child must obtain the grant.
The mechanism is the Bank Certificate issued by the Probate Registry. Once appointed, the administrators take the certificate to the bank, which records and endorses the deceased's balances and returns it so the estate can be assessed for estate fees — commonly around 10% of the value of the estate (confirm the current rate). Only after that assessment are the funds released to the administrators.
Expect the Probate Registry to require the death certificate, a next-of-kin affidavit, two sureties, and passport photographs. There is also typically a newspaper publication period of about 21 days during which anyone can raise objections to the grant.
Documents you'll need
- The deceased's death certificate, legalized through the full chain above
- Application for Letters of Administration at the Probate Registry
- A next-of-kin affidavit
- Two sureties to support the application
- Passport photographs of the administrators
- Proof of relationship to the deceased, legalized
- The bank's estate forms and the Probate Registry's Bank Certificate
Translation
English is Nigeria's official language, so documents issued in English do not need translation. The critical step is not translation but legalization — allow generous time for the Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State, and Nigerian consular stages, because each is handled by a different office and the chain cannot be shortened.
We handle the whole apostille — you don't travel to Austin
Our firm provides full-service apostille handling: we prepare your document, coordinate Texas notarization or certified copies, file the Universal Apostille request with the Secretary of State, add U.S. Department of State and embassy legalization when a country requires it, arrange certified translation, and deliver the finished documents to you or your recipient abroad.
We also coordinate directly with your counsel overseas — a barrister or solicitor in Commonwealth countries, an advocate in South Asia, a notario público in Latin America — so the document is drafted with the exact wording their registry, court, or bank requires before anything is apostilled.
- 📞 Phone: (281) 348-6723
- 📧 Email: busbytexas@gmail.com
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A note on accuracy
Apostille and legalization requirements change, and each receiving institution — a foreign land registry, bank, pension office, or consulate — can impose its own rules. This article reflects requirements verified in 2026 and is general information, not legal advice. Contact us so we can confirm the current requirements for your specific document and destination before you file.
For the full statewide process — fees, timelines, document types, and the Hague vs. non-Hague paths — see our complete Texas Apostille Guide.