When a relative dies in Texas and leaves a bank account in Pakistan, or when you need to operate or close a Pakistani account from the United States, the bank will ask for US documents that are properly authenticated. A Texas death certificate, proof of relationship, or a power of attorney has no legal effect in Pakistan until it is authenticated for use there. This page explains how the apostille works for Pakistan and what a Pakistani bank generally expects.
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 Pakistan?
Yes — with a practical caveat. Pakistan joined the Hague Apostille Convention in 2023, so a Texas document with an apostille from the Texas Secretary of State is, as a matter of law, valid in Pakistan without consular legalization. In practice, however, some Pakistani banks, courts, and government offices are still accustomed to the older route and may expect attestation by a Pakistani consulate in the US. Before relying on the apostille alone, confirm with the specific bank or office that will receive your documents whether an apostille is sufficient or whether it still wants consular attestation.
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.