Passports and visas get most of the attention when people talk about international paperwork.

They're only part of it.

Move overseas, get married abroad, enroll in a foreign school, handle an international business matter, apply for dual citizenship, or deal with a foreign government agency and suddenly you're hearing words like apostille, certified copy, and certified translation.

So here's a quick tour of some of the other document services we handle.

Certified Birth Certificates

Birth certificates come up constantly in official paperwork.

You may need one for a passport application, citizenship matter, marriage abroad, school enrollment, immigration-related process, or another legal or government purpose.

The important word here is "certified."

A photocopy of the birth certificate sitting in your desk drawer generally isn't the same thing as an official certified copy issued through the appropriate authority. Texas Tower can assist with obtaining certified birth certificates from U.S. states and Puerto Rico.

Apostilles

This one sounds more mysterious than it is.

An apostille is a form of authentication used so certain U.S. public documents can be recognized in another country that participates in the Hague Apostille Convention.

Depending on the situation, apostilles may be needed for birth certificates, marriage certificates, diplomas, corporate documents, powers of attorney, and other official records.

The exact process depends on the document and where it originated.

Document Authentication

Not every country uses the apostille system.

Documents intended for countries outside the applicable Hague Convention process may require a different chain of authentication or legalization.

This is why it's important to know where the document will ultimately be used before beginning the process.

Document Translation

Foreign governments, schools, courts, businesses, and other organizations may require documents in a particular language.

Texas Tower offers document translation services for travelers and others handling international paperwork. Birth certificates, marriage records, academic documents, legal papers, and business documents are just a few examples of material that may require translation.

Always check what the receiving organization requires, because translation standards can vary.

International Driving Permits

Planning to drive overseas?

An International Driving Permit, commonly called an IDP, provides a standardized translation of information from your driver's license for use while traveling internationally.

It doesn't replace your driver's license, and it isn't a driver's license by itself. You generally carry it along with your valid U.S. license.

Brazilian Passport Renewals

Texas Tower also assists Brazilian citizens in the United States with Brazilian passport renewals.

That's an important distinction because Texas Tower's services aren't limited to helping Americans leave the United States. Some international document services involve foreign nationals living or traveling here as well.

International paperwork has a way of becoming interconnected.

You need a passport, which requires a birth certificate. Then another country wants the birth certificate apostilled. Then it needs to be translated.

One document turns into three processes surprisingly quickly.

That's why it helps to start by asking what the final receiving authority requires.

Once you know that, you can work backward and get the right documents prepared the right way.