What the U.S. Government Shutdown Means for Apostille and Authentication Services
When the federal government shuts down, it doesn’t just impact national parks and public offices — it also affects the U.S. Department of State, which plays a central role in document authentication for international use.
If you’re planning to send personal, business, or legal documents abroad, here’s what you need to know about how the current shutdown impacts apostille and Non-Hague authentication services.
🏛️ The Role of the U.S. Department of State in Apostille Processing
The U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications is responsible for certifying:
Apostilles for federal documents (like FBI background checks, naturalization papers, or FDA/USDA certificates)
The federal authentication step required for Non-Hague countries (those not part of the Apostille Convention)
Without this office functioning, these documents cannot receive the final federal certification needed for use abroad.
🚫 What’s Currently Affected
Due to the shutdown, the following services are temporarily paused nationwide:
Federal Apostilles — for documents issued by U.S. federal agencies
Non-Hague Authentications — for countries that require U.S. Department of State and Embassy/Consulate legalization
This means that even if your document has already been notarized or certified by your state (such as the Texas Secretary of State), it cannot move forward to the federal level until operations resume.
⚙️ What You Can Still Do Right Now
While the Department of State is closed, Clark Apostille Services continues to help clients prepare and pre-qualify documents so they’re ready to submit the moment processing reopens.
Here’s what we can assist with:
Reviewing your documents for completeness and compliance
Completing Texas Secretary of State certifications
Gathering translations or notarizations if needed
Providing pre-quotes and intake forms so you can reserve your place in line
This preparation ensures that your documents are among the first submitted once federal processing resumes — helping you avoid the inevitable backlog after reopening.
💬 Our Honest Recommendation
If your documents are needed for:
Visa, adoption, or immigration
Overseas marriage or dual citizenship
Business or academic use abroad
It’s best to start the intake process now, even though final submission must wait until the Department reopens. We’ll prepare everything, keep you updated on reopening timelines, and handle the federal submission as soon as services resume.
📦 What’s Not Affected
Good news — the Texas Secretary of State (state-level apostille processing) is still operating normally.
This means we can continue to process:
Texas Apostilles for birth, marriage, or academic records
Expedited state-level services via our trusted Austin courier
So if your document is only going to a Hague Convention country (like Spain, Italy, or Mexico), we can still complete your apostille without interruption.
🕓 What Happens When the Government Reopens
Once the U.S. Department of State resumes operations, submissions will be processed in the order they’re received.
Based on previous shutdowns, we expect an initial 2–3 week backlog — another reason why early preparation now can save valuable time later.
💼 How Clark Apostille Services Is Supporting Clients
We’re continuing to:
Monitor federal updates daily
Communicate status changes in real time
Hold prepared client files ready for immediate submission
If you’re unsure whether your destination country requires a federal apostille or Non-Hague authentication, reach out — we’ll verify it for you before you spend time or money preparing unnecessary steps.
📨 Have Questions?
You can contact us anytime through our website contact form or email at info@clarkapostilleservices.com for a free pre-quote or document review.
We appreciate your patience and understanding during the shutdown, and we’ll continue to provide clear guidance to make sure your documents are ready to move forward as soon as the government does.
