FBI Background Check Apostille — All 50 States

What Is a FBI Background Check Apostille?

Most applicants assume that a notarization is sufficient for international use. This assumption is incorrect. A notary stamp only confirms the identity of the signer. It carries no international legal weight. The Hague apostille on a FBI Background Check, by contrast, is a treaty-backed certification that overseas institutions cannot reject on authentication grounds. The apostille is what transforms a domestic document into one accepted in any of the 124 Hague member countries.

Many foreign authorities specify a recency window for accepted apostilles. FBI Background Checks and criminal record documents, in particular, are commonly required to be dated within 6 months. Birth certificates and marriage records generally have no expiration on the apostille itself, but the destination country may require documents issued within the past year. We confirm the specific recency window for your destination when you contact us.

A FBI Background Check apostille is not a standard document certification. It is the official certification established by the 1961 Hague Convention that authenticates the chain of custody from the original issuer to the foreign receiving authority. The apostille is recognized across all Hague signatories as the sole required form of document authentication. When a FBI Background Check must be used abroad, no other form of authentication replaces the apostille certificate.

Which US Authority Apostilles Your Document?

The Global Apostille Network handles both the state and federal apostille tracks. When you submit a document to us, we reviews it and identifies the correct authority immediately. This eliminates the costly mistake of misdirecting your document. We have runners physically at both state apostille offices across all 50 states and the US Department of State in DC.

The reason for the state vs federal split is rooted in the federal structure of the United States. The state-level apostille authority can only certify the seals and signatures of that state's government officials. It has no authority over documents from the FBI, DHS, State Department, or other federal offices. Authenticating federal records falls under the federal authentication office in Washington D.C.

Beyond state and federal tracks pre-apostille requirements. Official records bearing authentic government seals typically go straight to the apostille authority. Non-government records — personal declarations and privately executed documents — require notarization by a licensed notary before the Secretary of State will apostille them. Our intake process identifies any pre-apostille requirements for your specific document type.

Why Local Offices Cannot Help

Most first-time applicants first try a local notary, UPS Store, or county office. Unfortunately, none of these options can help with apostille certification. A commissioned notary is authorized by the state to certify copies and administer oaths. They are explicitly not authorized to issue Hague certificates. The legal authority to issue an apostille is vested exclusively in designated government offices only.

Because apostilles require physical documents means you cannot email or fax a document for apostille. The physical FBI Background Check itself must travel to the apostille authority. The reason turnaround time is measured in weeks for mail-in submissions and days when a courier physically delivers. The main factor under your control is how the document reaches the apostille office: postal mail takes weeks in transit each way.

There is one nuance worth noting: notary certification can be a required step before the apostille process for some FBI Background Check categories. Private documents — like affidavits, powers of attorney, and private agreements — must typically be notarized first before a Secretary of State will apostille them. In these cases, the notarization is done locally and the Secretary of State handles step two. Our team determines whether notarization is required for your specific FBI Background Check before submitting.

Step-by-Step: Getting Your FBI Background Check Apostilled

The complete timeline for getting your document apostilled includes: document procurement, pre-submission preparation if needed, submission transit, government processing time, and return delivery. Via postal mail, the entire process runs 3 to 8 weeks for state documents. With a physical courier, the timeline compresses to under a week from the day you ship us your document.

Getting your FBI Background Check apostilled follows a clear sequence of steps. Step one: obtain the correct version of your FBI Background Check — the original or a properly certified copy. Second: check if pre-apostille notarization is required for your document type. Step three: route to the right government office — state Secretary of State or US Department of State based on the document's origin. Step four: receive the apostilled document and submit it to the foreign authority.

Once we receive your FBI Background Check, our team inspects it against the apostille office's requirements: we check for original seals and signatures, confirm it is the correct document version, verify any pre-submission requirements, and identify which government office has jurisdiction. This review typically takes one business day and is the most valuable part of the service: submitting an incorrect document to the wrong office.

Processing Times and Turnaround

Multiple variables affect how long your FBI Background Check apostille takes: the current backlog at the issuing authority, any pre-processing steps required, shipping time in each direction, and the submission method. We provide a realistic timeline estimate reflecting current backlogs when you contact us. If you have a specific deadline — like a visa appointment or consulate date — we factor that into our routing.

The quickest path to getting your document apostilled requires a runner that hand-delivers to the apostille office. The relevant government authorities offer same-day service for walk-in submissions. Our runner uses this option where available to get clients their apostilles within a business week. For time-critical situations, contact us before ordering so we can advise on the fastest realistic option.

How long your apostille takes differ considerably based on how you submit and the authority's current volume. Direct mail-in submissions take the longest: FBI Background Checks going to a Secretary of State typically take 1 to 4 weeks processing plus 1 to 2 weeks transit each way, and records going to the US Department of State can take 6 to 11 weeks at peak periods. During spring and summer immigration seasons, government apostille offices may experience extended backlogs.

Common Mistakes That Delay Your Apostille

Mailing irreplaceable originals without insurance or tracking is a significant risk. Government-issued originals can be lost in transit or delayed indefinitely when sent by uninsured postal mail. Vital records and federal documents are sometimes impossible or expensive to replace if lost. Every document we handle are insured for full replacement value and shipped via FedEx.

Incorrect or missing payment is a surprisingly common reason submissions are rejected. Both state and federal apostille offices charge fees per apostille document. Secretary of State fees differ but are generally $5 to $25 per apostille. Sending the wrong amount results in rejection. Our service submit the correct fees directly to the authority on your behalf so payment errors never occur.

Overlooking country-specific rules causes problems even when the apostille itself is correct. Although the Hague certificate is universally recognized, requirements for supporting documents vary significantly. Spain, Italy, Germany, and Brazil require certified translations in addition to the apostille. Some also need notarization of the translation or embassy legalization in certain non-Hague countries. We confirm any requirements beyond the apostille itself when you contact us.

Get Your FBI Background Check Apostilled

Instead of dealing with the government submission yourself, trust our submission specialists with your FBI Background Check. We have established relationships with both state and federal apostille offices and turn around most submissions in under a week — versus the 3 to 8 weeks for do-it-yourself postal submissions. Flat-rate pricing, full insurance, and FedEx tracking on every order.

Frequently Asked Questions — FBI Background Check Apostille