FBI Background Check Apostille — All 50 States
Most applicants who need a FBI Background Check legalized initially confuse a standard notarization and a Hague apostille. A notary is authorized only to verify identity and witness signatures. They cannot issue the Hague certification. That authority belongs to specific government offices — either your state Secretary of State for state-issued documents, or the US Department of State in Washington D.C. for federally issued records like the FBI Background Check.
Find FBI Background Check Apostille Requirements by State
What Is a FBI Background Check Apostille?
The FBI Background Check apostille process is increasingly requested as more Americans move abroad. Overseas government agencies set strict requirements about which US documents they will accept. The apostille is the required form of US document authentication they will accept. Your document that has not been apostilled will be rejected.
Most applicants believe 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 an internationally binding certificate that overseas institutions cannot reject on authentication grounds. The apostille is the step that converts a US-issued FBI Background Check into one accepted in any of the 124 Hague member countries.
Consulates and immigration offices in most countries specify a recency window for accepted apostilles. Federal background documents, in particular, are commonly required to be dated within 6 months. Vital record apostilles do not expire, but individual country requirements vary. We advise you on the specific recency window for your destination when you contact us.
Which US Authority Apostilles Your Document?
The most commonly misunderstood aspect of getting your FBI Background Check apostilled is knowing which government office has jurisdiction over your document. In the United States, there are two separate authentication tracks: the state track and the federal track. Federally issued records — like the FBI Background Check — must go to the US Department of State in Washington D.C. Routing your document incorrectly adds weeks of delay before you can resubmit.
Our service manages submissions on both the state and federal apostille tracks. Once we receive your document, we reviews it and identifies the correct authority immediately. This eliminates the risk 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 how US jurisdiction works. A state Secretary of State can only authenticate documents that originated within that state. It has no authority over documents from the FBI, DHS, State Department, or other federal offices. That authority falls under the federal authentication office in Washington D.C.
Why Local Offices Cannot Help
Some applicants wonder whether online apostille services are a legitimate option. The US does not currently issue electronic apostilles for most document types. All US FBI Background Check apostilles must be physical paper certificates affixed to the original by the issuing authority. Any service claiming to issue an online-only apostille for US documents should be treated with extreme caution.
Most first-time applicants first try a local notary, UPS Store, or county office. None of these can issue an apostille. A notary public 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 specific government offices: state Secretaries of State and, for federal documents, the US Department of State.
Because apostilles require physical documents means digital copies are never accepted. The physical FBI Background Check itself must travel to the government office. This is why turnaround time is measured in weeks for mail-in submissions and days for courier services. The main factor under your control is the delivery method: couriers eliminate the postal transit time entirely.
Step-by-Step: Getting Your FBI Background Check Apostilled
Getting a FBI Background Check apostilled is a physical process, not a digital one. You must submit the original document to the government authority. That office examines the seals and signatures and attaches the apostille certificate as a cover page or attachment. Once completed, the document is sent back. Since this is a physical process, time is determined by government processing speed and transit time.
The complete timeline for a FBI Background Check apostille factors in: document procurement, any required pre-apostille notarization, courier transit to the authority, time at the apostille office, and return shipment to you. Via postal mail, the entire process runs weeks for state, longer for federal. With our runner service, turnaround shrinks to under a week from the day you ship us your document.
Getting your FBI Background Check apostilled involves a defined order of operations. First: obtain the correct version of your FBI Background Check — the original or a properly certified copy. Step two: determine whether your document needs notarization before submission. Third: route to the right government office — state Secretary of State or US Department of State based on the document's origin. Finally: collect your completed apostille and submit it to the foreign authority.
Processing Times and Turnaround
Something many applicants miss is apostilled document validity windows. Most consulates and immigration offices require that apostilled documents be dated within a specific recency window. Federal background documents, especially, are typically required to be no older than 6 months of the consulate submission date. If the document was apostilled more than 6 months ago, a new apostille is required. We confirm the specific recency window for your destination when you place your order.
Multiple variables affect your apostille turnaround: the current backlog at the issuing authority, whether your document requires pre-apostille notarization, shipping time in each direction, and the submission method. Our service includes a realistic timeline estimate based on current government processing times when you contact us. If you have a specific deadline — such as a consulate deadline or immigration hearing — 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. When you have a firm deadline, reach out with your timeline so we can confirm whether same-day processing is available.
Common Mistakes That Delay Your Apostille
The single biggest cause of delays is submitting to the wrong government authority. State documents sent to the US Department of State will be rejected without action. An FBI Background Check sent to a state office face the same rejection. Either way, the postal time wasted — typically 2 to 4 weeks — delays your timeline and forces you to start the submission over.
Mailing irreplaceable originals via standard postal mail is a significant risk. Original FBI Background Checks can be lost in transit or delayed indefinitely when sent by uninsured postal mail. Original apostillable documents are often difficult or time-consuming to replace. Every document we handle are insured for full replacement value and shipped via FedEx.
Including the wrong fee is a surprisingly common reason submissions are rejected. Both state and federal apostille offices assess a fee for each certificate issued. Secretary of State fees differ but typically range from $5 to $25 per document. Underpaying or submitting an incorrect payment form results in rejection. We submit the correct fees directly to the authority on your behalf so payment errors cannot happen.
Get Your FBI Background Check Apostilled
We make the FBI Background Check apostille process simple: send your original document to us, and we handle everything from there. Our runners hand-deliver your document to the right government office and ship the apostilled FBI Background Check back within under a week in most cases. You never need to visit any government office. Rush options are available for urgent visa deadlines.
Order NowFrequently Asked Questions — FBI Background Check Apostille
Why can't I apostille my FBI Background Check through my state Secretary of State?
FBI Background Checks are issued by a federal agency — the US Department of Justice — not by any state government. State Secretaries of State can only apostille documents that originated within their own state. Federal documents must be authenticated by the US Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington D.C., regardless of which state you live in.
How long does a federal FBI Background Check apostille take from your city?
Standard mail-in processing at the US Department of State typically takes 6 to 11 weeks. A physical courier who walks documents directly into the Office of Authentications in Washington D.C. reduces turnaround to 2 to 5 business days — critical when you have a visa appointment or consulate deadline.
Do I need a certified translation after getting the apostille on my FBI Background Check?
The apostille certifies the document's authenticity but does not translate it. Many countries — including Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, and the UAE — require a sworn or certified translation in addition to the apostille before a foreign authority will accept the document. We offer comprehensive apostille-plus-translation packages.
What is the difference between an FBI Background Check and a state criminal background check for apostille purposes?
An FBI Identity History Summary is a federally issued document and must be apostilled by the US Department of State in Washington D.C. A state-issued criminal background check from your state is apostilled by the apostille authority in your state capital. Many countries specifically require the federal FBI check rather than a state record — confirm the requirement with your consulate before ordering.