Criminal Background Check Apostille in Missouri

Missouri Apostille Requirements

• Authority: Missouri Secretary of State
• Office Location: Jefferson City
• State Fee: $10
• Important Rule: Quick turnaround time.

What Is a Criminal Background Check Apostille?

Criminal Background Checks are one of the most common apostille categories nationally. This is because Criminal Background Checks are routinely required for visa applications, residency permits, citizenship documentation, employment verification, and foreign legal proceedings. If you are in Missouri, only the Missouri Secretary of State can issue this certification in MO.

An apostille is a standardized Hague certification established by the Hague Convention of 1961. Unlike a notarization, an apostille is accepted by all 124 Hague member countries — meaning your Criminal Background Check will be accepted by international authorities without additional authentication. For residents of Missouri, obtaining this certification goes through the Missouri Secretary of State in Jefferson City.

One critical distinction is that getting an apostille does not mean your document is translated. The majority of Hague member countries require a certified translation into the local language alongside the apostille. Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany, and the UAE typically require the apostille plus a sworn translation. We offer comprehensive apostille-plus-translation packages.

Missouri: State vs Federal Authority

The most common apostille mistake is routing your Criminal Background Check to the wrong office. For example, if you mail a Criminal Background Check issued in Missouri to the US Department of State in DC, the federal office will refuse to process it. In reverse, mailing a federal document to the Missouri Secretary of State in Jefferson City results in the same rejection. In both cases, the round-trip postal time sets your application back by weeks.

For urgent submissions, expedited apostille service is offered by our courier service. Some state offices offer walk-in or expedited processing. Our team takes advantage of in-person processing by walking documents in, which is typically the only way to access same-day or next-day processing.

The most critical thing to know about getting a Criminal Background Check apostilled is knowing which office issues apostilles for your specific document type. In the United States, there are two completely separate authentication tracks: state and federal-level. State-issued documents — like birth certificates, marriage certificates, and Criminal Background Checks go to the state apostille office. Federally issued records, like FBI Identity History Summaries and federal agency documents, must go to the US Department of State in Washington D.C..

Why Local Offices Cannot Help

Another reason local options fail is that foreign authorities check whether the apostille was issued by the proper office. If your Criminal Background Check is apostilled by the wrong authority, the receiving country will refuse the document. This may result in an outright rejection from the foreign authority even if you have all other documents in order.

Beyond notaries, county clerks, municipal offices, and city government offices are equally unable to apostille documents. Even visiting the Missouri city hall, county courthouse, or register of deeds will not produce an apostille. The sole authority in Missouri that can attach the Hague certificate for state documents is the Missouri Secretary of State.

For Missouri residents who need a Criminal Background Check apostilled urgently, relying on postal mail to the Missouri Secretary of State is risky. A courier-assisted submission cuts the timeline from 3 to 6 weeks down to 2 to 5 business days. Our courier service serves all cities in Missouri with full FedEx tracking and insurance on every submission.

The Missouri Apostille Authority

For Criminal Background Checks issued in Missouri, the designated apostille authority is the Missouri Secretary of State in Jefferson City. Only the Missouri Secretary of State is authorized to grant Hague Apostille certificates on records from Missouri government agencies. The Missouri Secretary of State holds the official seals of Missouri government officials and is therefore the only entity capable of certifying their authenticity.

When the Missouri Secretary of State receives your Criminal Background Check, an authorized state officer reviews the document and confirms that the issuing official's seals match the registry. If everything checks out, the apostille is affixed as a separate certificate appended to your document. The completed document is then returned by mail. Our courier collects it same-day or next-day.

The Missouri Secretary of State in Jefferson City is accessible for walk-in and mail-in submissions during standard business hours. Processing times for mail-in submissions typically run 1 to 3 weeks depending on seasonal demand. If you are in Missouri and need it faster, an in-person submission via a runner service dramatically cuts the wait.

How to Get Your Criminal Background Check Apostilled in Missouri

Once we have your documents, we inspect each document for compliance with the Missouri Secretary of State's submission requirements. This intake review identifies issues like improper certification, wrong document versions, or missing state fees. Catching these before submission prevents the most common cause of apostille delays — rejection from the Missouri Secretary of State that restarts the whole process.

Getting your Criminal Background Check apostilled requires a clear sequence of steps. Step one: confirm that your document is the original or a certified copy. Second: verify the document carries an authentic official seal. Third: send it to the correct authority along with the applicable state fee. Fourth: receive your apostilled document — ready for any Hague member country.

Something many applicants miss is ensuring the document is not expired. Federal background checks, for example, are typically required to be dated within 6 months at the time of submission to the foreign authority. If your Criminal Background Check is outdated, a new document must be requested before submission to the Missouri Secretary of State. Our team verifies document currency as part of our intake process to avoid submitting documents that will be refused.

How Long Does a Criminal Background Check Apostille Take in Missouri?

The US Department of State operates on a separate schedule for FBI Background Checks and other federal records. Standard mail-in processing to the Office of Authentications can take 6 to 11 weeks due to the volume of requests from all 50 states. A physical courier in Washington D.C. gets the federal authentication done in 2 to 4 business days by walking documents in directly.

Tracking your apostille is a key advantage of using our courier service. Our service includes real-time tracking at every milestone: pickup from your Missouri address, arrival at our processing hub, delivery to the government office, apostille issuance notification, and outbound FedEx tracking back to Missouri. This end-to-end tracking is not possible with direct mail.

Turnaround for a Criminal Background Check apostille vary depending on how the document is submitted and the Missouri Secretary of State's current workload. Documents sent by postal mail from Missouri to the Missouri Secretary of State in Jefferson City typically take 4 to 8 weeks in total — accounting for shipping each way plus processing. During peak periods, such as spring and summer immigration seasons, wait times can extend further.

What to Include With Your Submission

A common question is whether a cover letter is needed with their apostille submission. For direct submissions to the Missouri Secretary of State, including a short cover page is advisable with your contact information and document details. The Missouri Secretary of State processes high volumes of requests and a clear cover letter reduces processing errors.

The Missouri Secretary of State's fee of $10 must accompany your submission. Forms of payment differ at each Missouri Secretary of State but typically include money order, certified check, or online payment. Our courier service includes fee payment in our all-in-one courier package so the submission is never rejected for payment reasons.

One detail that matters: if your Criminal Background Check was issued in a language other than English, some Missouri Secretary of State offices may require a certified English translation before apostilling. Alternatively, the apostille is issued without requiring a translation and translation is handled separately after the apostille. Our team clarifies document-specific requirements when you place your order.

Common Apostille Mistakes to Avoid

The most common and costly apostille mistake is sending your document to the wrong government authority. Missouri residents sometimes send state documents like Criminal Background Checks to the US Department of State in DC. Either way, the documents come back with a rejection notice. This mistake costs weeks — the round-trip postal time to the wrong office — before you can resubmit correctly.

Sending original documents through standard postal mail without insurance is something we strongly advise against. Documents sent by uninsured mail are vulnerable to loss with no recourse. Vital records and FBI Background Checks are sometimes time-consuming and costly to replace. We ship all documents via FedEx for maximum protection from the moment we receive your document to its return to Missouri.

Submitting a photocopy instead of an original or certified copy is a common rejection reason. The Missouri Secretary of State in Jefferson City requires the original document or a properly certified copy. Sending a photocopy will be returned immediately. Obtain an original certified copy from the issuing agency before submitting your documents.

Get Your Criminal Background Check Apostilled in Missouri

Our courier network covers the Missouri Secretary of State in Jefferson City, typically returning your apostilled document in 2 to 5 business days. No need to visit any government office.

Frequently Asked Questions — Criminal Background Check Apostille in Missouri