Criminal Background Check Apostille in North Dakota

North Dakota Apostille Requirements

• Authority: North Dakota Secretary of State
• Office Location: Bismarck
• State Fee: $10
• Important Rule: Straightforward process.

What Is a Criminal Background Check Apostille?

Criminal Background Checks are among the most frequently apostilled documents in the United States. 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 North Dakota, only the North Dakota Secretary of State can issue this certification in ND.

An apostille is a standardized Hague certification established by the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. Unlike a local notary stamp, an apostille is accepted by all 124 Hague member countries — meaning your Criminal Background Check is valid for submission to overseas institutions without further legalization. If you are in North Dakota, North Dakota, obtaining this certification means submitting your document to the North Dakota Secretary of State in Bismarck.

One critical distinction is that getting an apostille does not mean your document is translated. The majority of Hague member countries require a sworn or certified translation in addition to the apostille. Most EU countries and many Middle Eastern authorities almost always require both the apostille and a certified translation. Our service includes comprehensive apostille-plus-translation packages.

North Dakota: State vs Federal Authority

A frequent and expensive error is sending documents to the incorrect government authority. For example, if you mail a Criminal Background Check issued in North Dakota to Washington D.C., the federal office will refuse to process it. In reverse, sending an FBI Background Check to a state Secretary of State office results in the same rejection. In both cases, the round-trip postal time adds 2 to 4 weeks to your timeline.

For urgent submissions, same-day processing is available in many cases. Some state offices have expedited tracks for urgent requests. Our team exploits walk-in submission options by submitting in person rather than by mail, getting you the fastest possible turnaround from North Dakota.

The most commonly misunderstood thing to know about getting a Criminal Background Check apostilled is knowing which office processes your specific document type. In the United States, there are two completely separate authentication tracks: state-level and federal-level. Documents issued by North Dakota, including Criminal Background Checks go to the state apostille office. Documents from US federal agencies, such as FBI Background Checks, must go to the federal authentication office in DC.

Why Local Offices Cannot Help

Something else to consider is that foreign authorities will verify that the apostille came from the correct authority. If the apostille comes from an unauthorized office, your documents will be rejected at the destination. This could delay your entire application even if everything else in your application is correct.

It is also worth knowing, local government offices in North Dakota do not have apostille authority. Even visiting any local North Dakota government office would not produce a Hague certificate. The only office in ND authorized to issue apostilles for state documents is the North Dakota Secretary of State.

If you are working under a tight deadline, relying on postal mail to the North Dakota Secretary of State is risky. Using a physical runner is the only way to access same-day processing at the North Dakota Secretary of State. Our team serves all cities in North Dakota with full FedEx tracking and insurance on every submission.

The North Dakota Apostille Authority

In ND, the correct office is the North Dakota Secretary of State. This is the only office in North Dakota authorized to grant Hague Apostille certificates on records from North Dakota government agencies. The North Dakota Secretary of State maintains the official registry of state seals and is consequently the only authorized source for apostilles on North Dakota-issued records.

When the North Dakota Secretary of State receives your Criminal Background Check, an authorized state officer verifies the seals and signatures and checks that signatures are from known, authorized officials. If everything checks out, the apostille is attached as a separate certificate appended to your document. The completed document is then held for courier pickup. Our courier collects it same-day or next-day.

The North Dakota Secretary of State in Bismarck is accessible for walk-in and mail-in submissions during standard business hours. Processing times for mail-in submissions generally range from 5 business days to 4 weeks depending on current volume. If you are in North Dakota and need it faster, a physical courier dramatically cuts the wait.

How to Get Your Criminal Background Check Apostilled in North Dakota

After we receive your Criminal Background Check, we inspect each document for any issues that could cause rejection. This pre-flight review identifies issues like improper certification, wrong document versions, or missing state fees. Catching these before submission avoids the need to resubmit — a first-attempt rejection.

Getting an apostille on your Criminal Background Check involves a defined process. First: confirm that your document is the original or a certified copy. Second: verify the document carries an authentic official seal. Step three: submit it to the North Dakota Secretary of State in Bismarck along with the applicable state fee. Fourth: collect the completed apostille — ready for international submission.

Something many applicants miss is ensuring the document is not expired. FBI Background Checks, for example, have a shelf life of six months or less at the time of submission to the foreign authority. If your document is past its useful window, a new document must be requested before submission to the North Dakota Secretary of State. We check document dates as part of our intake process to flag any potential rejections early.

How Long Does a Criminal Background Check Apostille Take in North Dakota?

The US Department of State has its own processing timeline for FBI Background Checks and other federal records. Standard mail-in processing to DC for federal apostilles can take 8 to 12 weeks due to the volume of requests from all 50 states. A DC-based courier gets the federal authentication done in 2 to 4 business days by physically submitting at the federal office.

Knowing where your Criminal Background Check is is a key advantage of using our courier service. We provide real-time tracking at every milestone: initial pickup, arrival at our processing hub, delivery to the government office, apostille issuance notification, and outbound FedEx tracking back to North Dakota. This level of visibility is not possible with direct mail.

Processing times for a Criminal Background Check apostille vary depending on how the document is submitted and the North Dakota Secretary of State's current workload. Mail-in submissions from North Dakota to the North Dakota Secretary of State in Bismarck typically take 3 to 6 weeks round trip — accounting for shipping each way plus processing. During peak periods, such as spring and summer immigration seasons, backlogs can push timelines to 8 to 12 weeks.

What to Include With Your Submission

A common question is whether a cover letter is needed with their apostille submission. For mail-in submissions, a brief cover letter is recommended with your contact information and document details. The North Dakota Secretary of State processes high volumes of requests and a clear cover letter reduces processing errors.

The North Dakota Secretary of State's fee of $10 must be included. Accepted payment methods vary by 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 you never worry about wrong payment forms.

An easy-to-miss detail: for non-English documents, some North Dakota Secretary of State offices may require a certified English translation before apostilling. Alternatively, the North Dakota Secretary of State apostilles the foreign-language document as-is and translation is handled separately after the apostille. We advise you on this when you submit your request.

Common Apostille Mistakes to Avoid

The single most expensive apostille error is routing your Criminal Background Check to the incorrect office. People in North Dakota sometimes mail state documents like Criminal Background Checks to the US Department of State in DC. Either way, the office will reject the submission and return the document unprocessed. This mistake costs weeks — the time lost in transit to and from the wrong authority — before you can resubmit correctly.

Sending original documents through standard postal mail without insurance is a significant risk. Uninsured postal shipments are vulnerable to loss with no recourse. Vital records and FBI Background Checks are difficult or expensive to replace. We use FedEx with full insurance and tracking for complete end-to-end protection.

Submitting a photocopy instead of an original or certified copy is a frequent cause of delays at the North Dakota Secretary of State. The North Dakota Secretary of State in Bismarck requires the original document or a properly certified copy. Submitting a scan or uncertified copy will be returned immediately. Request a new certified copy before submitting your documents.

Get Your Criminal Background Check Apostilled in North Dakota

Our courier network covers the North Dakota Secretary of State in Bismarck, 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 North Dakota