Criminal Background Check Apostille in Long Beach, WA

How to Legalize Your Criminal Background Check from Long Beach

A Criminal Background Check apostille is not the same as a notarization. If you are in Long Beach, Washington, this is what the process involves.

The Washington Secretary of State in Olympia is the single authorized office in WA that can issue a Hague Apostille on a Criminal Background Check. Local offices cannot issue the apostille certificate.

The Washington Secretary of State in Olympia handles all Hague certifications for Washington. Without a courier service, standard mail submissions often exceeds a month. Our courier cuts that to 2 to 5 business days.

What is an Apostille?

The Hague Apostille Convention eliminated the cumbersome embassy-by-embassy authentication process that was standard before the Hague system. Previously, getting a US document recognized abroad involved notarization, state-level certification, federal certification, and then embassy legalization. The Convention simplified this into one standardized certificate issued by one designated authority. For Criminal Background Checks issued in Washington, that authority is the Washington Secretary of State in Olympia.

One critical distinction is that the apostille does not translate your document. The majority of Hague member countries require a certified translation into the local language in addition to the apostille. Most EU countries and many Middle Eastern authorities routinely ask for both the apostille and a certified translation. Our service includes comprehensive apostille-plus-translation packages.

An apostille is a form of international document authentication created under the Convention of 5 October 1961. Unlike a notarization, an apostille is accepted by all 124 Hague member countries — meaning your Criminal Background Check is valid for submission to foreign embassies, government offices, and employers. For residents of Long Beach, obtaining this certification goes through the Washington Secretary of State in Olympia.

State vs. Federal Apostille: Which Applies to Your Criminal Background Check?

The most common apostille mistake is submitting documents to the wrong office. If you send a state Criminal Background Check to the US Department of State in DC, it will be rejected and returned. In reverse, sending an FBI Background Check to the Washington Secretary of State in Olympia results in the same rejection. Either way, the wasted transit time adds 2 to 4 weeks to your timeline.

For Washington-issued records, the apostille is only available from the Washington Secretary of State's office. In most cases, the document must carry an original official seal or notarization. The Washington Secretary of State verifies the document's origin and seal and issues the Hague certificate within 1 to 4 weeks depending on current volume.

The most commonly misunderstood thing to know about getting a Criminal Background Check apostilled is knowing which government authority handles your specific document type. In the US, there are two distinct apostille pathways: 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 federal authentication office in DC.

Why a Local Notary in Long Beach Cannot Apostille Your Document

However: a local notarization can play a role in the apostille process. Certain documents must be notarized as a prerequisite to apostille submission. Diplomas, affidavits, powers of attorney, and some corporate documents typically require notarization as a first step. For these documents, the notarization happens locally in Long Beach and the Washington Secretary of State in Olympia handles step two.

The Washington Secretary of State in Olympia is not a walk-in office open to the public without advance planning. In most states, mail-in submissions sent from Long Beach take several days of shipping in each direction before processing starts. Our runner service bypasses postal delays entirely and can secure same-day or next-day processing not available to mail-in submissions.

To understand why local notaries in Long Beach cannot issue apostilles relates to what a notary public is legally empowered to do. A notary is a state-commissioned official authorized only to witness signatures, administer oaths, and certify copies. Notaries are not empowered to issue Hague certificates. Apostilles require the signing power of the Washington Secretary of State — something no local notary possesses.

The Correct Authority: Washington Secretary of State in Olympia

The Washington Secretary of State in Olympia is accessible for walk-in and mail-in submissions during standard business hours. Processing times without expedited service generally range from 5 business days to 4 weeks depending on seasonal demand. For Long Beach residents who need faster turnaround, a physical courier can reduce processing time to 2 to 5 business days.

There is sometimes a step before apostille submission: some documents require prior notarization. Diplomas, powers of attorney, and affidavits typically require notarization as a first step. Our team advises you on any pre-apostille requirements before starting the submission so you are not surprised by a rejection.

A point often missed is that the Washington Secretary of State in Olympia apostilles the document as-is. If your Criminal Background Check contains errors, you must correct them at the issuing agency before submitting for an apostille. Trying to apostille an incorrect document will cause it to be refused by the receiving foreign authority even if everything else is in order.

Step-by-Step: Getting Your Criminal Background Check Apostilled from Long Beach

Getting a Criminal Background Check apostilled requires a clear sequence of steps. Step one: ensure your Criminal Background Check is in its original, certified form. Second: check that it has an official seal and signature from the issuing authority. Third: submit it to the Washington Secretary of State in Olympia with the required state fee of $15. Fourth: collect the completed apostille — ready for international submission.

Once the Washington Secretary of State in Olympia issues the apostille certificate, the document is complete. Our courier returns it to your Long Beach address via FedEx with full tracking. From your door in Long Beach and back, for our standard service, is 3 to 7 business days.

Once your Criminal Background Check is ready, it must be delivered to the Washington Secretary of State in Olympia. Mailing from Long Beach to Olympia and back takes 2 to 4 weeks in transit alone. Our courier hand-delivers the office and collects the completed apostille within 24 to 48 hours, cutting your total turnaround to 2 to 5 business days.

How Long Does a Criminal Background Check Apostille Take from Long Beach?

Using a physical runner service dramatically reduce turnaround for Long Beach residents. By physically delivering documents to the correct government office instead of using postal mail, the Washington Secretary of State processes them same-day or next-day. Including courier transit from Long Beach, door-to-door time runs 2 to 5 business days — versus the 4 to 8 week postal alternative.

Processing times for Criminal Background Check apostilles are typically longer during Q1 and Q2 when seasonal visa applications increase. In high-volume seasons, the Washington Secretary of State in Olympia may operate with longer backlogs. Getting documents in early in the year if possible can result in faster processing.

When timing is critical — such as a visa appointment, consulate date, or employment start — building in extra time is important. We recommend allowing at least 2 to 3 weeks for mail-in service and 5 to 7 business days for our expedited track. Rush options may be available depending on availability at the time of order.

What to Include with Your Criminal Background Check Apostille Submission

Before sending your document to the Washington Secretary of State, confirm you are sending: the original document or a certified copy, notarization if required for your document type, a completed submission form if required, payment for the state fee of $15, and a prepaid FedEx or USPS return. Missing any of these will cause rejection.

One detail that matters: for non-English documents, some Washington Secretary of State offices may require a certified English translation before apostilling. In other cases, the apostille is issued without requiring a translation and translation is handled separately after the apostille. We advise you on this when you submit your request.

Payment for the state fee must accompany your submission. Forms of payment differ at each Washington Secretary of State but generally include money order, certified check, or online payment. Our courier service handles the fee payment so you never worry about wrong payment forms.

Common Apostille Mistakes Long Beach Residents Make

The single most expensive apostille error is sending your document to the wrong government authority. Long Beach residents sometimes send 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 round-trip postal time to the wrong office — before you can resubmit correctly.

A subtle but costly error is sending a document with any handwritten corrections. If there are any corrections on your document, the Washington Secretary of State may reject it. Any corrections, must be made officially at the issuing agency. Our intake review flags these issues before submission happens, saving you time and avoiding first-attempt rejection.

Incorrect payment is a surprisingly common cause of delays. The Washington Secretary of State in Olympia charges $15 per apostille document. Underpaying or overpaying means the Washington Secretary of State will return your document unprocessed. We submit the correct fee for each document so this error never happens.

Shipping Your Criminal Background Check from Long Beach — What to Know

If you are located outside the United States, you can still use our service. Send your Criminal Background Check internationally via FedEx International or DHL Express. Both services offer reliable international tracking and document shipments typically clear customs without issues. The apostilled Criminal Background Check is returned to your international address via FedEx or DHL.

Insurance for your Criminal Background Check during shipping and processing is included at no extra charge. All documents we process is insured for full replacement value during transit. If an issue arises, we coordinate the resolution directly — whether that means replacement documentation from the issuing agency or reshipment. We ensure is that every Long Beach client receives their apostilled Criminal Background Check back exactly as submitted.

Return shipping is covered by our flat-rate service fee. Once the government office issues the apostille, we returns it to your address via FedEx with priority shipping with a tracking number sent to your email. Returns from Olympia to Long Beach take 1 to 3 business days depending on destination. Overnight return shipping is available on request.

After the Apostille: Using Your Criminal Background Check Abroad

Once your apostilled Criminal Background Check arrives back in Long Beach, review the apostille certificate before submitting it abroad. Verify that: the apostille is physically attached to the original document, your name and document details appear correctly on the apostille, and the Washington Secretary of State's seal and signature are on the certificate. Problems with the certificate itself are uncommon but are best identified before your consulate appointment.

One detail worth understanding is that the apostille authenticates the document's official origin. If there is an error in your Criminal Background Check itself — errors in the dates, names, or other details — the apostille does not correct the underlying error. Foreign authorities may still reject an apostilled Criminal Background Check if the information inside is incorrect. Any corrections must be addressed at the source agency — not at the apostille stage.

Once you have the apostille back from Long Beach, you can submit it to the receiving foreign authority. Different authorities have different submission procedures: some require in-person delivery, others accept documents by mail or online portal. Check the exact requirements with the receiving authority in advance to ensure your submission is accepted.

Why Long Beach Residents Use Our Apostille Courier Service

Navigating the apostille process alone means determining the correct government authority, ensuring your document is in the correct form, handling shipping in both directions, submitting the right amount to the Washington Secretary of State, and coordinating return shipment to Long Beach. Our service handles all of this for a flat rate. You send us your Criminal Background Check and get it back ready for international use — without having to navigate any government office directly.

One concern Long Beach residents often have is whether using a courier service for something as sensitive as a Criminal Background Check is safe. Every person who handles your Criminal Background Check in our service operates under strict document handling protocols. Documents are never left unattended. Your Criminal Background Check is treated with the same security as a bank document. We are a registered US LLC and follow the same standards as any US courier service handling sensitive documents.

In addition to faster turnaround, what Long Beach clients consistently value is the pre-submission document review. Before we submit your Criminal Background Check, we review your Criminal Background Check for the problems that most often result in first-attempt rejection: expired dates, missing seals, uncertified copies, wrong document versions, and incorrect routing. Finding problems upfront rather than after rejection saves days or weeks. Most apostille services do not provide this review.

Not sure what an apostille is? Read our complete guide.