FBI Background Check Apostille — All 50 States

What Is a FBI Background Check Apostille?

Many people assume that a certified copy is sufficient for international use. This assumption is incorrect. A notary stamp simply witnesses a signature at the local level. It carries no international legal weight. A FBI Background Check apostille, by contrast, is a treaty-backed certification that foreign governments are legally required to accept. This certificate is what transforms a domestic document into a document that is valid internationally.

Many foreign authorities specify how recently the apostilled document must have been issued. Federal background documents, especially, must often be dated within 6 months of the consulate appointment. Birth certificates and marriage records do not expire, but the destination country may require documents issued within the past year. We confirm destination-country validity requirements when you place your order.

A FBI Background Check apostille is not a standard document certification. An apostille is a standardized international authentication certificate that verifies the issuing authority had the legal power to issue the document. It is valid in all 124 Hague Convention member countries as the definitive proof that a document is genuine. When submitting a FBI Background Check to a foreign government, the apostille is what makes it legally valid internationally.

Which US Authority Apostilles Your Document?

The Global Apostille Network manages submissions on both tracks simultaneously. Once we receive your document, our team reviews it and identifies the correct authority immediately. This prevents the risk of routing to the wrong office. We have runners physically at both the federal authentication office in DC and Secretary of State offices nationwide.

The reason for the state vs federal split reflects the federal structure of the United States. A state Secretary of State only has the authority to authenticate documents that originated within that state. It cannot certify records issued by federal agencies. That authority belongs exclusively to the US Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington D.C.

There is also the question of pre-apostille requirements. Government-issued documents with original seals can generally be submitted directly. Privately executed documents — personal declarations and privately executed documents — require notarization by a licensed notary before the Secretary of State will apostille them. Our intake process determine whether notarization is needed before submitting.

Why Local Offices Cannot Help

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 witness signatures and verify identity. They are explicitly not designated apostille authorities. The legal authority to issue an apostille is reserved for designated government offices only.

The physical submission requirement means digital copies are never accepted. The physical FBI Background Check itself must travel to the apostille authority. This is why processing time is measured in weeks for mail-in submissions and days for courier services. The only variable you control is how the document reaches the apostille office: couriers eliminate the postal transit time entirely.

There is one nuance worth noting: a local notarization 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 they can be submitted for apostille. In these cases, the notarization is done locally and the Secretary of State handles step two. We identifies any pre-apostille notarization requirements before submitting.

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

The complete timeline for a FBI Background Check apostille includes: obtaining the correct version of your document, 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 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 defined order of operations. First: ensure you have the right form of the document — the original or a properly certified copy. Second: check if pre-apostille notarization is required for your document type. Third: submit to the correct authority — state Secretary of State or US Department of State depending on whether your FBI Background Check is state or federally issued. Step four: collect your completed apostille 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: a first-attempt rejection from the apostille authority.

Processing Times and Turnaround

Several factors affect how long your FBI Background Check apostille takes: government processing volume at time of submission, any pre-processing steps required, transit time, and the submission method. We provide a realistic timeline estimate reflecting current backlogs when you contact us. When timing is critical — like a visa appointment or consulate date — we factor that into our routing.

The fastest possible FBI Background Check apostille turnaround involves a courier who physically delivers to the authority. The relevant government authorities process walk-in documents same-day. Our courier uses this option where available to return apostilled documents within a business week. When you have a firm deadline, contact us before ordering so we can confirm whether same-day processing is available.

Turnaround for FBI Background Check apostilles differ considerably depending on the submission method and current government backlogs. Direct mail-in submissions are the slowest option: state documents typically take 3 to 6 weeks, and records going to the US Department of State can take up to 11 weeks at peak periods. During spring and summer immigration seasons, government apostille offices can add 2 to 4 weeks beyond standard processing.

Common Mistakes That Delay Your Apostille

Sending original documents without insurance or tracking is something we strongly advise against. Original FBI Background Checks can be lost, delayed, or damaged when sent by uninsured postal mail. Original apostillable documents are often difficult or time-consuming to replace. Every document we handle are sent via FedEx with insurance and end-to-end tracking.

Incorrect or missing payment is a surprisingly common reason submissions are rejected. Government apostille authorities assess a fee for each certificate issued. State fees vary but are generally $5 to $25 per apostille. Underpaying or submitting an incorrect payment form results in rejection. We submit the correct fees directly to the authority on your behalf so this type of delay never occur.

Not researching the destination country's specific apostille requirements 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. Others additionally require notarization of the translation or embassy legalization in certain non-Hague countries. We advise you on 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 complete most FBI Background Check apostilles 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