FBI Background Check Apostille in New Hampshire

New Hampshire Apostille Requirements

• Authority: US Department of State in Washington D.C.
• Office Location: Washington D.C.
• State Fee: $10
• Important Rule: Justices of the peace can also notarize.

What Is a FBI Background Check Apostille?

The Hague Apostille Convention streamlined a previously complex chain of certifications that was required before the Convention. Previously, getting a US document recognized abroad involved notarization, state-level certification, federal certification, and then embassy legalization. The apostille replaced this with a single certificate from the appropriate government office. For FBI Background Checks issued in New Hampshire, that authority is the US Department of State in Washington D.C. in Washington D.C..

FBI Background Checks are regularly among the highest-volume apostille requests. The reason FBI Background Checks come up in many international processes including immigration, employment, international education, and cross-border legal matters. If you are in New Hampshire, the US Department of State in Washington D.C. in Washington D.C. is the correct office for FBI Background Check apostilles.

An apostille is a standardized international document authentication created under the Hague Convention of 1961. Unlike a local notary stamp, an apostille is accepted by all 124 Hague member countries — meaning your FBI Background Check is valid for submission to foreign embassies, government offices, and employers. If you are in New Hampshire, New Hampshire, obtaining this certification goes through the US Department of State in Washington D.C. in Washington D.C..

New Hampshire: State vs Federal Authority

For state-issued FBI Background Checks, the apostille is only available from the US Department of State in Washington D.C. in Washington D.C.. Typically, the document must carry an original official seal or notarization. The US Department of State in Washington D.C. reviews the document's seals and signatures and attaches the apostille typically in 1 to 3 weeks.

One of the most costly apostille mistakes is sending your FBI Background Check to the incorrect government authority. For example, if you mail a FBI Background Check issued in New Hampshire to Washington D.C., it will be rejected and returned. Similarly, sending an FBI Background Check to the US Department of State in Washington D.C. in Washington D.C. will also come back unprocessed. Either way, the wasted transit time sets your application back by weeks.

If you have a deadline, rush processing is available in many cases. The US Department of State in Washington D.C. in Washington D.C. provide same-day service for in-person deliveries. Our courier takes advantage of in-person processing by physically appearing at the office, getting you the fastest possible turnaround from New Hampshire.

Why Local Offices Cannot Help

First-time applicants in New Hampshire initially assume they can obtain Hague legalization at a local notary office in New Hampshire. This assumption is wrong. A notary public can only witness signatures and verify identity. They are not permitted to attach an apostille certificate — only the US Department of State in Washington D.C. can do this.

Something else to consider is that foreign authorities check whether the apostille was issued by the proper office. If your FBI 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 everything else in your application is correct.

It is also worth knowing, county clerks, municipal offices, and city government offices in NH also cannot issue apostilles. Even visiting the New Hampshire city hall, county courthouse, or register of deeds would not produce a Hague certificate. The only office in NH that can attach the Hague certificate for state documents is the US Department of State in Washington D.C..

The New Hampshire Apostille Authority

There is sometimes a step before apostille submission: some documents require prior notarization. Diplomas, powers of attorney, and affidavits often must be notarized before the US Department of State in Washington D.C. will apostille them. Our team advises you on any pre-apostille requirements before starting the submission so there are no delays from missing prerequisites.

In NH, the correct office is the US Department of State in Washington D.C. in Washington D.C.. The US Department of State in Washington D.C. is the sole office in NH to grant Hague Apostille certificates on New Hampshire-issued public documents. The US Department of State in Washington D.C. maintains the official registry of state seals and is consequently the only authorized source for apostilles on New Hampshire-issued records.

When the US Department of State in Washington D.C. receives your FBI Background Check, a state official verifies the seals and signatures and confirms that the issuing official's seals match the registry. Once verified, the apostille is issued as a separate certificate appended to your document. The completed document is then mailed back to you. Our runner picks it up within 24 hours.

How to Get Your FBI Background Check Apostilled in New Hampshire

Depending on your document type must be notarized before they can be apostilled. If your FBI Background Check is not a government-issued record, it will typically need to be notarized by a licensed notary before the US Department of State in Washington D.C. will accept it. Our service coordinates any required pre-notarization so you never have to navigate this alone.

Once we have your documents, we inspect each document for any issues that could cause rejection. This intake review identifies issues like missing seals, uncertified copies, outdated notarizations, or incorrect fees. Catching these before submission saves days or weeks — rejection from the US Department of State in Washington D.C. that restarts the whole process.

Getting an apostille on your FBI Background Check requires a defined process. First: ensure your FBI Background Check is in its original, certified form. Second: verify the document carries an authentic official seal. Step three: submit it to the US Department of State in Washington D.C. in Washington D.C. with the required state fee of $10. Step four: collect the completed apostille — ready for international submission.

How Long Does a FBI Background Check Apostille Take in New Hampshire?

For New Hampshire residents in a rush, the quickest option is a runner that hand-delivers to the US Department of State in Washington D.C. in Washington D.C.. Many US Department of State in Washington D.C. offices process walk-in submissions same-day. Our runner capitalizes on this to get New Hampshire clients their apostilles in 2 to 5 business days.

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 often takes 8 to 12 weeks due to the volume of requests from all 50 states. A DC-based courier can complete the federal apostille in 2 to 4 business days by physically submitting at the federal office.

Knowing where your FBI Background Check is is a key advantage of a physical courier over postal mail. Our service includes status updates at every milestone: initial pickup, arrival at our processing hub, delivery to the government office, completion confirmation, and dispatch of the return shipment to New Hampshire. This end-to-end tracking is unavailable with standard postal submission.

What to Include With Your Submission

When submitting your FBI Background Check for apostille, 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 $10, and a prepaid return envelope or shipping label. Leaving out any item will cause rejection.

Some New Hampshire residents ask whether they should include a cover letter with their apostille submission. For mail-in submissions, a brief cover letter is recommended with your contact information and document details. The US Department of State in Washington D.C. handles many submissions daily and a simple cover sheet helps the office handle your request correctly and quickly.

Payment for the state fee is required. Accepted payment methods vary by 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 to Avoid

Failing to provide a prepaid return label is an easily preventable error that delays apostille returns. The US Department of State in Washington D.C. in Washington D.C. will not return your document without a prepaid return method. Without a return label, your apostilled document may sit uncollected for days. Our service includes return shipping — no separate arrangements needed.

The single most expensive apostille error is routing your FBI Background Check to the incorrect office. People in New Hampshire sometimes mail federal records to their state Secretary of State. In both cases, 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 are even back to square one.

Mailing irreplaceable originals through the US Postal Service without a tracking number is something we strongly advise against. Uninsured postal shipments can be lost, delayed, or damaged. Original government-issued documents are difficult or expensive to replace. We use FedEx with full insurance and tracking for complete end-to-end protection.

Get Your FBI Background Check Apostilled in New Hampshire

Our courier network physically delivers to the US Department of State in Washington D.C., typically returning your apostilled document in 2 to 5 business days. No need to visit any government office.

Frequently Asked Questions — FBI Background Check Apostille in New Hampshire