FBI Background Check Apostille in Malta, IL

How to Legalize Your FBI Background Check from Malta

The Hague Apostille Convention requires that FBI Background Checks be authenticated by a specific government authority before they are accepted abroad. From Malta, Illinois, that means working with the US Department of State in Washington D.C..

In Illinois, the process for getting your FBI Background Check apostilled involves three steps: notarization, submission to the US Department of State, and return of the certified document. Our courier service handles all three on your behalf.

Residents of Malta can skip the trip to the US Department of State. We hand-deliver your FBI Background Check to the US Department of State and return it apostilled within 3 to 7 business days. Same-week service available for urgent deadlines.

What is an Apostille?

Only certain documents are eligible for Hague legalization. Apostilles apply only to public documents: records originating from or certified by a government institution. Your FBI Background Check qualifies because it comes from a public institution. Business agreements and private records generally cannot be apostilled unless prior notarization is obtained.

What the US Department of State actually certifies is authenticate the source of the document rather than its contents. The apostille does not certify whether the information in your document is correct. Understanding this distinction matters because the apostille only certifies authenticity, not content accuracy.

An apostille is a form of Hague certification established by the Convention of 5 October 1961. Unlike a notarization, an apostille is recognized internationally — meaning your FBI Background Check will be accepted by international authorities without additional authentication. If you are in Malta, Illinois, obtaining this certification requires working with the US Department of State.

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

Figuring out if your FBI Background Check is federal or state is generally simple. The key question: which government agency originally issued it? Documents like FBI Background Checks issued by Illinois government agencies go to the state apostille office. Federal records — FBI identity checks, naturalization documents come from federal agencies and must go to the US Department of State in Washington D.C.

Without a courier, turnaround from Malta typically runs 3 to 6 weeks from submission to return. A physical courier runner completes the process in under a week by physically delivering your FBI Background Check to the correct government office and obtaining same-day or next-day certification.

Why this two-track system exists reflects the federal structure of the United States. The US Department of State in Washington D.C. can only certify documents issued by that state's own agencies. It has no authority over records issued by federal agencies. The certification of federal documents belongs to the US Department of State.

Why a Local Notary in Malta Cannot Apostille Your Document

That said: a local notarization can be part of the apostille process. Certain documents must be notarized first. Diplomas, affidavits, powers of attorney, and some corporate documents typically require notarization as a first step. In this case, a Malta notary handles step one and the US Department of State in Washington D.C. handles step two.

In short: notaries, county clerks, and local offices are not empowered by law to attach the Hague Apostille certificate. Only the state's designated authority can apostille state-issued documents. Going to any other office will result in rejection. The correct path from Malta is direct submission to the US Department of State in Washington D.C., which our team manages for you.

Many residents of Malta initially assume they can handle this at a local notary office in Malta. This assumption is wrong. A local notary is authorized only to witness signatures and administer oaths. They cannot issue an apostille certificate — that authority belongs exclusively to.

The Correct Authority: US Department of State

The US Department of State in Washington D.C. is typically open Monday through Friday. Processing times for mail-in submissions typically run 1 to 3 weeks depending on current volume. For Malta residents who need faster turnaround, a physical courier can reduce processing time to 2 to 5 business days.

Once your document arrives at the US Department of State, a state official 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 apostilled document is then returned by mail. Our courier picks it up within 24 hours.

In IL, the official Hague authority is the US Department of State. The US Department of State is the sole office in IL to grant Hague Apostille certificates on records from Illinois government agencies. The US Department of State is authorized to verify the seals and signatures of all Illinois public officials and is consequently the only authorized source for apostilles on Illinois-issued records.

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

Once your FBI Background Check is ready, it must be delivered to the correct government authority. Mailing from Malta to Washington D.C. and back takes 2 to 4 weeks in transit alone. Our courier physically walks your document into the US Department of State and collects the completed apostille within 24 to 48 hours, dramatically reducing your wait from weeks to days.

When the US Department of State apostilles your FBI Background Check, it is ready for international use. Our courier returns it to your Malta address via FedEx with full tracking. From your door in Malta and back, for our standard service, is 3 to 7 business days.

Getting your FBI Background Check apostilled involves a clear sequence of steps. First: ensure your FBI Background Check is in its original, certified form. Step two: verify the document carries an authentic official seal. Third: submit it to the US Department of State in Washington D.C. along with the applicable state fee. Step four: receive your apostilled document — ready for international submission.

How Long Does a FBI Background Check Apostille Take from Malta?

Turnaround for apostille certification depend on how the document is submitted and the US Department of State's current workload. Documents sent by postal mail from Malta to the US Department of State in Washington D.C. typically take 3 to 6 weeks round trip — including transit time, government processing, and return. At busy times, such as spring and summer immigration seasons, wait times can extend further.

If you need your FBI Background Check apostilled urgently, the most time-efficient route is a courier service that physically delivers to the US Department of State. The US Department of State in Washington D.C. offer same-day service for walk-in submissions. Our courier capitalizes on this to return apostilled documents to Malta within a business week.

The US Department of State has its own processing timeline 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 national volume of federal authentication requests. A physical courier in Washington D.C. gets the federal authentication done in 2 to 4 business days by physically submitting at the federal office.

What to Include with Your FBI Background Check Apostille Submission

When apostilling more than one document, each document needs a separate apostille and a separate $2 fee. Each document must have its own certificate. Our service coordinates bulk submissions and ensures each is submitted and tracked separately.

After receiving your apostilled FBI Background Check, inspect the apostille to confirm that the certificate is properly attached, the information on the apostille matches your document, and there are no visible errors. Should you find any errors, notify the US Department of State in Washington D.C. promptly. Problems with the certificate are uncommon but should be caught before you submit to the foreign authority.

The US Department of State in Washington D.C. requires original or properly certified versions. Photocopies and scans are not accepted. If your original FBI Background Check was lost, a new certified copy must be obtained from the source before submitting for an apostille. For vital records, the issuing state or county office can provide certified copies.

Common Apostille Mistakes Malta Residents Make

A mistake that affects many Malta residents is leaving the apostille too close to a deadline. Many applicants incorrectly expect the process takes a few days. Via standard mail, total turnaround runs 4 to 8 weeks. Even with expedited courier processing, plan for a minimum of 5 to 7 business days. Begin the process as soon as you know you need it.

Forgetting to include return shipping is a simple but common mistake. The US Department of State in Washington D.C. will not return your document without a prepaid return method. Without a return label, your completed apostille could wait weeks to reach you. Our service includes return shipping — no separate arrangements needed.

Mailing an uncertified copy instead of the original document is a common rejection reason. The US Department of State in Washington D.C. 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.

Shipping Your FBI Background Check from Malta — What to Know

When packaging your FBI Background Check for shipping, make a photocopy of your original for your own records. Keep it in a safe place: if anything unexpected happens in transit, having a copy helps the issuing agency issue a replacement more quickly. We records every document at intake so there is a record of the document's condition on arrival.

A common question from Malta residents is whether they need to ship the original. In the apostille process, only originals and officially certified copies are accepted by the US Department of State. An uncertified photocopy will not be accepted. Officially certified copies issued by the original agency — such as a certified copy from the state vital records office — work in place of the original in most cases.

The single most critical shipping instruction when sending original documents like your FBI Background Check is never use standard mail without tracking and insurance. Standard postal mail without tracking is a serious risk: documents can be lost or delayed with no recourse. FedEx Priority and UPS both offer end-to-end tracking with insurance. For irreplaceable original FBI Background Checks, this is not optional.

After the Apostille: Using Your FBI Background Check Abroad

After receiving your apostilled FBI Background Check, you can file it with the receiving foreign authority. Different authorities have different submission procedures: certain consulates require you to appear in person, others accept documents by mail or online portal. Confirm the specific submission process with the foreign consulate or employer in advance to avoid last-minute issues.

Something important to know about apostilled FBI Background Checks is that the apostille authenticates the document's official origin. If the underlying document contains incorrect information — a misspelled name, wrong date, or factual inaccuracy — the apostille does not fix it. Foreign authorities may still reject an apostilled FBI Background Check if the information inside is incorrect. Any corrections must be addressed at the source agency — not at the apostille stage.

After getting your FBI Background Check back with the apostille attached, inspect the certificate carefully before sending it to the foreign authority. Verify that: the apostille is physically attached to the original document, your name and document details appear correctly on the apostille, and the issuing authority's name and date are present and correct. Problems with the certificate itself are uncommon but should be caught before you submit to the foreign authority.

Why Malta Residents Use Our Apostille Courier Service

For Malta residents who need a FBI Background Check apostilled quickly because: speed. Mail-in self-processing from Malta takes 4 to 8 weeks on average. Our courier walks your document directly into the government office, skipping the mail backlog entirely, and brings your apostilled document back to you in under a week. For clients with visa appointments, employment start dates, or consulate deadlines, that difference matters enormously.

Corporate and legal clients in Illinois that regularly need apostilled documents for international transactions, our service offers volume processing and priority queue placement. Professional clients regularly submit multiple apostille requests. Our team coordinates these efficiently and provides a single point of contact for all submissions. Repeat customers in Malta enjoy faster processing and dedicated support.

All documents handled by our service travel via FedEx with full insurance and tracking in both directions: from your door to our processing center, from our hub to the US Department of State in Washington D.C., and back to Malta. All shipments include insurance for the full document replacement value. In the unlikely event of any problem, we handle it end to end. Irreplaceable original FBI Background Checks deserve this level of care.

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