FBI Background Check

You need your FBI background check apostilled, and you’ve probably already discovered the catch: the FBI issues it, but only the U.S. Department of State can apostille it, and they only accept it a certain way. We handle this every week. Here’s exactly how it works.

The electronic FBI check works. Don’t order a paper one.

The PDF you received from the FBI or an approved channeler is apostillable. You don’t need to wait for a mailed copy, and you don’t need to order a new one. People lose weeks to this mistake. Email us the PDF and you’re done with your part.

If you don’t have your FBI background check yet, request it at edo.fbi.gov or through an FBI-approved channeler. Once the PDF is in your inbox, send it to us.

Who needs this

Foreign governments ask for an apostilled FBI check for work visas, residency permits, dual citizenship applications, teaching positions, and international adoptions. Spain, Italy, Portugal, Brazil, South Korea, and the UAE request it constantly. If a consulate told you to get your “criminal record check apostilled,” this is that.

How our process works

1. Email your FBI check PDF to [email protected] or bring it to our office at 165 Broadway in Manhattan.
2. We print it, prepare the cover documents the State Department requires, and check everything twice. Small errors cause rejections and rejections cost you weeks.
3. We hand-deliver it to the Office of Authentications in Washington DC. Nothing goes in the mail and nothing waits in a queue behind someone else’s stack.
4. Your apostilled document comes back to you by tracked courier, anywhere in the world.

How long it takes and what it costs

Standard processing runs 6 to 8 weeks, because that’s the State Department’s timeline, not ours. If your appointment can’t wait, expedited service comes back in about 3 weeks. The service costs $200 per document for standard processing, $300 for expedited, plus return shipping of $40 domestic or $100 international.

Not sure which speed you need? Call (212) 245-9690 and we’ll tell you honestly. If standard gets there in time, we’ll say so.

Which countries accept it

An apostille works for every country in the Hague Convention. If your document is going to a country outside the convention, it needs embassy legalization instead, which is a longer chain we also handle. Not sure which your country is? Ask us, it’s a 30-second answer.

FAQ

Can an electronic FBI background check be apostilled?
Yes. The State Department accepts the electronic PDF issued by the FBI or an approved channeler. You don’t need a paper original.

How long is an FBI background check valid for apostille purposes?
The State Department doesn’t expire them, but most receiving countries want a check issued within the last 3 to 6 months. Confirm the window with whoever’s requesting it before you order.

Do I need to notarize my FBI background check first?
No. Federal documents skip notarization entirely. They go straight to the U.S. Department of State.

Can you apostille a state police background check?
Yes, but that’s a state apostille through the state that issued it, not a federal one. See our state apostille pages or call us and we’ll route it correctly.