United States
Miami, FLHouston, TXDallas–Fort Worth, TXAtlanta, GABoston, MASeattle, WALos Angeles, CASan Diego, CAWashington, DC
FBI Background Check Apostille in 10 Business Days
Guaranteed.
An FBI background check apostille is the U.S. Department of State certification that makes your FBI Identity History Summary legally recognized abroad. Flat $179, government fees included, hand-delivered to the Office of Authentications in Washington, DC.
- Scan emailed the same day your apostille is issued
- Reviewed for rejection risk before it is ever filed
- Full refund if your apostille cannot be completed
Order before 3:00 PM ET tomorrow · 15h 05m 32s left
Your apostille is ready by October 27
Do not get burned by fake “1-day” offers. We process your apostille correctly the first time — so your visa, job or adoption stays on track.
- Hand-delivered in Washington, DC
- Secure document handling
- Department of State specialists
- Flat-rate pricing
- Live order tracking
What is an FBI background check apostille?
Most countries in the Hague Convention require this certification before accepting your FBI report for a visa, overseas job, residency permit or international adoption. Without it, your document is considered unverified and will be rejected regardless of what it says.
Because the FBI Identity History Summary is a federal document, only the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C. has the authority to issue this certification. A state Secretary of State cannot process it — if you send it there, it comes back without action.
Who needs an FBI background check apostille?
- Long-stay visas and residency
- Retirement visas, digital-nomad visas and residency programs in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Mexico all commonly require one.
- Foreign employment
- Employers and professional licensing bodies abroad frequently require an apostilled criminal background check before hiring.
- International marriage
- Civil authorities in many countries require a clean, apostilled background check as part of registration.
- University enrollment abroad
- Some international universities and study programs require it for admission.
- International adoption
- An apostilled FBI criminal background check is required in most cross-border adoption cases.
Every rejected apostille could cost you months.
Most FBI background checks are only valid for three months. If your apostille is rejected for the wrong form, a missing detail or an incorrect payment, you do not simply resubmit — you start over. New background check. New fees. New wait.
Meanwhile, your deadlines do not move.
Visa appointments get missed. Job offers expire. Adoption cases stall. A single avoidable mistake does not just waste time — it can cost you real opportunities at the worst possible moment. That is exactly why accuracy on the first submission matters more than anything else.
Mail-in versus our expedited FBI background check apostille service
| Mail-in (DIY) | Federal Apostille™ | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical timeline | ~5–6 weeks, longer with backlogs or errors | ~10 business days on average |
| Risk of rejection | Higher — form and payment mistakes, missing details | Lower — expert review and compliant packaging |
| Status visibility | Limited once mailed | Proactive monitoring, plus a scan on issuance |
| Scan included | No | Yes — sent immediately on issuance |
| Error recovery | You restart and resubmit — weeks lost | We handle issues proactively |
| Best for | Very flexible timelines, no deadline pressure | Visas, relocation, employment — any deadline |
Typical timeline
Mail-in (DIY)
~5–6 weeks, longer with backlogs or errors
Federal Apostille™
~10 business days on average
Risk of rejection
Mail-in (DIY)
Higher — form and payment mistakes, missing details
Federal Apostille™
Lower — expert review and compliant packaging
Status visibility
Mail-in (DIY)
Limited once mailed
Federal Apostille™
Proactive monitoring, plus a scan on issuance
Scan included
Mail-in (DIY)
No
Federal Apostille™
Yes — sent immediately on issuance
Error recovery
Mail-in (DIY)
You restart and resubmit — weeks lost
Federal Apostille™
We handle issues proactively
Best for
Mail-in (DIY)
Very flexible timelines, no deadline pressure
Federal Apostille™
Visas, relocation, employment — any deadline
Both routes end at the same counter. Only one of them has someone standing at it.
How our FBI background check apostille service works
We review your document for accuracy
Before anything gets filed, we go through your FBI background check carefully. We verify the document is the correct format, check for any issues that could cause a rejection, and confirm everything is in order. This step alone prevents the most common and costly mistakes.
We hand-deliver it to the U.S. Department of State
We physically walk your document to the walk-in counter at the U.S. Department of State's Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C. No mail. No third-party drop-offs. Direct submission with the correct paperwork, every time.
We pick up, scan and ship the same day
Once your apostille is issued, we collect it first thing in the morning. You receive a high-quality scan by email the same day. If you need the original shipped, we send it with full tracking, domestic or international.
One flat rate. Scans included.
Get your apostille in 3 simple steps
- Make your payment
- Pay securely online at our flat rate. All government fees and processing costs are included — no hidden charges or surprise fees later.
- Upload your FBI background check
- After checkout, upload your FBI background check or federal document through our secure portal. We review it to make sure everything is correct before filing.
- Receive your apostille in ~10 days
- You receive a high-quality scan by email in about 10 business days. If you need the original document returned, we ship it to your door with tracking included.
No paperwork confusion, no government office visits, no waiting months. Three straightforward steps, and we handle everything in between.
What clients say
Our customers review us on Trustpilot
Every review appears there under the reviewer’s own name, with its date, and we answer each one publicly. We don’t copy them onto this site.
See our reviews on Trustpilot →Common mistakes that delay your FBI background check apostille
- Sending it to the wrong authority
- The FBI Identity History Summary is a federal document. State offices cannot apostille it. If you mail it to a state Secretary of State, it comes back untouched.
- Missing or incorrect destination country
- The apostille must name the correct destination. A missing or wrong country creates processing issues.
- Wrong payment method or amount
- Even small payment errors cause the entire submission to be returned.
- Assuming faster tiers exist
- Outside of documented life-or-death emergencies there is no legally faster option than the standard federal process. Anyone advertising same-day for routine orders is misleading you.
- Starting too late
- Many consulates and embassies require a recently dated apostille. If your background check expires before the apostille is issued, you restart the whole process.
About Federal Apostille™
- Hands-on filing
- We walk documents directly into the U.S. Department of State instead of relying on slow, error-prone mail systems.
- Speed you can count on
- What usually takes 3–6 weeks is expedited to just 10 business days — with scans always included, and originals shipped securely.
- Transparency first
- No fake “1-day” promises. No surprise charges. Just a clear, guaranteed process that delivers what you need on time.
Don't have your FBI background check yet? Here's how to get one
- Option 1 — directly from the FBI
- You submit fingerprints and the FBI's $18 fee. Mailing physical fingerprint cards takes several weeks; submitting electronically at a participating USPS location can return results in days. The FBI emails you a PDF, and that PDF version can be apostilled.
- Option 2 — through an FBI-approved channeler
- Channelers are private companies authorized by the FBI to submit your fingerprints and return your Identity History Summary, usually within 24 hours of fingerprinting. They cost more than the FBI's direct fee, but on a visa deadline the speed usually justifies it. One caveat that catches people constantly: some consulates require the report to come directly from the FBI, not a channeler — check your destination country's consulate instructions before choosing.
Already overseas? Getting fingerprinted abroad and routing the report back has its own process — see our guide to getting an FBI background check from abroad. For the full two-step walkthrough, see how to get an FBI background check apostilled, step by step.
Once your report is in hand, upload it to us and we take it from there — reviewed, hand-delivered to the U.S. Department of State, apostilled and shipped in 10 business days, guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a federal FBI background check apostille take?
Your FBI background check apostille will be ready in about 10 business days. We submit in person at the physical counter for the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. By mail, the process takes 2–3 months or longer. Our service is designed to get your apostille back quickly, without the long delays.
Can I get same-day FBI background check apostille service?
Same-day apostille service for an FBI background check is only possible in rare emergencies, such as a death or life-threatening illness abroad, and requires proof. If you qualify, contact us for details. For most clients, processing takes about 10 business days.
Do I need to notarize or translate my FBI background check?
No. The FBI Identity History Summary already carries the FBI's own certification, so it is apostilled directly by the U.S. Department of State. Only the original FBI background check is eligible for a federal apostille.
Can I send you the PDF of my FBI background check?
Yes, the PDF is accepted. All we need is the official PDF report you received from the FBI or your FBI channeler. It cannot be a scan or a photograph of a printout — it has to be the original PDF.
What if I only have the physical copy of my FBI background check?
You can ship the original physical copy directly to us for an apostille. We share our Washington, DC address once your order is placed. If you have the original PDF, sending the PDF is faster.
Do I need to mail you my original FBI background check report?
No. Mailing is not required — you can upload the PDF version you receive from the FBI or your channeler. You can mail us the original physical document to our Washington, DC address if you do not have the PDF.
Can you ship the physical copy of the apostille to me?
Every order includes high-quality scans of your apostilled documents at no additional cost. If you need the originals back, we offer tracked return shipping, domestic and international, for an additional fee.
Will my FBI background check apostille be accepted abroad?
Yes. Apostilles are recognized in all Hague Convention countries. If your destination country is not part of the Hague Convention, the process is called legalization through the consulate or embassy. We can advise you on this if needed.
How do I know this is legitimate?
We are a U.S.-based company that physically hand-delivers documents to the U.S. Department of State. No overseas middlemen, no hidden fees.
Do you handle state apostilles as well?
Yes. We process both federal and state apostilles. Federal documents — FBI background checks, FDA and USDA documents, patents, trademarks and federal court records — are handled through the U.S. Department of State. State-issued documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates and university transcripts are handled through the relevant Secretary of State's office.
Do you offer translation services?
In some cases, yes. Contact us on WhatsApp if you need a visa-ready translation of your FBI background check and its apostille.
Can a state Secretary of State apostille my FBI report?
No. The FBI Identity History Summary is a federal document. Only the U.S. Department of State's Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C. has the authority to issue the apostille for it. If you send your report to a state office, it will be returned without processing.
How much does an FBI background check apostille cost?
Our service is $179 flat rate, all-inclusive. That covers federal filing preparation, expert handling, monitoring and a secure digital scan on issuance.
What happens if my apostille cannot be completed?
Your order is protected by our 100% satisfaction guarantee. If your apostille cannot be completed for any reason, you receive a full refund.
Buy with confidence
Money-back guarantee
Your order is protected by our 100% satisfaction guarantee. If your apostille cannot be completed for any reason, you receive a full refund.
Secure payment methods
We accept all major credit cards — Visa, Mastercard and American Express — processed through trusted U.S. payment providers.
SSL secure checkout
All transactions are protected with 256-bit SSL encryption and secure card verification.
Start your Federal Apostille™ today
One flat rate. Scans included. Hand-delivered to the U.S. Department of State — skip the 2–3 month mail backlog and have it done in approximately 10 business days.
Secure checkout. Government fees included. Refund if we can't complete it.
FBI apostilles for a specific country or situation
- FBI apostille for a Spain visaWith sworn Spanish translation (jurada)
- FBI apostille for a Colombia visaWith certified Spanish translation
- FBI apostille for a South Korea visaE-2 teaching and F-6 marriage visas
- FBI apostille for a China work permitZ-visa; apostille accepted since Nov 2023
- FBI apostille for a Philippines visaSRRV retirement and 13(a) marriage visas
- FBI apostille for MexicoNaturalization, adoption and INM procedures
- FBI apostille for the Dominican RepublicResidencia provisional
- FBI apostille for a Costa Rica visaPensionado and rentista residency
- FBI apostille for a Panama visaPensionado and Friendly Nations visas
- FBI apostille for an Ecuador visaJubilado and rentista visas
- FBI apostille for a Brazil visaMarriage and retirement residency
- FBI apostille for a Portugal visaD7 and digital-nomad visas
- Ordering your FBI apostille from abroadLiving outside the United States
- Federal apostille processing timeRealistic timelines, updated
FBI apostille near me — why there is no local office
A federal apostille near you does not exist, and that is not a gap in coverage — it is how the system is built. An FBI Identity History Summary is a federal record, and federal records are authenticated by exactly one authority in the country: the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC. Searching from Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Miami, New York or anywhere else returns notaries, channelers and couriers — none of them can issue the apostille itself.
A state Secretary of State cannot do it either. State offices authenticate documents their own state issued or notarized; an FBI report is not one of those, so sending it to a state office costs you the trip and comes back unapostilled.
So the only question "near me" really answers is who carries your report to Washington and back. That is what we do — the filing leg, in person, with a same-day scan the moment the apostille is issued. If your document is state-issued instead — a birth certificate, a diploma, a notarized power of attorney — it follows your state's own office; those are listed under apostille services by state.
Federal Apostille™ is a private, independent courier and document-processing service. We are not affiliated with the FBI, the U.S. Department of State, or any government agency. We do not provide legal advice.