Apostille Guides
Everything we know about federal apostilles, written out. These are explanatory pages, not order pages — if you already know what you need, the FBI background check apostille page and apostille services by state are the places to start instead.
Which guide do you need?
Almost every apostille question resolves to one of four things: who signed my document, which authority can apostille it, how long that takes, and what the destination country will accept. The groups below follow that order. If your document is an FBI Identity History Summary, start at the top — it is federal, and the rules are different from everything else.
FBI background checks
The federal document we handle most. These cover getting the Identity History Summary itself, and what has to happen to it before the U.S. Department of State will apostille it.
| Guide | What it covers |
|---|---|
| FBI Background Check Apostille From Abroad | Living overseas and need an apostilled FBI background check? Here's how to obtain and apostille your FBI Identity History Summary from abroad, with scans and international shipping. |
| Does an FBI Background Check Need to Be Notarized for Apostille? | No — an FBI background check does not need to be notarized to be apostilled. Here's why, and what actually happens when you apostille an FBI Identity History Summary. |
| How to Get an FBI Background Check Apostilled | The full process step by step: fingerprints, the FBI Identity History Summary, then the U.S. Department of State apostille — DIY mail-in versus expedited service. |
Documents you can apostille
One guide per document type, because the answer to “who apostilles this” changes with the official who signed it — not with where you live or where it is going.
| Guide | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Diploma & Transcript Apostille | Apostille your diploma, degree, or transcripts for work, study, or residency abroad. Here's how academic document apostilles work and how to prepare them. |
| Power of Attorney & Notarized Document Apostille | Apostille a power of attorney, affidavit, or other notarized document for use abroad. Learn how notarized documents are apostilled and how to prepare them correctly. |
| How to Apostille Court, FDA & USDA Documents | Apostille federal documents from the courts, FDA, USDA, and other federal agencies. These are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State — here's how. |
| U.S. Court Documents Apostille | Apostille federal court orders, judgments, and certified records for use abroad. Issued by a U.S. federal court means the U.S. Department of State, not a state office. |
| FDA & USDA Documents Apostille | Apostille FDA and USDA export certificates, Certificates of Free Sale, and health certificates for foreign customs authorities and importers. Federal route, ~10 business days. |
| Patents & Trademarks Apostille | Apostille certified USPTO patent and trademark documents for foreign filings, licensing, and IP litigation abroad. Federal route via the U.S. Department of State. |
| Certificate of Naturalization Apostille: Requirements and Process | Learn how a Certificate of Naturalization apostille works: getting certified copies from USCIS, finding your certificate number, and the federal apostille process. |
| Certificate of Citizenship Apostille: What You Need to Know | A Certificate of Citizenship apostille is issued federally by the U.S. Department of State. Learn what the certificate is, who needs one, and how to apostille it. |
| Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) Apostille | How to get a Consular Report of Birth Abroad apostille. Form FS-240 is a federal document, so it's apostilled by the U.S. Department of State — not a state office. |
| How to Get an SSA Benefit Verification Letter for an Apostille | Every way to get an SSA benefit verification letter — online, by phone, at a field office, or from abroad — and why the digital download apostilles cleanest. |
| Which Federal Documents Can Be Apostilled | Which federal documents can be apostilled? IRS Form 6166, FDA/USDA certificates, USPTO filings, federal court records, DD-214s and SSA letters explained. |
Process, timing and cost
How the federal apostille lane actually runs: what it costs, how long each step takes, what the alternatives are, and what you would be signing up for by doing it yourself.
| Guide | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Federal Apostille Processing Time | How long a federal apostille takes: FBI background checks ~10 business days via the U.S. Department of State. See realistic timelines and how to expedite. |
| Same-Day & Expedited Federal Apostille | What 'same-day' apostille really means, when expedited federal apostilles are possible, and how to get your FBI background check apostilled as fast as possible. |
| Apostille vs. Authentication (Legalization) | Apostille vs. authentication explained: which one you need depends on whether the destination country is part of the Hague Apostille Convention. |
| How to Get a Federal Apostille Yourself (DIY) | A step-by-step DIY guide to getting a federal apostille from the U.S. Department of State — plus the common mistakes that cause delays and rejections. |
| Federal Apostille: The Complete Guide | What a federal apostille is, which documents need one, how it differs from a state apostille, what it costs, and how long the U.S. Department of State takes. |
| U.S. Department of State Apostille: How Federal Authentication Works | How a U.S. Department of State apostille works: which federal documents qualify, how to submit to the Office of Authentications in DC, timelines, and fees. |
Destination countries
Which countries accept an apostille at all, and the document lists for the specific filings that drive most of our volume.
| Guide | What it covers |
|---|---|
| FBI Background Check Apostille for a Colombia Visa — Step by Step | A step-by-step guide to getting your FBI background check apostilled and translated for a Colombian visa or residency — what Colombia requires and how to do it fast. |
| Hague Apostille Convention — Member Countries | Which countries accept an apostille? A guide to the Hague Apostille Convention member countries and what to do if your destination isn't a member. |
| Spain's Regularisation — Documents You'll Need | What Spain's 2025–2026 regularisation means for document requirements, and how to get your FBI background check apostilled and translated in time. |