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How to apostille an FBI background check
An FBI background check — officially the FBI Identity History Summary — is one of the most common documents people need apostilled, usually for a visa, residency, work permit, adoption, or dual citizenship abroad. It's also one of the easiest to get wrong, because it's a federal document and follows a different path than a birth certificate or diploma.
This guide walks through the whole process end to end: getting the check, obtaining the federal apostille from the correct authority, adding a certified translation if your destination requires one, and avoiding the mistakes that send documents back.
Key takeaways
- An FBI check is a federal document — only the U.S. Department of State can apostille it.
- A state Secretary of State cannot authenticate it; sending it there is the #1 rejection.
- The check can be channeled electronically, often within a business day.
- Countries outside the Hague Convention need embassy legalization, not an apostille.
What an FBI apostille actually is
Why it has to be a federal apostille
Step by step: from request to apostille
- 1.Get the FBI check. You can request your Identity History Summary directly from the FBI, or have it channeled electronically through an FBI-approved channeler — usually much faster. We channel it for you when you'd rather not wait.
- 2.Submit for the federal apostille. The check is prepared and submitted to the U.S. Department of State, which attaches the apostille certificate.
- 3.Add a certified translation, if required. Some destinations want the apostilled check translated. We coordinate a certified translation in the correct order.
- 4.Delivery. Your completed, apostilled check ships back tracked — to you or straight to your destination.
How long it takes
What it costs
Common mistakes that cause rejections
- ✕Sending the FBI check to a state Secretary of State instead of the U.S. Department of State.
- ✕Submitting the wrong version of the summary, or an altered/scanned copy the authority won't accept.
- ✕Using a check that's older than the receiving consulate allows.
- ✕Skipping a certified translation the destination requires.
- ✕Assuming an apostille works for a non-Hague country (it doesn't — see below).
If your country isn't in the Hague Convention
Need your FBI check apostilled?
Tell us your destination country and timeline — a specialist replies within one business day with a flat quote, and we can channel the check for you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apostille my FBI background check myself?+
You can submit it to the U.S. Department of State yourself, but federal apostilles must go to that one office in the correct format, and the most common do-it-yourself error is sending it to a state Secretary of State — which cannot authenticate federal documents. Routing it correctly the first time avoids the rejection and a second wait.
Do you send the printed or the electronic FBI check?+
The U.S. Department of State apostilles the official FBI Identity History Summary. Whether the printed or PDF version is accepted can depend on how it was issued, so we confirm the correct format — or obtain the check for you — before it is submitted.
How recent does my FBI background check need to be?+
The FBI check itself carries no federal expiration date, but many consulates and foreign authorities only accept one issued within a recent window — often the last three to six months. If yours is older than your destination allows, we can channel a fresh one quickly.
Can you obtain the FBI background check for me?+
Yes. We channel your FBI Identity History Summary through an FBI-approved channeler — usually far faster than requesting it directly from the FBI — and then complete the federal apostille in the same process.
What if my destination country isn't in the Hague Convention?+
Then an apostille won't be accepted, and the document needs embassy or consulate legalization instead — a longer, multi-step chain. Tell us the country and we'll confirm which path applies and handle it end to end.