FBI Identity History Summary Legalisation: Route and Rules
Federal record
Legalising a fbi identity history summary
The FBI criminal record check, required for most work and residence permits.
- Category
- Federal record
- Issued by
- A federal agency
- Federal fee
- $20 per document
The route this document takes
FBI summary, then straight to the U.S. Department of State. No state step, because it is a federal document.
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U.S. Department of State authentication The federal layer that foreign missions actually recognise. Submitted on form DS-4194 to the Office of Authentications, 44132 Mercure Circle, PO Box 1206, Sterling, VA 20166-1206. Federal documents such as an FBI check start here and skip the state step. Where this goes wrong: Sending a document that has not been state-authenticated first. It comes back untouched, weeks later.
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Legalisation by mission The destination country's own mission adds the final stamp. Which mission is competent depends on the consular district covering the state where the document originated. Where this goes wrong: Sending to the wrong consulate. Districts are assigned by state and are not negotiable.
What trips people up with this document
- A state police check is NOT a substitute and follows a different route.
- Most missions treat it as valid for three to six months from issue, so order it at the right moment.
- The FBI's own electronic copy usually needs to be the version bearing the official signature.
This document, by destination
Requirements differ by mission. Pick the destination for the specifics.
Send this document with us
We run the chain for this document type every week and know which missions are currently slow.
Requirements on this page were last checked against official sources on .
Questions about this document
Does a fbi identity history summary need state authentication first?
No. It is a federal document, so it goes straight to the U.S. Department of State. Sending it to a Secretary of State wastes a fee and several days, because no state can certify a federal signature.
How much does legalising a fbi identity history summary cost?
Federal authentication is a fixed twenty dollars. State fees run from about two to thirty dollars, and the embassy fee varies widely by country and by document category, so check the mission schedule linked from the destination page.
Can I legalise more than one fbi identity history summary at once?
Yes, but every copy is charged separately at every stage. If two institutions abroad each need an original, plan for two full sets rather than hoping to reuse one.
What is the most common reason a fbi identity history summary is rejected?
A state police check is NOT a substitute and follows a different route.
This guide is published by a private document processing service. It is not legal advice and we are not a government agency. Requirements change without notice, so confirm anything critical with the mission before you post documents.
