West Virginia Background Check from Abroad
State criminal history check
West Virginia Background Check from Abroad
Yes. The West Virginia repository is fingerprint-based rather than name-based, so a card is needed.
- Fee
- $20.00
- Processing
- Varies; confirm when you submit
- From abroad
- Possible
What to send, and where
| Agency | West Virginia State Police, Criminal Records Section |
|---|---|
| Form | Criminal record request form |
| Fee | $20.00 |
| Payment | Certified cheque, business cheque or money order payable to Superintendent, West Virginia State Police. |
| Processing | Varies; confirm when you submit |
| Post to | West Virginia State Police, Criminal History Section, 701 Jefferson Road, South Charleston, WV 25309 |
The West Virginia State Police, Criminal Records Section page for this request
Specific to West Virginia
- Because the repository is biometric, there is no name-only shortcut. Plan on getting fingerprinted.
- Personal cheques are not on the accepted list. A money order is the safest from abroad.
Getting fingerprinted where you are
Local police, a private fingerprinting service, a U.S. post if it still offers it, or ink at home. Take more than one card. Use the FD-258 unless West Virginia specifies its own form above, in which case order that form first and allow for it reaching you overseas.
After it arrives
A West Virginia criminal history check is a state document, so it is authenticated by West Virginia, not by the U.S. Department of State. Most states require the response to be notarised or certified before the authenticating authority will touch it, and several sell a notarised version for exactly this purpose. Buy it at the time rather than discovering later that you have to start again.
We handle the apostille
Once your West Virginia check exists we can authenticate it, legalise it for a non-Convention country, and have it translated. Tell us the destination and the deadline.
Questions people actually ask
Can I request my West Virginia record from outside the United States?
Yes. The West Virginia repository is fingerprint-based rather than name-based, so a card is needed.
What does it cost?
$20.00 Certified cheque, business cheque or money order payable to Superintendent, West Virginia State Police.
How long does it take?
Varies; confirm when you submit. Add international postage in both directions on top of that.
Do I need the West Virginia check as well as the FBI one?
Only if the authority asking has said so. The FBI record already includes arrests that West Virginia reported federally. Ask before paying for both.
Will it need an apostille?
If it is going to a foreign authority, yes. A West Virginia check is a state document, so it is authenticated by West Virginia rather than by the U.S. Department of State, and it usually has to be notarised or certified first.
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.
