FBI Background Check Apostille
Federal authentication of your FBI Identity History Summary through the U.S. Department of State — for use in any country worldwide.
Hand-delivered submission in Washington, D.C. Pre-submission review by federal-document specialists. Embassy legalization handled in-house for non-Hague countries.
What This Document Is
The FBI Identity History Summary — also referred to as an FBI Identification Record, FBI background check, or FBI rap sheet — is an official federal record issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division in Clarksburg, West Virginia.
The document is generated from a fingerprint-based search of the FBI's national criminal history databases. It either:
- Lists any federal-level arrests, charges, or dispositions associated with the individual's fingerprints; or
- Formally confirms that no prior arrest data exists at the FBI — the most common result, sometimes informally called a "no record" letter.
Because the FBI is a federal law enforcement agency, this record is treated very differently from a state or local background check. Only the FBI has authority to issue this document, and only the U.S. Department of State can authenticate it for international use.
What It Is Used For
The FBI Identity History Summary is one of the most frequently authenticated federal documents in the United States. Foreign governments and institutions rely on it because it represents a nationwide criminal history search rather than a record limited to a single state or jurisdiction.
Common use cases include:
- Immigration and permanent residency applications — required by most countries' immigration authorities for visa-eligible adults.
- Long-term work permits and employment visas — particularly for the EU, Gulf states, and Asia-Pacific countries.
- Dual citizenship and nationality recognition — when applying through ancestry, marriage, or naturalization abroad.
- Foreign adoption proceedings — mandatory under Hague Adoption Convention rules.
- International family court cases — child custody, guardianship, and divorce proceedings overseas.
- Professional licensing abroad — medical, legal, financial, engineering, and aviation credentials.
- Teaching and government roles overseas — especially TEFL/ESL positions and diplomatic appointments.
- Residency permits and golden-visa programs — Portugal, Spain, Greece, UAE, Costa Rica, Panama, and others.
- International business registration and corporate compliance.
How to Obtain Your FBI Identity History Summary
The FBI issues this document only through approved channels. Choosing the right channel from the start prevents delays.
Method 1 — FBI eDO System (Electronic, Direct from FBI)
The fastest direct-from-FBI option. Applicants register at edo.cjis.gov, pay the FBI fee, submit fingerprints (typically by mail on an FD-258 card or at a participating Live Scan location), and receive a digitally signed PDF by email or mailed paper copy. Typical turnaround is 3 to 5 business days after the FBI receives the prints.
Method 2 — FBI-Approved Channelers
Channelers are private companies authorized by the FBI to receive fingerprints, forward them for processing, and return the official FBI result to the applicant. They are typically faster (often same-day or next-day) but charge an additional service fee. The FBI maintains a current list of approved channelers on its website.
Method 3 — Mailed Paper Copy
Applicants who prefer a physical document can request a mailed paper copy through the eDO system. This adds approximately 1 to 2 weeks of mailing time but is required by some older immigration filings.
Need to obtain your FBI background check from scratch? Our FBI Identity History Summary Fingerprint Submission Kit walks you through fingerprinting and FBI submission step-by-step.
Why Federal Authentication Is Required
Apostille and authentication authority in the United States is divided between state Secretaries of State and the U.S. Department of State based on the issuing authority of the document.
| Issuing Authority | Examples | Where Authenticated |
|---|---|---|
| State or local government | State birth certificates, marriage licenses, notarized affidavits, state-licensed professional records | Secretary of State of the issuing state |
| Federal government | FBI Identity History Summary, USCIS naturalization certificates, IRS letters, Social Security Administration verifications, federal court documents, DD-214 military records | U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications — Washington, D.C. |
Because the FBI is a federal agency, an FBI background check cannot be apostilled at the state level. State authorities have no jurisdiction to authenticate federal documents, and any state apostille placed on an FBI report is invalid and will be rejected by the receiving foreign government.
travel.state.gov — Authenticate Your Document
Document Preparation Requirements
To be eligible for federal authentication, the FBI background check must meet all federal submission standards. Even minor deviations can cause rejection.
Acceptable Formats
- Original FBI-issued PDF file — preferred. Either printed in full color at original size, or submitted electronically where the Department of State accepts digital submissions.
- Original FBI-issued paper copy — the document mailed directly from the FBI's CJIS Division in Clarksburg, WV.
Strict Preparation Rules
- Submit the document exactly as issued — no edits of any kind.
- Do not notarize the document. Notarization automatically invalidates a federal record.
- Do not add certification wording, cover letters, or apostille request stamps to the face of the document.
- Do not alter, cover, or "enhance" any signatures, seals, or watermarks.
- Do not reformat, resize, scan-and-reprint, or compress the file.
- Printed copies must match the original PDF exactly — including margins, pagination, color, and the FBI watermark.
- Do not laminate, hole-punch, staple over the seal, or write on the document.
Step-by-Step Apostille Process
Order & Document Review
Submit your order online and upload your FBI Identity History Summary. Our team verifies the document is in proper form before any submission to the Department of State.
Department of State Submission
We hand-deliver your document to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C., along with the federal authentication request form (DS-4194) and the appropriate federal fee.
Apostille or Authentication Issued
The Department of State issues either an Apostille (Hague Convention countries) or an Authentication Certificate (non-Hague countries), affixed directly to your document.
Embassy Legalization (If Required)
For non-Hague countries, we forward the authenticated document to the destination country's embassy or consulate in Washington, D.C., for final legalization.
Certified Translation (Optional)
If your destination country requires the document in another language, we provide certified translations — commonly Spanish, Portuguese, French, Arabic, Vietnamese, Chinese, and others.
Secure Return Shipping
Tracked, insured delivery anywhere in the world via FedEx, UPS, or DHL. Most clients receive the completed document within days of issuance.
How to Visually Confirm the Document Is Ready
Before submitting your FBI background check for federal authentication, verify that all of the following are present and intact. (Refer to the sample image at the top of this page for what a properly issued document looks like.)
- FBI letterhead with "U.S. Department of Justice / Federal Bureau of Investigation / Criminal Justice Information Services Division / Clarksburg, WV 26306" in the upper-right.
- Official FBI seal in the upper-left corner.
- Clear "Date:" line in the upper-right showing the issue date.
- The phrase "Search Completed Result" followed by the date of search.
- A subject result statement — either listing arrest data or stating that no prior arrest data exists.
- Signature block of the Section Chief, Biometric Services Section, CJIS Division.
- For PDFs: original FBI digital signature and metadata intact, no compression artifacts.
- For paper copies: clean print, no folds across text, no lamination or annotations.
Common Reasons FBI Background Checks Are Rejected
The Department of State and foreign governments routinely reject FBI background checks for a small set of recurring issues. All are preventable.
1. Altered or Edited PDFs
Cropped pages, screenshots, re-saved or "flattened" files, and scans of printouts strip the document of its original FBI digital signature. Fix: always submit the unmodified file the FBI delivered.
2. Notarized FBI Background Checks
A notary public has no authority to certify a federal record — and adding a notary stamp visibly alters the document. Fix: never notarize an FBI background check.
3. State-Level Apostille Attempts
Submissions routed to a state Secretary of State are returned unprocessed. Fix: ensure submission is routed to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications.
4. Channeler Cover Pages or Receipts
Some applicants accidentally submit the channeler's cover summary instead of the underlying FBI document. Fix: confirm the document explicitly displays "Federal Bureau of Investigation" letterhead and "Identity History Summary" content.
5. Poor Print Quality or Damaged Originals
Blurred text, cut-off margins, fold damage, or low-resolution prints make the document non-acceptable. Fix: use a high-quality color printer at original PDF size, and store the document flat.
6. Expired Document
Many destination countries reject FBI background checks older than 3–6 months. Fix: verify validity rules with the receiving authority before ordering.
7. Wrong Routing for Destination Country
Hague Apostille issued for a non-Hague country — or vice versa — is not valid. Fix: confirm the destination country's status before submission (see next section).
Hague Convention vs. Non-Hague Countries
The final form of authentication depends on whether the destination country is a member of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention:
| Destination Type | What You Receive | Additional Steps | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hague Convention country | Apostille issued by U.S. Department of State | None — document is ready for use abroad. | Mexico, Spain, Italy, Portugal, France, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Brazil, Argentina, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia. |
| Non-Hague country | Authentication Certificate from U.S. Department of State | Embassy or consulate legalization required after authentication. | Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Vietnam, Cambodia, Iran, Iraq. |
Hague Convention membership changes periodically. Federal Apostille and Notary Processing verifies the destination country's current status as part of every order. View our Country Guide for the latest list.
Processing Times & Validity
Total turnaround depends on three stages: the FBI's issuance of the underlying document, the U.S. Department of State's authentication processing, and (when required) embassy legalization.
- FBI issuance (eDO): 3–5 business days after fingerprint receipt.
- FBI issuance (channeler): often 24–48 hours.
- U.S. Department of State authentication: currently 10–12 business days for routine processing (subject to government workload — expedited service available through our office).
- Embassy legalization: varies widely by country — typically 3 business days to 4 weeks.
- Validity for foreign use: most countries accept the document if it is between 3 and 6 months old at the time of foreign filing.
Use our Processing Time Estimator for a country-specific projection.
Why Choose Federal Apostille and Notary Processing
We are a Washington, D.C.-based document processing service specializing exclusively in federal authentications. FBI Identity History Summary apostilles are one of our highest-volume services.
- Hand-delivery to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications — no mail delays.
- $120 flat-rate pricing with all government fees included — no hidden costs.
- Pre-submission review by federal-document specialists, eliminating preventable rejections.
- Embassy legalization for non-Hague countries handled in-house in Washington, D.C.
- Certified translations in Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic, Chinese, Portuguese, French, and other languages.
- Worldwide tracked shipping via FedEx, UPS, and DHL.
- Real-time order tracking from intake through delivery.
- Over 10 years of experience processing federal authentications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a state apostille on my FBI background check?
No. Because the FBI is a federal agency, FBI Identity History Summaries can only be authenticated by the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications. State apostilles on FBI documents are invalid and will be rejected by foreign governments.
Should I notarize my FBI background check before sending it for apostille?
No. FBI Identity History Summaries must be submitted exactly as issued by the FBI. Notarization, certification wording, or any added stamps will invalidate the document and result in rejection by the Department of State.
How long is an FBI background check valid for international use?
Most foreign governments accept FBI Identity History Summaries that are between 3 and 6 months old at the time of foreign filing. Validity rules vary by country, so we recommend confirming the requirement with the receiving authority before ordering.
Can I print the PDF I received from the FBI eDO system?
Yes. A high-quality color print of the original FBI eDO PDF is acceptable, provided that no editing, cropping, resizing, or compression has occurred. The print must match the original digital file exactly — including margins, color, and pagination.
How do I authenticate the document if my destination country is not part of the Hague Convention?
For non-Hague countries, the U.S. Department of State will issue an authentication certificate rather than an apostille. The document then typically requires additional legalization at the embassy or consulate of the destination country. Our office handles both stages.
Do I need to be in Washington, D.C. or visit your office in person?
No. We work with clients nationwide and internationally. You can submit your documents to us by mail or courier, and we handle the in-person submission to the Department of State on your behalf.
What if my FBI background check shows a record — can it still be authenticated?
Yes. The Department of State authenticates the document regardless of its content. Authentication confirms that the FBI's signature and seal are genuine; it does not evaluate the underlying criminal history. How a foreign government interprets the content is a separate matter.
Can you obtain the FBI background check for me from scratch?
We provide an FBI Identity History Summary fingerprint submission kit and guidance, but the FBI requires the applicant to be the one who initiates the eDO request and submits fingerprints. Once you have the document in hand, we handle the federal apostille process from there.
Will I need a certified translation of the apostilled document?
Many countries require a certified translation into the official language of the destination country. We offer certified translations alongside the apostille service so that everything is delivered ready-to-file.
Summary
The FBI Identity History Summary is a high-sensitivity federal document. Proper preparation, correct routing through the U.S. Department of State, and strict adherence to federal standards are essential for successful authentication. When the document is issued correctly, left unaltered, and submitted through the appropriate federal process, it is universally recognized by foreign governments.
Federal Apostille and Notary Processing handles every step — from document review through final embassy legalization — so that your FBI background check is delivered abroad in legally recognized form.
Ready to Get Your FBI Background Check Apostilled?
$120 flat rate. Hand-delivered to the U.S. Department of State. 10–12 business day turnaround. Available nationwide via our secure online portal or mail-in submission.
