Federal document · US Dept of State · do not notarize
FBI background check apostille
An FBI Identity History Summary is a federal document: it is apostilled only by the US Department of State in Washington, DC, never by a state office, and it must not be notarized. Our fee is $149 plus the $20 federal fee and shipping. The most common mistake is mailing it to a Secretary of State, which returns it unprocessed.
What this document is
The FBI Identity History Summary, commonly called an FBI background check or FBI clearance. It is issued by the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division and states whether the FBI has a criminal record on file for your fingerprints.
Foreign governments ask for it for work visas, residency permits, citizenship applications, teaching credentials, intercountry adoption, and some professional licenses. Spain, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Colombia, Mexico, and the Philippines are the destinations we see most.
Does it need notarization first?
No. The Summary carries an FBI official's signature, and that is what gets authenticated. Notarizing it does nothing useful and can get it rejected. If a website told you to notarize your FBI check, do not.
State or federal?
Federal. No state can apostille an FBI document. It goes to the US Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington, DC, with the $20 federal fee. Sending it to a Secretary of State returns it unprocessed and costs you the time.
What you need to provide
- The FBI Identity History Summary: the PDF from the FBI printed out, or the paper copy with the FBI seal that came by mail.
- The destination country. This goes on the federal request form and determines whether you receive an apostille (Hague countries) or an authentication certificate (non-Hague, which then needs the embassy step).
- If the destination requires a translation, tell us. Spain and Italy commonly do.
What happens
- Quote request with the destination country and a photo of the Summary. We confirm it will be accepted and check the current federal processing time that day.
- You mail us the Summary, tracked.
- We prepare form DS-4194 with the correct country, and submit to the Office of Authentications with the $20 fee.
- The apostille is attached and returned to us. We ship it to you or directly to the consulate or employer abroad.
Common mistakes
- Sending it to a state. It is federal.
- Notarizing it. Causes rejection.
- A channeler report without the FBI signature. Some channelers issue a summary in their own format. Check for the FBI's signature block, or order from the FBI directly.
- Wrong country on the form. Apostille versus authentication certificate. Getting it wrong means resubmitting and paying the federal fee again.
- Letting it age. Many countries require the FBI check to be less than three or six months old at the time of filing. Count the federal processing time when you decide when to order the check.
How to start
Request a quote with the destination country and a photo of the Summary. We reply with the total and the current federal processing time within two business hours.
Price: $149 service fee + $20 federal fee (22 CFR 22.1, item 46) + return shipping. Standard processing only; the Department of State does not offer a rush channel for mail-in requests.
Background reading: our affiliated company's guide to FBI and local background checks.
Get your exact price, all fees included
Two business hours to a written total. Nothing to pay and nothing to mail until you have it.
Start My ApostilleFrequently asked questions
How do I get the FBI background check itself?
Request an Identity History Summary directly from the FBI at edo.fbi.gov (electronic) or by mail with fingerprints, or through an FBI-approved channeler. The electronic version usually arrives in days; the mail version takes weeks. We do not obtain it for you, but we can walk you through it.
Electronic PDF or paper?
Both are accepted by the Department of State. The electronic PDF from the FBI carries a digital signature and is accepted when printed. If you have the paper copy with the FBI seal, send that. If you used a channeler, check that the result carries the FBI's own signature block; some channeler reports do not and cannot be authenticated.
How long does the FBI apostille take?
The Department of State publishes its current mail-in processing time on travel.state.gov; it has varied a lot over the past few years, so we check the live figure the day you request a quote and tell you. Our own handling adds only a couple of business days on either end. There is no federal expedite option for mail-in requests.
Does it need a notary?
No. Do not notarize an FBI Identity History Summary. It is authenticated on the FBI official's signature; a notary certificate on top of it can cause rejection.
Do I also need a state police check?
Some countries want both federal and state checks. A state police background check is a state document and gets a state apostille. If you need both, we handle both in one order.