Apostille FBI Background Checks

How To Apostille
FBI Background Checks

We only need three things from you to complete the expedited FBI background check apostille service process.

First, download your original FBI identity history summary checks report PDF that you purchased online and were issued by one of the twelve official FBI-approved Channeler websites in the U.S.

Next, upload the original PDF of your FBI criminal background check report onto our FBI apostille services order form page (click on the the order button in step #3 below to be directed there).

This is by far the fastest and least expensive way to order a FBI apostille because you can bypass having to mail the original FBI background check to us to receive a federal apostille or federal authentication certificate on your FBI background check report.

You do not and cannot notarize the FBI background check report by law to receive an FBI apostille. No notarization is needed because FBI identity history summary checks and FBI background checks are considered recordable federal documents.

Your FBI criminal background check must have been issued within the last SIX MONTHS or less (the date listed in the upper right-hand corner) to be accepted by the U.S Department of State to apostille or authenticate for any foreign country in the world.

If your FBI background check is older than SIX MONTHS you must reorder and get issued a new current FBI criminal background check.

Also, note that some foreign countries will only accept apostilled FBI background checks that are 90 days or less old. That is why we highly recommend that you upload and order your FBI report to apostille with us within a few days of receiving your FBI background check report from the FBI channeler company that you online ordered through.

You do not mail or drop off your FBI criminal background check report to us to federally apostille or authenticate. You only upload the 1-6 page PDF FBI criminal background check report along with our FBI apostille order form and a prepaid return FedEx or UPS shipping label onto our FBI apostille services order form page.

The lone exception is if you didn’t choose the PDF/electronic/digital download option when you ordered your FBI background check online and you were only physically mailed an FBI criminal background check.

In this case, you must mail or drop off to us the original FBI background check paperwork that you got in the mail (we do not need the envelope you received them in) to receive a federal authentication or apostille certificate. Please beaware you cannot make copies of your FBI report or scan and email us your mailed originals of your FBI background check because they are security marked by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Second, email us a prepaid FedEx or UPS return shipping label (we do not accept air waybills) that you can create and purchase online at FedEx.com or UPS.com without needing to have an existing account set up with them. You can also visit any UPS Store or FedEx Office location to purchase a prepaid shipping label as well.  

Do not use the United States Postal Service (USPS) because they lose things constantly
(potentially your FBI criminal background check report) and are completely unreliable and slow.

The reason we require a prepaid return shipping label is so we can mail your FBI background check back to you or to wherever and whomever in the world that you want them shipped to.

On the prepaid return FedEx or UPS shipping label that you must provide us please list the senders (from) mailing address as your name/address or any U.S address because you cannot list our company name or address as the from/sender for liability reasons. Then for the receiver’s address (to) just list the name/address of where and who you want your FBI criminal background check report mailed back to. 

It was taking from 3-4 weeks (fastest) to 13-14 weeks (slowest) time between 2020-2024 for the U.S State Department to process and issue federal apostilles and federal authentication certificates on all federal documents including FBI background checks once they were submitted to their office in Washington, DC in the post-COVID world. 

The United States Department of State publicly announced that beginning on October 1^st, 2024 they will finally (thank the apostille gods) reopen their doors for rush walk-in services after being closed to the public for over 4 1/2 years!

The three new U.S Department of State rules and turnaround times start October 1st, 2024 will be as follows:

1. Any person, apostille services company or apostille agent will only be able to submit 15 documents per day.
2. The USDOS working days are now reduced to being open Monday through Thursday excluding all federal holidays.
3. Apostilled or authenticated issued FBI identity history summary checks or FBI background checks can be picked up 7-9 BUSINESS DAYS after they have been hand-submitted to the U.S Department of State by any person, FBI apostille service companies, or FBI apostille agents. 

The U.S Department of State does not give us or anyone updates of any kind once we in person submit your FBI records to them so we cannot give you any type of FBI apostille order status updates once you place your order with us (welcome to the completely broken federal government system since COVID).

Only on the day the State Department finally issues a federal apostille certificate or authentication certificate on your FBI background check report will they notify us.

Click on the below links for easy step-by-step screenshot directions on how to create a prepaid return FedEx or UPS shipping label online in only a few minutes.

https://www.apostilletexas.org/faqs/shipping/how-and-where-do-i-create-and-purchase-a-prepaid-fedex-return-shipping-label/

https://www.apostilletexas.org/faqs/shipping/how-and-where-do-i-create-and-purchase-a-prepaid-ups-return-shipping-label/

If you want your FBI identity history summary check mailed back to you or to someone else internationally (USA to another foreign country) please also provide us with a customs invoice (also called a commercial invoice). See the two links below to download and sign the custom prefilled out for you templates that shipping companies (FedEx, UPS) will normally require you to include whenever you ship documents internationally to certain countries. 

https://www.apostilletexas.org/faqs/shipping/where-do-i-download-a-fedex-shipping-invoice-template-to-use-for-international-shipping/ 

https://www.apostilletexas.org/faqs/shipping/where-do-i-download-a-ups-shipping-invoice-template-to-use-for-international-shipping/ 

Third, you will need tocomplete, sign and email our rush U.S Department of State apostille service order form that can be instantly done by clicking on the U.S State Department apostille order form button below at the bottom of this page.

We cannot accept or process your FBI background check reports by mail, email, or drop off until we receive a properly completed FBI apostille order form from you.

If you will be dropping your FBI background check off at our office in person you must bring this completed FBI apostille order form in with you along with any other documents that you want us to rush apostille or authenticate for you or for your company and a prepaid return FedEx or UPS shipping label.

When you arrive at our office walk up to our front lobby receptionist desk area and tell them that you have FBI background check documents to dropoff for Apostille Texas. Detailed directions and pictures of our office and office building are on our contact us page as well for you to view.

Please also understand your FBI identity history summary checks will not and cannot be apostilled or authenticated onsite at our office or in Texas so this isn’t FBI apostille walk-in service.

The only legal and government entity in the U.S.A that can issue federal apostille and authentication certificates on FBI background checks is the U.S Department of State office located in Washington D.C. This is where we will rush file in person your FBI background check report at on your behalf.

Lastly, we do not have these FBI apostille order forms available at our front desk receptionist area.

So if you choose to drop your FBI apostille documents off at our office please make sure to print out and bring this U.S. Department of State apostille order form in with you or alternatively you can email us the completed State Department apostille order form ahead of time.