Blog › FBI Background Check Apostille: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)
FBI Background Check Apostille: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)
If another country asks for your U.S. criminal record (for a visa, residency, marriage or work), the usual document is the FBI Identity History Summary with an apostille. That is two steps at two different offices: the FBI issues the report and the U.S. Department of State apostilles it. Your state’s apostille office cannot apostille an FBI document.
Before you start
Ask the receiving authority, in writing:
- Whether it wants the FBI report or your state police report.
- How recent the report must be.
- Whether it needs a translation, and what kind.
Step 1: request the report from the FBI
- Fee: $18 per person.
- Where: online at edo.cjis.gov, the fastest option, or by mail to the FBI CJIS Division in Clarksburg, WV.
- Fingerprints: after paying online you can get electronic fingerprints at a participating U.S. Post Office (an extra fee may apply), or mail an FD-1164 fingerprint card. If you use a live scan provider, get a hard copy so you can mail it.
| How you apply | Time according to the FBI |
|---|---|
| Online + Post Office fingerprints | Within 48 hours of the visit |
| Online + mailed fingerprint card | About 15 days after the card arrives |
| Everything by mail | Up to 50 days |
If you need an apostille: the FBI authenticates results with a watermark and a division official’s signature when it processes the request, and it does not authenticate results it already issued. If you choose a mailed hard copy, the FBI sends one sealed response. If you plan to apostille a printout of an electronic result, confirm with the Department of State first.
Do not ask the FBI to forward your report to the Department of State. The FBI says it does not handle that step.
The FBI also states that this report is not for U.S. employment or licensing. For those, contact your State Identification Bureau.
Step 2: get the apostille from the Department of State
- Fee: $20 per document, nonrefundable.
- Form: DS-4194, listing the country where you will use the document.
| If you travel in… | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 5 weeks or more | By mail (USPS with tracking), check or money order, prepaid return envelope | Within 5 weeks of receipt |
| 2–3 weeks | Walk in, Washington, D.C. (Mon–Thu, 7:30–9:00 a.m.), card payment | Within 7 business days |
| 2 weeks or less | Appointment only, for life-or-death family emergencies | Same day |
If the destination country is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention, you still need legalization at its embassy after the federal step. Check your destination on our country pages.
What about FBI-approved channelers?
FBI-Approved Channelers are private companies that submit your request to the FBI and may speed up delivery. They charge an extra fee. According to the FBI, they can only process requests for U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, and not for employment or licensing. The official list is on the FBI page.
If you are outside the United States
U.S. embassies and consulates do not take fingerprints. You will need to get your FD-1164 card completed where you live and mail it.
Official costs at a glance
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| FBI report | $18 |
| Fingerprints | Varies by provider |
| Department of State apostille | $20 per document |
| Shipping | Varies |