South Florida Apostille Services
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FBI Background Check Apostille Service
Your Complete Guide to the FBI Apostille Process — Nationwide Apostille Service
FBI background checks don't go through Tallahassee — they follow a separate federal process with its own requirements and timelines, and it's the step where most delays happen. We handle that federal process from start to finish, and we'll walk you through getting your FBI report first so nothing stalls your order. Whether you need it for employment abroad, immigration, a foreign visa, or residency in another country — we handle the apostille from start to finish, and we'll walk you through exactly how to get your FBI report first, so there are no delays. We serve clients throughout Florida and across the United States.
What is an FBI Background Check Apostille?
An apostille is an internationally recognized certification that authenticates the origin and legitimacy of a document for use in foreign countries. When a foreign government, employer, embassy, or consulate requests an FBI background check with an apostille, they are asking for two things:
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An official FBI Identity History Summary — a comprehensive record of your criminal history issued by the FBI.
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An apostille certification — confirming the document is legitimate and was issued by a recognized U.S. authority.
Together, these two documents give foreign governments the verification they need to process your application — whether for employment, immigration, residency, or a visa.
Where to Get a Background Check Apostille in Florida
It depends on which background check you have. A Florida record from FDLE and a federal record from the FBI are two different documents, issued by two different governments, and they are apostilled in two different places.
A Florida criminal history record from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is a state document. It is apostilled by the Florida Secretary of State in Tallahassee, the same route as a birth certificate. With us that runs 2 business days with Express, 3 to 5 with Regular Express, or 6 to 8 with Standard, at $275 for the first document and $125 for each additional one.
An FBI Identity History Summary is a federal document. No office in Florida can apostille it. It follows a separate federal process, which is the process described on this page: $275 per document, 5+ weeks standard, or about 10 to 12 business days expedited for an additional $150, and never eligible for 2-Day Express.
The country or agency requesting the document tells you which record it wants. You request that record yourself, from FDLE or from the FBI, and we handle everything after it arrives: review, submission to the right office, and return to you.
Why Do Countries Require an FBI Background Check with an Apostille?
Countries require this combination for a variety of reasons. The FBI background check provides a comprehensive record of an individual's criminal history, confirming they meet the legal and security requirements of the host country. The apostille adds an additional layer of authentication — confirming the FBI report is a legitimate document issued by a recognized U.S. government authority.
Common reasons people need an FBI background check apostille include:
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✅ Foreign employment or work visa applications
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✅ Immigration and permanent residency applications
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✅ Retirement abroad — Spain, Mexico, Portugal, Italy, Philippines and more
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✅ International adoption proceedings
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✅ Foreign student visa applications
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✅ Obtaining foreign citizenship or dual citizenship
FBI Background Check Apostille Processing Times
FBI background check apostille processing times differ from standard Florida apostille processing times. The following timelines apply:
⚡ Expedited: 10–12 business days*
📋 Standard: 5+ weeks
Processing times begin once your completed FBI background check report has been received and your apostille order has been submitted. We recommend expedited processing for clients with upcoming travel, visa appointments, or employment start dates. For the full timeline, including fingerprinting options and how long the FBI takes, read our FBI background check apostille guide.
*Business days, excluding holidays and weekends.
The FBI Background Check and Apostille Process — Step by Step
Getting your FBI background check apostille involves two separate stages. Here is exactly how it works:
Get Your FBI Background Check (You'll Do This First)
Submit your fingerprints through an FBI-approved channeler using live scan fingerprinting. Results are typically received within 1–5 business days. Choose an approved location from the official FBI list below and follow their instructions to complete your fingerprint scan.
Order Your Apostille
You will receive your FBI background check report via email. Open the email and download the report to your computer. Place your apostille order online or by phone. You can upload the FBI report during the order process or you can reply to the order confirmation email you receive with FBI report attached. We will submit your document for government processing and return your completed apostille to you by your chosen method.
If your destination country also requires a translated copy of your FBI background check, we provide certified translation services in over 150 language combinations — including government-approved translations for Spain and Brazil.
Receive Your Completed Apostille
South Florida Apostille Services will facilitate the entire apostille process and return your completed apostille attached to the original FBI background check report. Simply submit your completed apostille and FBI background check to the requesting party — foreign attorney, embassy, consulate, or employer.
When Fingerprints Won't Read
The FBI does not accept unreadable fingerprints, and not every set of hands prints cleanly. Age, years of manual work, and dry skin can wear fingerprint ridges down to where neither livescan nor ink cards capture them. The result is a rejected submission — not because of anything in your record, but because the prints could not be read.
There are documented ways through this. The FBI's own guidance is to have several sets of prints taken, preferably by a trained fingerprinting technician, and submit them together. Technicians also recommend keeping hands moisturized in the days before printing but avoiding lotion right before, warming cold fingers, and switching methods when one fails, since ink cards sometimes capture what a scanner cannot, and the reverse. Ridge-enhancement solutions, the liquids technicians use to raise faint ridges, have also worked where nothing else did. The FBI publishes its own capture guidance, including techniques for worn or dry ridges, on its Recording Legible Fingerprints page. For persistent rejections, the FBI answers these questions directly at identity@fbi.gov.
Once the report is in hand, the apostille is our part, and we handle that from start to finish.
Serving Clients Throughout the United States
South Florida Apostille Services processes FBI background check apostilles for clients throughout Florida and across the United States. No matter where you are located — we can handle your apostille from start to finish.
Florida clients can also take advantage of our Tampa apostille service, Miami apostille service, Orlando apostille service, and all areas statewide.
FAQs
How much does an FBI apostille cost?
$275 per FBI background check. Expedited processing is $150 more. That covers our review of your report and the federal submission, and we return the apostilled report to you.
How long does it take to apostille an FBI background check?
Standard takes 5 weeks or more. Expedited takes about 10 to 12 business days. The clock starts once we have your FBI report and your order. FBI reports are federal documents, so 2-Day Express does not apply to them.
Does my FBI background check need to be apostilled?
If the foreign office asking for it wants an apostille, yes. Most Hague Convention countries ask for one on FBI reports used for visas, residency and work permits. The apostille confirms the report is a genuine U.S. federal document.
Where can I get my FBI background check apostilled?
An FBI report needs a federal apostille, and no Florida office can issue one. We handle it for clients anywhere in the U.S.: upload your report when you order, or reply to your order confirmation email with the report attached.
Ready to Get Started?
If you need an apostille for your FBI background check, South Florida Apostille Services is ready to help. We serve clients throughout Florida and nationwide — via online document upload, mail-in service, and onsite service.
📞 Call us: 800-208-2128
📧 Email us: info@southfloridaapostilleservices.com
🕐 Hours: Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm EST