Federal apostille
FBI background check apostille
An FBI Identity History Summary is federal, so it is apostilled by the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications and nowhere else. Here is what that office actually charges, how long it takes, and the limits almost nobody publishes.
Verified 2026-08-04
| Who | U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications |
| Where | 600 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 |
| Fee | $20 per document |
| Form | DS-4194 |
| By mail | Five weeks from receipt, per the State Department. Applicants commonly report six or more. |
| In person | No appointments. Couriers walk in, drop off, and collect on a pick-up slip roughly two weeks later. |
| Daily limit | One request per day, maximum 15 documents, per customer or company. |
Source: U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications. Checked 2026-08-04.
There is no expedited route. The Office of Authentications runs no appointment system and no same-day service. Any provider advertising a same-day federal apostille is describing something that does not exist.
The order these things have to happen in
Live Scan at an approved location, or an FD-258 card by post.
Through an FBI-approved channeler, usually back within hours. Direct from the FBI it is far slower.
Print the report, complete the DS-4194, and get it to Washington. This is the two-week part.
Set by the receiving country. Spain and Italy generally require a sworn translator.
Watch the issue date, not the apostille date
Most countries will not accept a background check older than three or six months at the point you submit. That clock runs from the date the FBI issued the report, not the date it was apostilled. It is the single most expensive detail to miss, because an apostille cannot rescue a report that has aged out. You need a new one.
We do this end to end
Report, apostille, scan and tracked return, about three weeks, $299 with the $18 FBI and $20 State Department fees included.
Questions
If yours is not here, ask us.
Does my state Secretary of State apostille an FBI background check?
No, and they cannot. An FBI Identity History Summary is issued by a federal agency, so only the U.S. Department of State can authenticate it. State offices handle documents their own state issued.
Is a printed electronic FBI report accepted?
Yes. The report you receive from an approved channeler as a PDF can be printed and apostilled. You do not need a mailed hard copy from the FBI.
How long does the federal apostille take?
The State Department states five weeks from receipt for mailed requests, and applicants commonly report six or more. There are no appointments. Couriers walk in, drop off, and collect on a pick-up slip about two weeks later.
Can I just walk in myself?
You can drop off in person at 600 19th Street NW, but you will still collect on a slip roughly two weeks later. There is no same-day service, whatever some services advertise.
How many documents can be submitted at once?
One request per day, with a limit of 15 documents, per customer or company. Filing separate requests to get around that limit risks being barred.