Visas & residence
Spain (non-lucrative, digital nomad), Portugal (D7), Italy, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Thailand and many more.
Police & residence certificates
Apostille for an FBI background check
Visas, work permits, residence and teaching jobs abroad ask US citizens and former US residents for an FBI background check with an apostille. The certificate is federal, so the apostille comes from the US Department of State – not from a state Secretary of State.
130+ issuing countries Apostille on the public document
Start your FBI background check apostille
No payment before quote- Upload a scan, 2 min
- Verify with your phone
- Delivered by courier or download
Let us get this done for you
- Apostille from 8 hours
- Written quote before you pay
- Encrypted, no account needed
- 1Upload a scanWe pre-check it and confirm the route
- 2Verify with your phoneID + selfie, ~3 minutes, then your quote
- 3We obtain the apostilleCompetent authority + sworn translation
- 4DeliveredCourier worldwide or protected download
The FBI Identity History Summary (often called the FBI background check or FBI criminal record check) is issued by the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Division, electronically or on paper, after a fingerprint submission. Because it is a federal document, only the US Department of State Office of Authentications can apostille it. State police checks, in contrast, are apostilled by the state’s Secretary of State – and most immigration authorities abroad explicitly want the FBI version.
The certificate must be the FBI-issued version with the Division’s signature and seal. Many destinations accept it only if it is less than three to six months old, and some – Spain, Italy, Portugal, China, Korea – also require a sworn translation. If the destination is not an apostille country (the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait), the document goes through legalisation at that country’s embassy in Washington after the State Department certification.
Notaryzer guides you through the FBI request (electronic submission or fingerprint card), receives the certificate, obtains the State Department apostille and ships the result – with the translation if needed.
Also known as: FBI-Führungszeugnis (DE) · casier judiciaire FBI (FR) · antecedentes penales del FBI (ES) · certificato penale FBI (IT) · antecedentes criminais do FBI (PT) · FBI sabıka kaydı (TR) · zaświadczenie o niekaralności FBI (PL) · FBI-verklaring (NL)
Who issues it, who apostilles it – by country
An apostille is always issued in the country that issued the document. The most frequent issuing countries for a FBI background check:
| Issued in | Issued by | Apostille by |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Bundesamt für Justiz (Führungszeugnis); Bürgeramt (Meldebescheinigung) | Federal Office for Foreign Affairs (BfAA) for the Führungszeugnis; state office for registration certificates |
| United States | FBI Identity History Summary (federal) or state police | US Department of State for FBI checks; Secretary of State for state police recordsFBI results can be ordered with the apostille through approved channelers. |
| United Kingdom | ACRO Police Certificate; DBS certificate | FCDO (ACRO certificates are apostilled directly) |
| France | Casier judiciaire national (bulletin n°3), Nantes | Chambers of notariesBulletin n°3 is issued online and free of charge. |
| Spain | Ministerio de Justicia – certificado de antecedentes penales | Ministerio de Justicia (often issued with the apostille in one step) |
| Italy | Procura della Repubblica – casellario giudiziale / carichi pendenti | Procura della Repubblica (judicial documents) |
Show all 20 countriesShow fewer
Other countries: see the issuing-country guides for all 130+ Contracting States.
Who needs it
Teaching abroad
English teaching visas in Korea, China, Japan, Vietnam and the Gulf.
Work permits
Employment visas in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Europe.
Adoption & marriage
International adoption and some marriage procedures abroad.
What we need from you
- FBI Identity History Summary issued by the FBI (paper with signature and seal, or the electronic version where the destination accepts it)
- Destination country and purpose
- Optional: sworn translation language
Who issues, who apostilles
- Issued by
- FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division – Identity History Summary.
- Apostille by
- US Department of State, Office of Authentications (federal documents only).
- Translation
- Spain, Italy, Portugal, China, Korea and Latin American countries generally require a sworn translation.
Where this document usually goes
The route depends on the country pair. Popular destinations for a FBI background check – change the issuing country in the checker below:
- SpainApostille
- PortugalApostille
- ItalyApostille
- MexicoApostille
- South KoreaApostille
- United Arab EmiratesLegalisation required
- ChinaApostille
- GermanyApostille
Check your country pair for a FBI background check
Apostille, EU exemption or embassy legalisation – the answer per destination.
Choose the destination to see the exact route for a FBI background check issued in Germany.
Frequently asked: FBI background check apostille
No. The FBI report is a federal document, so only the US Department of State can apostille it. A Secretary of State apostille on it would be rejected abroad.
Many countries accept the electronically delivered PDF once apostilled; others want the paper version. We confirm with the recipient and order the right one.
Non-Convention countries such as the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait: after the State Department certification, the report is legalised by that country’s embassy in Washington.
Usually within three to six months of submission. We plan the order so it is still valid when it arrives.
Related documents
Apostille for an FBI background check
Upload a scan, verify with your phone – the notary reviews the application, we handle authority, translation and delivery.
Questions? Write to [email protected]