If you are applying for a work visa, permanent residency, or citizenship in a foreign country, there is a strong chance that country will require a U.S. FBI background check — and that they will want it authenticated with an apostille before they will accept it. The apostille confirms the legitimacy of the background check for use in countries that are signatories to the Hague Apostille Convention.
The process involves several steps and multiple government agencies, and the timeline can stretch from a few weeks to several months, depending on how you request the FBI record and which authentication pathway you choose. This guide walks through every step, explains where online notarization fits in, and gives you realistic processing time expectations so you can plan accordingly.
What Is an FBI Background Check Apostille?
An apostille is an internationally recognized certification issued by a government authority that authenticates a public document for use in another country. When a foreign country requests an FBI background check with an apostille, they are asking for two things: (1) the actual criminal history record check from the FBI, and (2) an official certification that the document is genuine and was issued by a legitimate U.S. government agency.
In the United States, apostilles are issued by state authorities (typically the Secretary of State’s office) or by the U.S. Department of State, depending on the document. For federal documents like FBI background checks, the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., issues the apostille, not a state authority.
Step 1: Obtain Your FBI Identity History Summary (Background Check)
Before any apostille can be attached, you need the actual background check document. There are two ways to request an FBI Identity History Summary:
Direct Request to the FBI
You can submit fingerprints and a request directly to the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division. The FBI processes the request and mails the results to you. Direct requests typically take 12–16 weeks to process, which is a significant timeline consideration if you have a visa or immigration deadline approaching.
FBI-Approved Channeler
The faster option is to use an FBI-approved channeler — a private organization authorized to submit fingerprint cards to the FBI on your behalf and receive the results electronically. Channelers typically return results in 3–5 business days, a dramatic improvement over the direct request timeline. The FBI maintains an official list of approved channelers on its website.
For most applicants with time-sensitive needs, using an approved channeler is the right choice. Confirm that the channeler you choose provides results in a format accepted for apostille processing — typically a printed document with the channeler’s authorized letterhead and the FBI’s seal.
Step 2: Authenticate the Background Check (Notarization Step)
Here is where the process varies depending on whether you obtained your background check through the FBI directly or through a channeler.
FBI Direct Results
Documents issued directly by the FBI carry the FBI’s official seal and are federal government documents. These go directly to the U.S. Department of State for federal apostille processing — no additional state-level notarization is required.
Channeler Results
Documents issued through an FBI-approved channeler are produced by a private company, even though the underlying data comes from the FBI. Before these documents can be apostilled, they typically must be notarized by a licensed notary public, then authenticated by the Secretary of State in the notary’s commissioning state, and then sent to the U.S. Department of State for the federal apostille.
This is where our e-apostille services and remote notarization come in. If your channeler-issued background check requires notarization as the first authentication step, a licensed notary can complete that step online — quickly and from any location — before the document moves through the state and federal authentication chain.
Step 3: State Secretary of State Authentication (For Channeler Documents)
After notarization, channeler-issued documents typically need to be authenticated by the Secretary of State in the notary’s state before they can be submitted to the U.S. Department of State for the federal apostille. This step verifies the notary’s commission and authority.
Processing times at state Secretary of State offices vary widely — from same-day service with expedited processing fees in some states to several weeks without expediting. Check the specific Secretary of State’s office timeline before submitting and consider requesting expedited service if your deadline is approaching.
Step 4: U.S. Department of State Federal Apostille
The final step is submitting the authenticated document to the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C., for the federal apostille. The apostille certifies the entire authentication chain — confirming the document is genuine, and the prior certifications are valid.
Standard processing at the U.S. Department of State takes approximately 6–8 weeks. Appointments for in-person or expedited submissions may shorten this timeline. The U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications provides current processing time estimates and submission instructions on its website.
Total Timeline at a Glance
For a channeler-based background check requiring notarization and the full apostille chain:
- FBI channeler processing: 3–5 business days
- Remote online notarization: same day (minutes)
- State Secretary of State authentication: 1–4 weeks (varies by state)
- U.S. Department of State federal apostille: 6–8 weeks (standard)
Total estimated time for the complete process: 8–12 weeks from fingerprint submission to apostilled document in hand, assuming standard processing times at each step. Expedited processing at the state level and the State Department can compress this significantly, to as little as 2–3 weeks with premium service options.
For a direct FBI submission (slower fingerprint processing but a cleaner apostille path), the total timeline is typically 14–20 weeks.
Which Countries Require an FBI Apostille?
Countries that require an apostilled FBI background check are typically those that are Hague Convention members and require criminal record documentation as part of a residency or work visa process. Common examples include many EU countries, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, South Korea, and others.
Countries that are not Hague Convention members require a different authentication process — typically legalization through the country’s embassy or consulate in the U.S., rather than an apostille. Confirm the specific requirements with the embassy or immigration authority of the destination country before starting the process.
The Hague Conference on Private International Law maintains a current list of countries that have ratified the Apostille Convention — confirm your destination country is on the list before requesting an apostille rather than full legalization.
Where Does Online Notarization Fit In?
For channeler-issued background checks, the notarization step is the first in the authentication chain — and it is the step where speed matters most, since all subsequent steps are queued behind it. Using our e-apostille services and on-demand remote notarization, you can complete the notarization step within hours of receiving your background check results from the channeler — rather than spending days or weeks scheduling an in-person notary appointment.
Our platform connects you with a licensed U.S. notary within minutes, 24/7. For apostille-bound documents, we can also provide guidance on the next steps in the authentication chain specific to your state and the destination country’s requirements. Learn more about how to get an apostille online with our step-by-step guide.
Tips to Avoid Delays in the FBI Apostille Process
- Start the process early — the total timeline of 8–12 weeks means you should begin at least three months before your visa or residency application deadline.
- Use an FBI-approved channeler rather than submitting directly to the FBI for faster results.
- Confirm whether your destination country requires an apostille (Hague member) or full legalization (non-Hague member) before starting.
- Complete the notarization step immediately upon receiving your channeler document to avoid losing time.
- Request expedited service at both the state and federal authentication levels if your deadline is within eight weeks.
- Keep certified copies of all original documents throughout the process — you may need them for reference or resubmission.
Get Started With FBI Background Check Notarization Today
If you have received your background check results and need to begin the apostille authentication chain, complete your notarization now — immediately — so the document can move forward without delay. Our remote notary service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with licensed notaries ready to connect within minutes.
Visit RemoteNotary.com to start your session now, or explore our full e-apostille services page to understand everything involved in certifying your document for international use.