If you plan to travel, work or study abroad, you will likely need an apostille on your FBI background check report. This can be a complex and confusing procedure, especially for those unfamiliar with international legal procedures. In this article, we’ll break down the process and provide a straightforward roadmap for obtaining your apostille.

Apostille your FBI report, you will need to obtain a copy of your criminal background check from NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). If you use a 3rd party DCJS apostille service, you can save time and money by avoiding the federal authentications office’s processing fee ($20) and expedited shipping fees. We also recommend using a tracking number for faster results. FedEx cannot be used to ship documents to the federal office, so USPS is the best option.

How to Apostille Your FBI Criminal Background Report

Next, you will need to complete the DS-4194 form from the U.S. Department of State’s Authentications Office along with your original FBI background check on tamper-proof paper. You can do this either online or through an FBI-approved channeler.

Once your DS-4194 form and documents are received at the Authentications office, it can take up to six weeks for your apostille to be issued. This is particularly true if you are going to a country that is not a member of the Hague Convention, such as South Korea or Spain.

Beware of private apostille expediters who promise to obtain a federal apostille in a short period of time. This practice is not accepted and will be rejected by the Authentication office in Washington, D.C. They will most likely be ordering a state apostille or a Hague stamp, which is rarely accepted by any country worldwide.