Does an Apostille Expire?

January 7, 2019 by

Does an apostille expire?

The answer is No.

Countries who are members of the Hague Apostille Convention will request your FBI background check to be issued within the past 90 days (three months).  In addition to the FBI background check, some countries may also request an apostille on your State issued background check (Example: Local Police, Local Sheriff).

Please note that background check issued from the local Police or Local Sheriff’s Department must be signed by the Officer/Deputy and then notarized.  A traveling notary can accommodate the notarization if one is not available.  The FBI background check is a U.S. Federal document and does not require notarization.

Here is typically what’s included in a Apostille:

Country … [country name] This public document
has been signed by … [name]
acting in the capacity of … [function]
bears the seal/stamp of … [authority] certified
at … [location]
the … [date]
by … [name]
No … [apostille registration number]
Seal/stamp … [of the authority giving the apostille]
Signature … [signature of authority giving the apostille]
You can see examples of US State apostilles.

Below is an example of a U.S. Department of State apostille:

Obtaining an apostille can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the Apostille process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

Our staff is available Monday-Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and provide you easy to follow-step-by-step instructions.  Please call us at 1-888-810-4054 or email: support@apostilleFBI.com

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FBI Attestation for China

June 10, 2017 by

Do you need your FBI background check attested for China?

In order to teach in China, you will be asked to certify and legalize your FBI background check.  The process of legalizing your background check is two steps.

The first step requires for you to obtain your FBI background check.  In order to obtain your background check, you will need to contact an approved FBI Channeler.  An FBI Channeler will assist you in expedited the background check process saving you time and money.  In additional to the hard-copy that will be mailed to your home, you can also request a digital copy.  If you are outside of the USA, you can e-mail us the digital copy in order to save time and money.  support@apostilleFBI.com

Once we receive your FBI background check, we will submit your document the next business morning to the US Department of State in Washington DC.  The current processing time is four business days.  Once complete, we will then drop-off your documents at the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC.  Please note that the Embassy does not accept documents that are mailed in.  They must  be hand-delivered and picked-up from the Embassy.  The current processing time with the Chinese Embassy is 5-6 business days.  Please note that the processing time at the Embassy and the US Department of State can change at any time and the time frames we are providing in this article are estimated.

In total, expect it to take two weeks to complete your document (US Department of State and the Chinese Embassy).  If you have already submitted your FBI background check to the US Department of State yourself, please note that we cannot retrieve it for you.  You must wait for the Department of State to return your document.  If you only require China Embassy attestation, we can help you with that too.

Certifying, attesting, and legalizing documents for China can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the authentication process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you.

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FBI Apostille for Expat (Expatriate)

December 25, 2016 by

Are you an expat from the USA and need an apostille on your FBI Background Check?  Have you been told that you need to apostille or certify/attest your documents? If your documents originated from the USA, we can help!

At International Apostille Services, Inc., we take the guesswork out of getting an apostille on our FBI Background Check.  Our trained and knowledgeable staff are available Monday – Friday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and to provide you easy to follow step by step instructions. 1-888-810-4054 or 1-202-897-4070 (International Callers).

The most common documents we can apostille for expatriates are:

  1. FBI Background Check
  2. State Background Check (Police, Sheriff, State)
  3. Diplomas and Transcripts
  4. Employment Verification
  5. Single Status Affidavit
  6. Divorce Decrees
  7. Driver License

The most common countries we apostille FBI background checks are for Italy, Spain, South Korea, Germany, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Israel, Russia, and more!

It’s important to know what type of documents are being requested from you before you contact our office.  For example, if your current employer is requesting a background check, you will need to find out if a FBI background check is sufficient.  Some employers will request an FBI background check in addition to a State background check.  The background check from the State can be either the local Police, Sheriff, or State background check.

If you are planning to get married and need to prove that you are single, you will need to contact the County Clerk and request a single status affidavit.  Most US Embassy or US Consulate offices can also provide you a sworn notarized affidavit that you are single.

As soon as you know what type of documents you need to apostille, go ahead and call our office 1-888-810-4054 or 1-202-897-4070 (International Callers).  You can also email us at: support@apostilleFBI.com

In addition to providing apostille services, our office can also certify and legalize documents for countries who are not members of the Hague Apostille Convention.  The most popular countries we can certify, legalize, and attest background checks are for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Kuwait.  Many expats from the USA enjoy working in these countries because of the quality of life and pay.

In order to understand the steps required to complete your documents, the first step is to contact our office. It’s important to have your documents with you when you call as we may ask specific information about your documents.

Obtaining an apostille can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the Apostille process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

Certifying, attesting, and legalizing documents can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the authentication process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you.

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2016 Holiday Hours

December 22, 2016 by

Our Holiday Hours:
Our customer service and online chat service will be available on
Friday, December 23rd and Monday, December 26th from 8am to 7pm.

Our offices will be closed on Saturday, December 24, 2016.

All documents received between December 23rd and December 27th
will be processed on Tuesday, December 27th.

Wishing you all the best this Holiday Season!
Thank you for your business!

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FBI Apostille Expiration

November 28, 2016 by

Apostille QuestionsA common question we are asked is, “Does an FBI apostille expire?”

The answer is no.  An FBI apostille does not have an expiration date.  But, the country requesting your apostille may have a time limit on how old your apostille and background check can be.

For example, an FBI background check apostille is typically accepted by most countries if it has been issued and apostilled within the past three months.  The reason for this is to prevent criminals from entering their country but also allow time for law abiding citizens enough time in order to complete their documents.

For countries who are not members of the Hague Apostille Convention (Example: China, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, etc…), your background check requires Embassy or Consulate attestation in addition to certification through the US Department of State in Washington, D.C.  Our offices in DC can complete both steps saving you time and money.

We have seen some countries request a background check issued within the past 30 days with an apostille.  It’s important to note every country has procedures to follow.  Some countries like Italy request a background check from the State of residence and also the FBI.  Be sure to check with the receiving country on what their requirements are in order to avoid any delays or additional costs in completing your documents.

Here is typically what’s included in a Apostille:

  • Country … [country name] This public document
  • has been signed by … [name]
  • acting in the capacity of … [function]
  • bears the seal/stamp of … [authority] certified
  • at … [location]
  • the … [date]
  • by … [name]
  • No … [apostille registration number]
  • Seal/stamp … [of the authority giving the apostille]
  • Signature … [signature of authority giving the apostille]

Every US State issues an apostille.  You can also obtain an apostille from the Secretary of DC and also the U.S. Department of State.  We have provided examples of State issued apostilles here: Example of US State apostilles

International Apostille Services, Inc. is the leader in document certification, legalization, attestation, and apostille services.

Obtaining an apostille can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the Apostille process and the unique requirements of certain countries. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

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Federal Bureau of Investigations Apostille

June 18, 2016 by

US Department of State ApostilleDo you need an apostille on your Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Criminal Background Check?

At International Apostille Services, Inc., we take the guesswork out of getting an apostille on your documents.  Our trained and knowledgeable staff are available Monday – Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and to provide you easy to follow step by step instructions.

Documents issued from the FBI can be apostilled through our Washington, D.C. office.

The very first step is to contact an approved FBI Channeler.  The FBI channeler will answer your questions on how to obtain the background check including sending you a fingerprint card.  Once you submit your fingerprints for processing, you can choose to obtain a digital copy or a hard copy of your criminal background check.  If you are located outside of the USA or if time is of the essence, we recommend that you elect to receive a digital copy (PDF version) of your background check.  Once the FBI Channeler emails you the background check, go ahead and forward it to: support@apostilleFBI.com with our completed order form and credit card authorization form.

If you choose to receive a hard-copy of your background check, the next step is to mail in your background check with our order form and credit card authorization form to our Washington, D.C. office.  It is not necessary to complete for ds-4194 as we will submit your documents directly to the U.S. Department of State on our behalf.

The processing time is only four business days and we do provide FedEx 1-2 day return shipping at no additional cost.  It’s that simple!

Let us take the hassle out of getting an apostille.  Call us at 1-888-810-4054 or 1-202-897-4070 today.

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Korea FBI Apostille Service

April 27, 2016 by

Apostille for South KoreaDo you need an apostille on your FBI criminal background check for Korea?

At International Apostille Services, Inc., we take the guesswork out of getting an apostille on your FBI background check.  Our staff is available Monday-Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and provide you easy to follow step-by-step instructions.

The first step is to contact an FBI Approved Channeler. The FBI channeler will provide you easy to follow step-by-step instructions including sending you a fingerprint card.  A local police department or livescan service center will be able to help you roll your fingerprints onto the fingerprint card.  Once you receive the background check from the FBI Channeler, you can then forward this document to our Washington, D.C. office for processing.

Please note that some FBI Channelers can email you your FBI background check in a secure PDF document.  Be sure to forward this document including our order form and credit card authorization form to our Washington, D.C. office.  Our DC office phone number is 1-202-897-4070 or toll-free 1-888-810-4054.

Our Staff will hand deliver and pick-up your document from the US Department of State in Washington, D.C.  The processing time is only four business days and we do provide FedEx 1-2 day return shipping.  If your document requires Embassy or Consulate legalization, we can handle that too!

State and Consulate Legalization

Let us take the hassle out of getting an FBI apostille for South Korea.  Call us at 1-888-810-4054 today.

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State Background Check Apostille

April 25, 2016 by

State Background Check ApostilleDo you need an apostille on your State background check?

At International Apostille Services, Inc., we take the guesswork out of getting an apostille on your documents.

For some countries, in addition to your FBI background check Apostille, you will be asked to obtain an apostille on your State background check.  In order to obtain a State background check apostille, you will first need to contact the State’s Justice Department and request a background check to be completed.

For example, in the State of California, you will need to contact the California Department of Justice and obtain a signed letter from Anthony Molina.  Some States may call this department a different name.  Please note that we can assist you once you mail in your document for processing.  We cannot help you in obtaining the background check. To obtain an FBI background check, be sure to contact an FBI Channeler.

From our experience, the countries of Spain and Italy will ask for to obtain both a State background check and an FBI background check.   In addition to an FBI and State background check, you can also obtain a background check from the local Police Department and  Local Sheriff’s office.  Be sure to double check what the country requesting your document in order avoid delays or additional costs.

International Apostille Services, Inc. can apostille background checks issued from all 50 States, the District of Colombia (Washington, D.C.) and the US Federal Government (FBI Apostille).

The first step is to contact our office.  Our trained and knowledgeable staff are available Monday-Saturday from 8am to 7pm to answer your questions and provide you easy to follow step-by-step instructions.  Once we receive your documents, we’ll rush them to State or Federal Government offices.  Our processing time is a fast as one business day and we do provide FedEx 1-2 day return shipping.

Our toll free number is 1-888-810-4054 ext.  1  or you can email us at support@apostilleFBI.com

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U.S. Department of State Apostille

February 21, 2016 by

US Department of State ApostilleIn addition to our FBI apostille services, we can also apostille a wide variety of US Federal Government documents through our Washington, D.C. office.  Documents issued by the U.S. Federal Government can only be apostilled through the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.  The current processing time is only four business days.

Below is a list of the U.S. Federal Government agencies we routinely receive documents from.

U.S. Department of Agriculture – USDA
– Animal/Plant Certifications
– Animal Health Certifications

U.S. Food and Drug Administration – FDA
– Certificate of Free Sale (Can also be issued by the local Chamber of Commerce or State office)
– Certificate of Origin (Can also be issued by the local Chamber of Commerce or State office)
– Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product – FDA

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – HHS
– Certificate to Foreign Governments
– Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product
– Certificate of Free Sale
– Certificate of Export

U.S. Department of Justice – DOJ
– FBI Back ground check (FBI Apostille)
– U.S. Federal Court Documents
– U.S. Bankruptcy Court
– Petition for Name Change

U.S. Department of Treasury – USDH
– Certificate of Free Sale / Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office – USPTO
– Trademark / Patent

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – DHS
– Certificate of Naturalization
– Certification of Nonexistence of Record

Environmental Protection Agency – EPA

Social Security Administration – SSA
– Income and Benefits Letter

Office of Personnel Management – OPM

Internal Revenue Service – IRS
– Form 6166 Apostille
– Federal Tax Return Apostille

National Archives and Records Administration – NARA

Here is a short video that explains the process:

The first step is to contact our office so we can review your documents. Our staff with provide you the step-by-step instructions including emailing you the order forms. Please call us at 1-888-810-4054.

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Digital FBI Background Check Apostille

January 25, 2016 by

FBI Apostille Background CheckDid you receive your FBI background check by e-mail and need an apostille?

In early 2015, The U.S. Department of State began to accept digital background checks issued by the FBI.  Originally, only hard-copies printed on special tamper resistant paper were acceptable.  This change allowed individuals who were short on time or who were outside of the country the ability to obtain their background check through a digital format in just a few days.

In our opinion, the best method to obtain your FBI background check is through an FBI channeler.  An FBI channeler can answer your questions quickly and provide you step-by-step instructions including sending you a fingerprint card.  You can also request a hard-copy of your FBI background check as well as a digital copy.  If you are short on time, unable to receive mail, or if you are outside of the country (USA), we recommend that you inform the FBI channeler to email you a digital copy.

Please note that every channeler will have their own special way of allowing you to download your FBI background check.  The best method is to obtain your background check in a PDF format and forward this copy to our office for processing.  In most cases, the PDF will have a secure password.  Be sure to also email us the security code so we can open the PDF and print out your background check.

Here is a short video that explains the process:

You can find a list of the most current and up-to-date list of FBI channelers listed here:
https://www.apostillefbi.com/fbi-apostille-approved-channelers/

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