How do I know if my document is federal?

If it was issued by a federal agency (FBI, USDA, USPTO, National Archives), it's federal. If it was issued by a state, county, or notary, it's a state document.

How long does the federal apostille take right now?

Timing changes month to month. We share the current best estimate when we quote your project.

For truly urgent cases, we can arrange in-person courier submission — call us to discuss.

Does an FBI check expire?

The apostille itself doesn't expire, but many destinations want the underlying FBI report to be less than 90 days old at submission.

Federal Apostille

Federal Apostille Services

Federal document apostilles handled through the U.S. Department of State's Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C.

Get a Quote Call 484.243.0846 Text Us

Don't Have Your FBI Background Check Yet?

If you're starting from the beginning, we also offer FD-258 fingerprinting for $50.

$50 Fingerprinting
Obtain FBI Report
$250 Federal Apostille

Start With Fingerprinting See the FBI Process

Overview

Federal documents — FBI Identity History Summaries, USDA export certificates, patents, and other records issued by federal agencies — are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State, not by state offices.

The federal apostille process has its own quirks: strict document requirements, specific fee structures, and processing times that fluctuate. We prepare the submission correctly, dispatch it, and track it through to completion.

Who needs this service

Applicants for foreign residency who need an FBI background check apostilled
Exporters shipping USDA-regulated goods abroad
Inventors licensing patents internationally
Any person or business with a document issued by a federal agency

Required documents

Original federal document, unaltered and unopened where applicable
Cover request with correct fee
Return shipping arrangements

Step-by-step process

1
Order the federal document
For FBI checks, order through the FBI or an approved channeler. For other federal documents, order directly from the agency.
2
Send the document to us
Ship or bring us the untampered federal document.
3
Federal apostille submission
We dispatch to the U.S. Department of State's Office of Authentications.
4
Delivery back to you
We return the apostilled document by your preferred method.

Processing times

Standard mail-in
Currently four to eight weeks; timing has fluctuated over the past year.
Expedited
Limited expedited service is available for some situations.
In-person same-day
In some cases we can dispatch a courier for same-day drop-off and pickup.

Common mistakes to avoid

Sending state documents to the U.S. Department of State (they will be returned)
Opening or altering an FBI report before submission
Ordering the FBI check months before submission when the destination requires recency
Sending translations too early — most destinations want translation after the apostille

Request a quote

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For Pennsylvania-notarized documents: is additional verification of the notary's commission required?

Yes No Not sure

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