Pennsylvania Background Check & Apostille Service
Need a Pennsylvania criminal background check for use outside the United States? We can help you get the correct document and handle the Pennsylvania apostille process.
People moving, working, applying for residency, adopting, or completing other official matters abroad may be asked to provide a Pennsylvania criminal-history check with an apostille. Mobile Notary Philadelphia helps make the process easier.
The Pennsylvania State Police issues the criminal-history check. Mobile Notary Philadelphia provides separate apostille handling services.
Wait — Were You Asked for an FBI Background Check Instead?
Pennsylvania and FBI background checks are not the same. If your instructions say “FBI,” “Identity History Summary,” “federal background check,” or require an FBI fingerprint-based check, you need the federal pathway instead.
- 1. FD-258 Fingerprinting — $50
- 2. Obtain Your FBI Identity History Summary
- 3. Federal Apostille Service — $250
Already have your FBI report? You can skip directly to Step 3.
How Do I Get a Pennsylvania Criminal Background Check?
The Pennsylvania State Police provides individual criminal-history checks through its Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History system — commonly called PATCH. You request the record from the state directly. Once you have the right version of the document, we take over the apostille side.
Request Your Pennsylvania Background Check
You obtain your criminal-history check through the official Pennsylvania State Police process. Requests are submitted through the state's PATCH system.
Get Your PA Background CheckOpens the official Pennsylvania State Police PATCH site (epatch.pa.gov).
Get the Correct Version for Apostille Use
A document going through the Pennsylvania apostille process must satisfy Pennsylvania's current document-certification requirements. The Pennsylvania State Police offers a notarized individual criminal-history check option.
If you are ordering the document specifically for international use, follow the current Pennsylvania State Police and Pennsylvania Department of State requirements when you place the request. Not sure which option to choose? Ask us before you order.
Send the Document to Us
Once you have the appropriate Pennsylvania criminal-history document, send or deliver it to Mobile Notary Philadelphia for apostille handling.
I Already Have My Background CheckWe Handle the Pennsylvania Apostille
We review the document, flag anything that could cause a rejection, and manage the Pennsylvania apostille submission process from there through return coordination.
More about Pennsylvania apostille services- 1Request PA Background Check
- 2Obtain Proper Document
- 3Send It to Us
- 4Pennsylvania Apostille
- 5Document Returned
Our Pennsylvania Apostille Service
Pennsylvania Background Check Apostille Service
$235- Initial document review
- Review for common Pennsylvania apostille requirements
- Check for common signature/seal issues
- Review of notarization requirements when applicable
- Identification of potential Notary Good Standing questions
- Apostille submission preparation
- Status communication
- Return coordination
- One point of contact
You obtain the Pennsylvania background check. We handle the apostille process from document review through return coordination. Our goal is to identify common document issues before submission—not after your document reaches Harrisburg. Once issued, the certification number can be checked through Pennsylvania's official verification search (external state website). See how verification works.
Start My Apostille — $235$235 is our service fee only. Government filing fees, shipping and courier costs, translation, notarization, and any other third-party fees are not included unless we state otherwise in writing.
Harrisburg Hand-Carry Apostille Service
$425For eligible Pennsylvania documents with urgent deadlines, Mobile Notary Philadelphia offers a premium hand-carry service. We personally transport the documents to Harrisburg and submit them through Pennsylvania's in-person processing option.
- Document review
- Personal hand-delivery to Harrisburg
- In-person submission
- Same-trip retrieval when successfully processed
- Priority communication
- Return coordination
Document Review Before We Drive to Harrisburg
Before accepting an urgent Harrisburg hand-carry request, we review clear images of the documents for common apostille requirements and potential rejection issues. As applicable, we look at:
- Original vs. photocopy
- Correct issuing authority
- Required signature
- Required official seal
- Notarization requirements
- Destination country
- Potential Notary Good Standing requirement
- Other obvious Pennsylvania apostille preparation issues
Final acceptance is determined by the appropriate government authority.
Why Would I Need a Pennsylvania Background Check Apostille?
Moving Abroad
Some foreign residency or immigration procedures request criminal-history documents.
Working Abroad
Certain international employers, licensing authorities, or governments may request a state criminal-history check.
Visa or Residency Applications
Some foreign authorities request authenticated criminal-history documentation.
International Adoption
International adoption processes may require authenticated criminal-history records.
Other International Requirements
Schools, licensing agencies, government authorities, and other organizations may request criminal-history documents.
Pennsylvania Background Check or FBI Background Check?
These are two different documents from two different agencies, and they follow two different apostille processes. Ordering the wrong one is the most common reason people lose weeks.
Pennsylvania Background Check
- Issued by
- Pennsylvania State Police
- Scope
- Pennsylvania criminal-history records
- Apostille
- Pennsylvania process
- Fingerprints
- The standard PATCH individual criminal-history check is generally name-based rather than fingerprint-based.
FBI Background Check
- Issued by
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Scope
- FBI Identity History Summary
- Apostille
- Federal process
- Fingerprints
- Fingerprint-based
Not Sure Which Background Check They Asked For?
Before ordering the wrong background check, check the instructions provided by the country, employer, school, attorney, consulate, immigration authority, or other organization requesting your documents.
If you're still unsure, send us the instructions you've received. It helps if you include:
- Destination country
- Purpose of the document
- Exact wording of the document requirement
- Whether you already have a background check
- Your deadline
Mobile Notary Philadelphia does not provide legal or immigration advice and cannot determine what a foreign authority requires. We help you understand the document process and handle apostille services. Always confirm the exact requirement with the authority requesting your documents.
Pennsylvania Background Check Apostille — FAQ
Related resources
Pennsylvania or FBI Background Check?
Pennsylvania
- Level
- State-level — Pennsylvania State Police / PATCH
- Apostille pathway
- Pennsylvania
- Our apostille service
- $235
FBI
- Level
- Federal — FBI Identity History Summary
- Method
- Fingerprint-based
- Our fingerprinting
- $50
- Our federal apostille
- $250
Not sure? Send us the instructions you received. We'll review them and help you identify which of our services matches those instructions.
Help Me Choose the Correct PathHave Your Pennsylvania Background Check? Let Us Handle the Apostille.
Haven't Ordered Your Background Check Yet?
We'll show you where to request it directly from the Pennsylvania State Police and explain what to look for before sending it for apostille processing.
Learn How to Get My PA Background Check