Expedited FBI Apostille Services in Illinois
Leaving Illinois for a job, a residency visa or a citizenship application abroad? Apostille Authentications handles FBI background check apostilles for Illinois residents entirely by email and FedEx. You send us the FBI result as a PDF, and the apostilled document is back at your Illinois address in 10 business days.
Call (971) 514-3743 or request a quote.
- Ensure your documents are processed without delay
- Speak with our experts for personalized assistance
- Discover how we can expedite your apostille process
Why Springfield cannot apostille your FBI background check
In Illinois, apostilles are issued by the Secretary of State’s Index Department, which has counters in Springfield (111 E. Monroe) and in downtown Chicago (17 N. State Street). That department certifies Illinois documents: records signed by Illinois officials, such as county clerk vital records and court documents, and papers signed in front of an Illinois notary public.
An FBI Identity History Summary is a federal record. Neither Index Department office can place an apostille on it, whether you walk it into the Chicago Loop or mail it to Springfield. Federal documents are apostilled by one office only: the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington, DC.
Two mistakes we see from Illinois clients:
- An Illinois State Police check is not an FBI check. The ISP Bureau of Identification states that it can only provide Illinois conviction information and holds no out-of-state records. Under the Uniform Conviction Information Act, what it releases to the public is limited to convictions. A consulate that asks for an FBI, federal or national check will not accept it.
- Notarizing the FBI report does not fix the problem. If an Illinois notary stamps a copy of your FBI result and the Index Department apostilles it, the apostille certifies the notary’s signature, not the FBI’s. Most foreign authorities refuse that for a federal background check.
Need an Illinois birth certificate, marriage record or diploma apostilled as well? See state apostille services.
How it works from Illinois
- Get fingerprinted near you. Have an ink FD-1164 card rolled at a local police department or a fingerprinting vendor, or submit prints electronically at a participating U.S. Post Office after registering on the FBI’s eDO site. Then request your FBI Identity History Summary. The FBI fee is $18.
- Receive the FBI result. It arrives as a PDF carrying the FBI watermark and the signature of a division official.
- Email us the PDF. We compare the name and date of birth on the report with your passport before anything is filed. Send the passport photo page with your order.
- Federal apostille. We prepare Form DS-4194 and our Herndon, Virginia office hand-carries the request to the Office of Authentications in Washington, DC. There is no DOJ certification step. The FBI result goes straight to the Department of State.
- Return shipping. FedEx to your Illinois address, or directly overseas by FedEx or DHL if you have already left.
We do not have an office in Illinois and we do not take fingerprints there. Everything after step 2 is handled remotely.
Avoid Rejections
Avoid apostille rejections with our expert help.
Expedite Your Documents
State agents for same-day apostille service.
Security
We prioritize the security and confidentiality of your documents.
Translations/ Intl. Shipping
Certified translation and discounted shipping.
Illinois pricing and turnaround
| Service | Price | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| Expedited FBI apostille (you already have the FBI result) | $390 | 10 business days |
| Standard FBI apostille | $195 | 7–8 weeks |
The 10 business days start when we have your FBI PDF. They are possible because the request is delivered by hand in Washington instead of waiting in the mail queue.
Where we serve Illinois clients
Everywhere in the state, by mail. Most orders come from Chicago and the collar-county suburbs: Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, Elgin and Schaumburg. We also ship to Rockford, Peoria, Springfield, Champaign-Urbana, Bloomington-Normal and Carbondale. A FedEx envelope reaches a downstate address as quickly as it reaches the Loop, so there is no advantage to living near either Index Department office.
Why Illinois residents need an apostilled FBI check
Mexico, Spain and Italy are common destinations for our Illinois clients. Mexico and Spain ask for the check with residency applications, and Italy asks for it in citizenship by descent and residency files. India and China request it for work and long-stay visas. Graduates leaving Chicago, Champaign-Urbana and Normal for teaching contracts usually need it for South Korea or Japan. We also see Germany, Portugal and the Philippines.
If your destination does not use English, the apostilled check normally has to be translated. Certified translation can be added to the same order. Check the validity window before you start: many authorities only accept an FBI check issued within the last 3 to 6 months.
More detail on the federal process is on our FBI apostille services page.
FAQ
Can the Illinois Secretary of State apostille an FBI background check?
No. The Index Department in Springfield and Chicago apostilles Illinois documents only. An FBI background check is a federal document and must be apostilled by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC.
How fast is an expedited FBI apostille in Illinois?
10 business days from the day we receive your FBI result by email. Standard processing takes 7–8 weeks.
Will an Illinois State Police background check work instead?
Only if the foreign authority asked for a state check. The Illinois State Police report covers Illinois conviction records. If the request says FBI, federal or national, you need the FBI Identity History Summary.
I live in Chicago. Can I drop my documents off?
No. We have no office in Illinois. Chicago, Naperville and Rockford clients email the FBI PDF, and the apostilled document comes back by FedEx.
Can you ship the apostille overseas instead of to Illinois?
Yes. If you have already moved, we send it by FedEx or DHL to your address abroad.
Start your Illinois FBI apostille
Call (971) 514-3743, message us on WhatsApp, or request a quote with your destination country and the date you need the document.
