Expedited Arkansas FBI Apostille Services
Arkansas residents heading abroad for retirement, teaching or work often find out late that their FBI background check needs a federal apostille, and that nobody in Arkansas can issue one. Apostille Authentications does this by mail for the whole state. Email us your FBI result and the apostilled document is returned 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 Little Rock cannot apostille your FBI background check
The Arkansas Secretary of State issues apostilles from its Business and Commercial Services office at 1401 West Capitol Avenue in Little Rock. Its authority stops at the state line. The office authenticates documents issued in Arkansas: birth, marriage and death certificates, court records, diplomas and transcripts, corporate filings, and papers notarized by an Arkansas notary public.
An FBI Identity History Summary is issued by a federal agency, so it falls outside that list. The only authority that can apostille it is the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington, DC.
Two mistakes we see from Arkansas clients:
- An Arkansas State Police record check is not an FBI check. The check requested from the ASP Identification Bureau on form ASP-122 is an Arkansas background check and does not require fingerprints. It does not report records held in other states. When a consulate writes FBI, federal or national, the ASP report will be turned away.
- An Arkansas notary stamp does not turn a federal document into a state one. The Secretary of State requires documents to be notarized by an Arkansas notary or signed by an Arkansas official. Some people notarize a printout of the FBI report to meet that rule. The resulting apostille covers the notary only, and foreign authorities generally reject it for an FBI check.
If you also need an Arkansas vital record or diploma apostilled, see state apostille services.
How it works from Arkansas
- Fingerprints, taken locally. Ask a police department, sheriff’s office or private fingerprinting vendor for an ink FD-1164 card. The alternative is electronic capture at a participating U.S. Post Office, booked through the FBI’s eDO site. You then request your FBI Identity History Summary and pay the FBI’s $18 fee.
- FBI result. The FBI sends a PDF with its watermark and a division official’s signature.
- Send it to us by email. We check that your name and date of birth match your passport exactly, so include a scan of the passport photo page.
- Hand delivery in Washington. We fill in Form DS-4194, and staff from our Herndon, Virginia office carry the request to the Office of Authentications. The FBI result goes directly to the Department of State. No DOJ certification is required.
- FedEx return. To your home in Arkansas, or to an overseas address by FedEx or DHL.
We have no Arkansas office and do not offer fingerprinting in the state. Step 1 is done with a local provider of your choice.
Avoid Rejections
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State agents for same-day apostille service.
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Translations/ Intl. Shipping
Certified translation and discounted shipping.
Arkansas 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 expedited clock begins the day your FBI PDF reaches us. Hand-carrying the request in Washington is what brings it down to 10 business days.
Where we serve Arkansas clients
The service is mail-in, so your location in the state makes no difference. We work with clients in Little Rock, North Little Rock and Conway, across Northwest Arkansas in Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville, and in Fort Smith, Jonesboro, Hot Springs, Pine Bluff and Texarkana. Rural addresses are fine as long as FedEx delivers there.
Why Arkansans need an apostilled FBI check
Common destinations for our Arkansas clients are Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama, mostly for retirement and residency permits. Spain and Portugal come up for long-stay visas. People taking teaching contracts after college in Fayetteville, Conway or Jonesboro usually need the document for South Korea, Japan or China, and families relocating for work ask about India and Colombia.
Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama and Spain will expect a Spanish version alongside the apostille. We can add certified translation to the order so both arrive together. Ask your consulate how recent the FBI check must be. Three to six months is a typical limit.
Read more about the federal process on our FBI apostille services page.
FAQ
Can the Arkansas Secretary of State apostille an FBI background check?
No. The Secretary of State in Little Rock authenticates documents issued in Arkansas or notarized by an Arkansas notary. FBI background checks are federal and are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC.
How long does an expedited FBI apostille take from Arkansas?
10 business days after we receive your FBI result. The standard service takes 7–8 weeks.
Is an Arkansas State Police background check the same thing?
No. The Arkansas State Police Identification Bureau reports Arkansas records. It is useful only when the foreign authority asks for a state check. A request for an FBI or national check needs the FBI Identity History Summary.
Do I have to travel to Little Rock or to Virginia?
No. Clients in Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Jonesboro and everywhere else in Arkansas send the FBI PDF by email. Nothing is done in person.
Do you translate the FBI check into Spanish?
Yes. Certified translation can be ordered with the apostille for Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Spain and other countries.
Start your Arkansas FBI apostille
Call (971) 514-3743, message us on WhatsApp, or request a quote. Tell us the destination country and your deadline.
