Expedited California FBI Apostille Services
Taking a teaching job in Seoul, applying for a Spanish visa or retiring to Mexico from California? Apostille Authentications handles the federal apostille on your FBI background check entirely by email and FedEx. You do not travel anywhere, and the apostilled document is back at your California 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 Sacramento cannot apostille your FBI background check
The California Secretary of State issues apostilles from two offices: Sacramento, which takes mail and walk-in requests, and Los Angeles, which is walk-in only. Both authenticate the signatures of California public officials: county clerks and recorders, the State Registrar on birth and death certificates, court officers, and California notaries public.
An FBI Identity History Summary is signed by a federal official, not a California one. Neither Secretary of State office can apostille it. That authority belongs to the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington, DC.
Two mistakes we see from California clients:
- A California DOJ record is not an FBI check. The California Department of Justice runs Live Scan background checks on California records only. Its “record review” copy cannot be used for visa, immigration or any foreign-nation purpose, as the DOJ states on its own site. The DOJ does offer a separate visa/immigration clearance, but it still covers California records alone. If the consulate wrote FBI, federal or national, a state clearance will not satisfy it.
- A notary stamp on the FBI PDF does not fix it. Printing your FBI result, having a California notary attach a certificate and walking it into the Los Angeles office gets you a state apostille on the notary’s signature. Most foreign authorities reject that for a federal background check.
Have a California birth certificate, marriage record or diploma to legalize as well? See California state apostille services.
How it works from California
- Fingerprints and FBI request. Get fingerprinted near you. Options are an ink FD-1164 card from a police department or fingerprinting vendor, or electronic fingerprints at a participating U.S. Post Office after you register on the FBI’s eDO site. Request your FBI Identity History Summary; the FBI fee is $18. A Live Scan submitted to the California DOJ is a different process and does not produce the FBI document you need.
- FBI result. The FBI issues a PDF carrying its watermark and the signature of a division official.
- Email it to us. Send the PDF with a copy of your passport photo page. We compare the name and date of birth on both before anything is filed, because a mismatch is the usual reason a foreign office refuses the document.
- Federal apostille. We prepare Form DS-4194, and our Herndon, Virginia office hand-carries the request to the Office of Authentications. The FBI result goes straight to the Department of State. No DOJ certification step is needed.
- Return. FedEx to your address in California, or directly overseas by FedEx or DHL if you have already left.
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Translations/ Intl. Shipping
Certified translation and discounted shipping.
California 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 |
Where we serve California clients
We do not have a California office, and you do not need one. The whole order runs by email and courier, which means the service is the same whether you live in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose or San Francisco, or further out in Fresno, Sacramento, Oakland, Long Beach, Irvine or Bakersfield.
The 10 business days come from hand delivery in Washington, DC by our Virginia team. Mailing the same request to the Department of State yourself is what stretches the timeline into weeks.
Why Californians need an apostilled FBI check
South Korea, Japan and China are common destinations for our California clients, mostly for teaching contracts and work visas, along with India for long-term employment and family relocation. Spain and Portugal come up often for remote workers and retirees leaving the Bay Area and Southern California, and Mexico is a short move for residency applicants from San Diego and Los Angeles. The Philippines, Australia and Italy round out the list, the last one usually for citizenship by descent.
Spain and Mexico will want a Spanish translation, and several Asian destinations ask for a translation into the local language. Certified translation can be added to the same order. Check the validity window too: many countries only accept an FBI check issued within the last 3 to 6 months.
Read more about the federal process on our FBI apostille services page.
FAQ
Can the California Secretary of State apostille an FBI background check?
No. The Secretary of State offices in Sacramento and Los Angeles apostille documents signed by California officials and California notaries. An FBI background check is a federal document and must be apostilled by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC.
Is a California DOJ Live Scan background check the same as an FBI check?
No. A California Department of Justice clearance covers California records only, and the DOJ record review copy cannot be used for visa or immigration purposes. If a foreign authority asks for an FBI or national check, you need the FBI Identity History Summary.
How fast is an expedited FBI apostille in California?
10 business days from the day we receive your FBI result by email. Standard processing takes 7–8 weeks.
I live in Los Angeles. Can I drop my FBI report at the Secretary of State office downtown?
You can, but it will not be accepted for apostille. That office handles California documents only. Email the FBI PDF to us instead and we file it federally.
Can you ship the apostille overseas if I have already left California?
Yes. We send completed apostilles abroad by FedEx or DHL, so you can start the order in San Francisco and receive it in Madrid or Seoul.
Start your California FBI apostille
Call (971) 514-3743, message us on WhatsApp, or request a quote with your destination country and deadline.
