Expedited Hawaii FBI Apostille Services
Washington, DC is a long way from Hawaii, and that is where an FBI background check has to be apostilled. Mailing the request yourself adds Pacific transit to a federal queue that already runs for weeks. Apostille Authentications receives your FBI result by email, so nothing has to travel east on paper. Our Virginia office hand-delivers the request, and the apostille is sent to your island by FedEx 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 Honolulu cannot apostille your FBI background check
In Hawaii, apostilles and certifications are issued by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor in Honolulu, not by a secretary of state. The office handles Hawaii documents, such as birth, marriage and death certificates and documents notarized in the state.
Its published FAQ answers the FBI question plainly: an FBI background check is issued by the federal government and should receive an apostille from the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications. Sending an FBI Identity History Summary to the Lieutenant Governor will not produce an apostille.
Two mistakes we see from Hawaii clients:
- A Hawaii police clearance is not an FBI check. The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center, part of the Department of the Attorney General, provides the state criminal history record check, often called a police clearance or police abstract. It can be searched by name or fingerprints, and it reports adult criminal conviction information for the State of Hawaii only. A consulate asking for an FBI, federal or national check will not accept it as a replacement.
- An eCrim printout is not one either. The Data Center’s eCrim site gives online access to the same Hawaii adult conviction information. It is useful for a local employer, but it is not the document a foreign immigration office means by an FBI background check.
For Hawaii vital records or notarized documents, see state apostille services.
How it works from Hawaii
- Fingerprints on your island. Get an ink FD-1164 card from a police department or fingerprinting vendor, or register on the FBI’s eDO site and check whether a participating U.S. Post Office near you takes electronic prints. Then request the FBI Identity History Summary. The FBI fee is $18.
- The FBI answers by PDF. The result bears the FBI watermark and a division official’s signature.
- Send us the PDF by email. Attach your passport photo page. We compare the name and date of birth before filing. This is common with Hawaiian names that include an ʻokina or kahakō, or long middle names, which may be printed differently on the two documents.
- Hand delivery in Washington. We fill in Form DS-4194 and our Herndon, Virginia office carries the request to the Office of Authentications. There is no DOJ certification step. The FBI result goes straight to the Department of State.
- Return to Hawaii or abroad. FedEx to your address in the islands, or FedEx or DHL straight to your destination country.
Apostille Authentications has no office in Hawaii and does not take fingerprints there. Our work starts when we receive your FBI PDF.
A note on timing. Hawaii does not observe daylight saving time, so Honolulu is five or six hours behind Washington depending on the season. Emailing your FBI PDF in the morning Hawaii time gives us the best chance of reviewing it the same business day.
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State agents for same-day apostille service.
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Translations/ Intl. Shipping
Certified translation and discounted shipping.
Hawaii 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 run from receipt of your FBI PDF to completion of the apostille. Since the PDF comes to us by email, only the return shipment has to cross the Pacific.
Where we serve Hawaii clients
Every island, by email and FedEx. On Oahu that covers Honolulu, Pearl City, Kailua and Kapolei. On Hawaii Island, Hilo and Kailua-Kona. On Maui, Kahului and Lahaina, and on Kauai, Lihue. No part of the process requires a flight to Honolulu.
Why Hawaii residents need an apostilled FBI check
Common destinations for our Hawaii clients include Japan and South Korea, for teaching, work and family visas, and the Philippines for residency and family matters. Australia and China come up for employment and study. Residency and retirement moves bring requests for Mexico, Portugal and Spain, and Italy for citizenship by descent.
Countries that do not work in English usually require a translation with the apostilled report. Certified translation can be added to the same order. Many authorities accept only an FBI check issued in the last 3 to 6 months, so schedule fingerprinting close to your application date.
Our FBI apostille services page describes the federal process in more detail.
FAQ
Can the Hawaii Lieutenant Governor apostille an FBI background check?
No. The Office of the Lieutenant Governor in Honolulu issues apostilles for Hawaii documents. Its FAQ says an FBI background check is a federal document and should be apostilled by the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications.
How fast is an expedited FBI apostille in Hawaii?
10 business days from the day we receive your FBI result by email. The standard service takes 7–8 weeks.
Is a Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center police clearance accepted instead?
Only if the foreign authority asked for a state-level check. The Data Center’s record check covers adult conviction information for the State of Hawaii, not records from other states.
I live in Hilo, Kahului or Lihue. Do I have to go to Honolulu?
No. Honolulu plays no part in an FBI apostille, and we have no Hawaii office. You email the FBI PDF and the apostille comes back by FedEx.
I am leaving Hawaii soon. Can you ship the apostille overseas?
Yes. We can send it by FedEx or DHL directly to your address in the destination country.
Start your Hawaii FBI apostille
Call (971) 514-3743, message us on WhatsApp, or request a quote and let us know your destination country and deadline.
