Expedited Idaho FBI Apostille Services
If you live in Idaho and a foreign government wants an apostilled FBI background check, the document has to travel to Washington, DC, not Boise. Apostille Authentications handles that leg for you. You email us the FBI result, our Virginia office hand-carries it to the U.S. Department of State, and the apostilled document reaches your Idaho address 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 Boise cannot apostille your FBI background check
In Idaho, apostilles are issued by the Secretary of State’s Office, Notary Department, at 450 N 4th Street in Boise. That office apostilles documents issued by Idaho officials or notarized by Idaho notaries. Its examples include birth certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, school transcripts and diplomas.
The same page states that FBI clearance letters must go to the U.S. State Department’s Authentications Office. An FBI Identity History Summary is a federal record, so the Boise office has no authority over it.
Two points Idaho clients often get wrong:
- An Idaho State Police check is not an FBI check. The ISP Bureau of Criminal Identification says its criminal history database contains information on Idaho arrests only and does not include other states’ records, FBI records or federal court convictions. A consulate that asks for an FBI or national check will not take it in place of one.
- The name-based ISP check cannot be notarized. ISP notarizes results only for fingerprint-based checks, and only on request. So even when a foreign authority does want an Idaho state check, the name-based version has no notarized signature for the Secretary of State to apostille. Check which document your consulate asked for before paying for either.
For Idaho birth certificates, marriage records or diplomas, see state apostille services.
How it works from Idaho
- Get fingerprinted near home. Use an ink FD-1164 card taken by a police department, sheriff’s office or fingerprinting vendor, or register on the FBI’s eDO site and have prints captured electronically at a participating U.S. Post Office. Either way you request your FBI Identity History Summary. The FBI fee is $18.
- Receive the FBI result. It comes as a PDF carrying the FBI watermark and a division official’s signature.
- Email us the PDF. We check the name and date of birth against your passport before anything is filed, so send the passport photo page too.
- Hand delivery in Washington. We prepare Form DS-4194 and our Herndon, Virginia office hand-carries the request to the Department of State Office of Authentications. There is no DOJ certification step. The FBI result goes straight to the Department of State.
- Return shipping. FedEx to your Idaho address, or FedEx or DHL directly to you overseas.
We have no office in Idaho and do not take fingerprints there. Our work starts once you have the FBI PDF.
Avoid Rejections
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Expedite Your Documents
State agents for same-day apostille service.
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Translations/ Intl. Shipping
Certified translation and discounted shipping.
Idaho 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 the day we receive your FBI PDF. Hand delivery in Washington is what separates the expedited service from the standard one.
Where we serve Idaho clients
The whole state, by email and FedEx. In the Treasure Valley that means Boise, Meridian, Nampa and Caldwell. In eastern Idaho it means Idaho Falls and Pocatello, and Twin Falls in the Magic Valley. In the north we work with clients in Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, Lewiston and Moscow. Distance from Boise makes no difference, because no step of a federal apostille happens in Idaho.
Why Idahoans need an apostilled FBI check
Common destinations for our Idaho clients include Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama for residency and retirement, and Spain and Portugal for long-stay visas. South Korea and Japan ask for an apostilled FBI check with teaching visas. Brazil, Colombia and the Philippines come up for marriage, family and residency files, and Italy for citizenship by descent.
Authorities in Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries generally want a translation with the apostilled check. Certified translation can be added to your order. Many immigration offices only accept an FBI check issued within the last 3 to 6 months, so plan your fingerprinting around your filing date.
The full federal process is explained on our FBI apostille services page.
FAQ
Can the Idaho Secretary of State apostille an FBI background check?
No. The Notary Department in Boise apostilles documents issued by Idaho officials or notarized by Idaho notaries. It states that FBI clearance letters must go to the U.S. State Department’s Authentications Office.
How long does an expedited FBI apostille take for Idaho residents?
10 business days from the day we receive your FBI result. Standard service takes 7–8 weeks.
Will an Idaho State Police background check work instead?
Only if the foreign authority asked for a state check. The Idaho State Police database holds Idaho arrests only, with no records from other states or the FBI.
I live in Coeur d’Alene or Idaho Falls. Do I have to travel to Boise?
No. Nothing in the FBI apostille process takes place in Boise, and we have no Idaho office. Everything is done by email and FedEx.
Can you send the apostille straight to my address abroad?
Yes. We ship by FedEx or DHL to overseas addresses, which helps if you have already left Idaho.
Start your Idaho FBI apostille
Call (971) 514-3743, message us on WhatsApp, or request a quote and tell us the destination country and your deadline.
