Expedited Minnesota FBI Apostille Services
Minnesota residents who need an apostille on an FBI background check often start with the Secretary of State in Saint Paul and learn that the office cannot help. The apostille is federal. Apostille Authentications takes your FBI result by email, has it delivered by hand to the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC, and ships the finished document to Minnesota 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 Saint Paul cannot apostille your FBI background check
The Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State issues apostilles from the First National Bank Building, 332 Minnesota Street, Suite N201, in Saint Paul. It authenticates documents certified in Minnesota or notarized by a Minnesota notary: birth, death and marriage certificates, divorce decrees and court judgments, business filings, notarized school transcripts and diplomas, and notarized powers of attorney and affidavits.
On federal checks the office is direct. Its apostille page says FBI background checks must be sent to the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC, and that the office has no authority to apostille a federal background check.
Two things Minnesota clients should know first:
- A BCA record is a Minnesota record. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, part of the Department of Public Safety, maintains the Minnesota Criminal History System. Its public search shows conviction data, and the BCA states that convictions are public for 15 years after the sentence is completed. Arrests, dismissed cases and older convictions are private data. That is a different document from an FBI Identity History Summary, and it will not satisfy a request for an FBI or national check.
- Notarizing the FBI PDF does not make it a Minnesota document. A Minnesota notary can notarize a statement attached to a printout, and Saint Paul can authenticate that notary. What you end up with is a state certificate about the notary, not a federal apostille on the FBI record. Foreign immigration offices commonly reject it.
For Minnesota birth certificates, court documents or diplomas, see state apostille services.
How it works from Minnesota
- Fingerprints, taken locally. Choose an ink FD-1164 card from a police department, sheriff’s office or fingerprinting vendor, or electronic capture at a participating U.S. Post Office after registering on the FBI’s eDO site. Order the FBI Identity History Summary at the same time. The FBI charges $18.
- The FBI sends your result. You receive a PDF with the FBI watermark, signed by a division official.
- Forward the PDF to us by email. Include your passport photo page. We check that the name and date of birth agree before filing.
- Department of State, in person. Form DS-4194 goes with the file, and our Herndon, Virginia office hand-carries it to the Office of Authentications. An FBI result needs no DOJ certification beforehand.
- Delivery. FedEx to an address anywhere in Minnesota, or FedEx or DHL to your address abroad.
Apostille Authentications does not have a Minnesota office and does not fingerprint in the state. We take over once the FBI PDF is in hand.
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.
Minnesota 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 clock on the 10 business days starts when your FBI PDF reaches us. The expedited price pays for hand delivery in Washington, which the standard service does not include.
Where we serve Minnesota clients
The whole state, with no travel on your side. Most requests come from Minneapolis and Saint Paul and Twin Cities suburbs such as Bloomington, Brooklyn Park and Plymouth. We also work with clients in Rochester, Duluth, St. Cloud, Mankato and Moorhead. Someone on the Iron Range emails the same PDF and receives the same FedEx envelope as someone in Hennepin County.
Why Minnesotans need an apostilled FBI check
Common destinations for our Minnesota clients include South Korea, Japan and China for teaching and employment visas, and Spain, Mexico and Costa Rica for study, retirement and residency. India asks for an FBI check with some employment and family visas, Germany and the Netherlands with certain work and residence permits, and Italy for citizenship by descent.
Non-English-speaking authorities generally expect a translation. Certified translation is available on the same order. Many authorities only accept an FBI check issued in the previous 3 to 6 months, so do not order it too early.
The full federal process is on our FBI apostille services page.
FAQ
Can the Minnesota Secretary of State apostille an FBI background check?
No. The office in Saint Paul states that FBI background checks must go to the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC, and that it has no authority to apostille a federal background check.
How fast is an expedited FBI apostille in Minnesota?
10 business days, counted from the day we receive your FBI result. Standard service is 7–8 weeks.
Is a Minnesota BCA criminal history check enough?
Only when the foreign authority asked for a state check. The BCA’s public record covers Minnesota conviction data for 15 years after a sentence ends. A request for an FBI, federal or national check needs the FBI Identity History Summary.
I am in Duluth or Rochester. Do I have to drive to Saint Paul?
No. Saint Paul plays no part in an FBI apostille, and we have no office in Minnesota. You email the FBI PDF and the apostille arrives by FedEx.
Do you translate the apostilled FBI check?
Yes. Certified translation can be ordered together with the apostille.
Start your Minnesota 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.
