Expedited New York FBI Apostille Services
Applying for Italian citizenship, a Spanish visa or a work permit in China from New York? The FBI background check in your file needs a federal apostille, and Apostille Authentications gets it done without you leaving home. Email us the FBI result and the apostilled document arrives 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 Albany cannot apostille your FBI background check
The New York Department of State issues apostilles by mail from Albany and over the counter in New York City, Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo and Utica. It authenticates public documents issued in New York State and signed by a New York State official or a county clerk, such as birth, marriage and death certificates.
Its instructions are direct about federal records: FBI background checks must be authenticated by the U.S. Department of State. In practice that means the Office of Authentications in Washington, DC, and no counter in Manhattan or Albany can substitute for it.
Two mistakes we see from New York clients:
- Applying the county clerk routine to a federal document. New Yorkers who have apostilled a notarized document know the drill: the county clerk certifies the notary’s signature, then the Department of State adds the apostille. New York City birth certificates add a further step, a Letter of Exemplification and certification by the New York County Clerk. None of that applies to an FBI check. Notarizing the FBI PDF and running it through a county clerk produces a state apostille on a notary’s signature, which foreign authorities commonly refuse.
- A DCJS record is not an FBI check. The Division of Criminal Justice Services holds New York State’s official criminal history records and will release your own record, or a “no record” response, after fingerprinting. It covers New York State only. A consulate asking for an FBI, federal or national check will not accept it in place of the FBI Identity History Summary.
For New York vital records, court papers or notarized documents, see New York state apostille services.
How it works from New York
- Fingerprints and FBI request. Have your prints taken close to home, either on an ink FD-1164 card at a police department or fingerprinting vendor, or electronically at a participating U.S. Post Office after signing up on the FBI’s eDO site. Request the FBI Identity History Summary and pay the FBI’s $18 fee.
- FBI result. The FBI sends a PDF bearing its watermark and the signature of a division official.
- Forward the PDF. Email it to us with your passport photo page. We confirm that the name and date of birth line up, including middle names and suffixes, before the request is filed.
- Federal apostille. We fill in Form DS-4194, and our Herndon, Virginia office hand-carries the request to the Office of Authentications. The result goes directly to the Department of State. No DOJ certification and no county clerk are involved.
- Return. FedEx to your New York address, or by FedEx or DHL to an address abroad.
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.
New York 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 New York clients
We operate this service remotely and have no office in New York. Clients in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island use it the same way as clients in Yonkers, White Plains, Long Island, Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo: one email with the FBI PDF, and a FedEx envelope at the end.
Our Virginia team delivers requests to the Department of State by hand. That is what keeps the turnaround at 10 business days instead of the weeks a mailed request takes.
Why New Yorkers need an apostilled FBI check
Italy is a common destination for our New York clients, for citizenship by descent and for elective residency, alongside Spain and Portugal for visas and retirement. Work assignments take New Yorkers to China, India, Germany, the Netherlands and France, and all of them can require an apostilled FBI check with the permit application. Teaching contracts in South Korea and Japan ask for it as well.
Many of these authorities want a translation attached. Certified translation can be included in the same order. Confirm the age limit before you apply: an FBI check older than 3 to 6 months is refused in many countries.
For the full federal procedure, see FBI apostille services.
FAQ
Can the New York Department of State apostille an FBI background check?
No. The Department of State offices in Albany and New York City authenticate documents signed by New York State officials and county clerks. FBI background checks must be apostilled by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC.
Do I need a county clerk certification on my FBI background check?
No. County clerk certification is part of the New York process for notarized and locally issued documents. An FBI check is federal and goes straight to the U.S. Department of State with no county or state step.
Is a New York DCJS criminal history record the same as an FBI check?
No. The Division of Criminal Justice Services reports New York State records only. If the foreign authority asks for an FBI or national check, a DCJS record will not meet the requirement.
How fast is an expedited FBI apostille in New York?
10 business days from the day we have your FBI result. Standard processing takes 7–8 weeks.
I live in Brooklyn. Is there an office I can visit?
Not in New York. The service runs by email and FedEx, so there is no trip to make and no line to stand in. Phone and WhatsApp support is available throughout the order.
Start your New York FBI apostille
Call (971) 514-3743, message us on WhatsApp, or request a quote with your destination country and deadline.
