Federal Apostille & FBI Background Check Services
Federal apostille assistance through Washington, D.C.: with document review, submission support, and return shipping coordinated for you.
NO WALK-INS: Call for an Appointment or Consultation.
Need to use an FBI background check or another federal document overseas? We help you prepare your federal apostille request, handle submission for authentication, and arrange the return of your documents. Start with a free consultation so we can review your document, destination country, and deadline before you place an order.
Quick answer
Federal apostilles are issued by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. for documents issued by a federal agency: including FBI background checks and documents signed by a federal official. Exception: federal court records may be apostilled by the clerk of the issuing federal court; contact that court directly. Processing time is set by the issuing authority and varies. Tallahassee Apostille handles submission and return shipping.
What is a federal apostille?
A federal apostille is issued by the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications, in Washington, D.C. for documents issued by a federal agency or signed by a federal official: such as FBI background checks, documents signed by a U.S. Secretary of State, or documents issued by a federal department. Exception: federal court records are issued by the clerk of the issuing federal court, and that clerk may issue the apostille for its own records. Contact the issuing federal court directly for its records.
State apostilles: including Florida apostilles: cannot be used for federal documents. If your document was issued by a Florida state agency, you need a Florida apostille. If your document was issued by a federal agency, you need a federal apostille from the U.S. Department of State.
The most common federal apostille request is for an FBI Identity History Summary (background check). Many countries require an apostilled FBI background check for work visas, residency applications, and adoption proceedings.
Federal apostille facts
| Issuing authority | U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications |
| Location | Washington, D.C. |
| Processing time | Set by issuing authority; varies: contact us for current estimates |
| Price | Call for Quote |
| Common documents | FBI background checks, federal court documents, federal agency documents |
| Accepted in | Hague Convention member countries where the Convention applies: confirm with receiving institution |
Federal documents we apostille
How to get a federal apostille
Order online
Complete the order form and upload a scan of your document. We confirm whether a federal or state apostille is required for your document.
Send your document
Ship your original document to our Tallahassee office. We forward it to the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.
Receive your apostille
We receive the apostilled document from Washington, D.C. and return it to you by your preferred shipping method.
Federal apostille questions
Ready to get started?
Free consultation. We confirm requirements before you pay.