We are excited to announce that we will soon be launching our new Support Knowledge Base. This resource has been created with you in mind to help you find the information and answers you need quickly.
Below is a list of frequently asked questions.
What is an apostille?
An apostille is a long form (8.5×11) certificate issued by the state or U.S. Federal Government certifying the official who has signed it.
Why do I need an apostille?
If you want a foreign country to accept your documents, you need to apostille them.
Who will attach the apostille to my documents?
An apostille is attached by the state or U.S. Federal Government.
Does an apostille verify the contents of a document?
No. An apostille only verifies the official who has signed your document. Keep in mind the state will also verify that the document presented to them is authenticate and issued by their state. Be sure to check your documents to make sure they are accurate before you get an apostille.
Does an apostille expire?
No. An apostille does not expire but the country requesting it may have set a time limit on how old the document and/or apostille can be.
Does an FBI background check expire?
No. But most countries want the background check and the apostille to be issued within the past three months.
Does the FBI issue an apostille?
No. The apostille for the FBI background check is issued by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.
Does an FBI background check need to be notarized?
No. An FBI background check is a U.S. Federal Government document with an official signature of the Section Chief. An FBI background is not notarized.
Whose signature appears on the FBI background check?
Currently, it’s Chris Ormerod who is the Section Chief of the Criminal Justice Information Services Division. Previously, it was Kimberly J. Del Greco and William McKinsey.
Is an apostille country specific?
Yes, the state of U.S. Federal Government will request to know the country asking for your documents. The apostille issued by the U.S. Department of State and most state issues apostilles do not reference the destination country.
What type of documents do I need to apostille?
This depends on the country and what you plan to do there. Are you getting married, continuing your education, retiring, starting a new job, getting dual-citizenship?
Can I apostille a document older than five years?
This depends on the state your document originates from and the country requesting it.
