The paperwork is where most visa timelines go wrong. Not because the documents are hard to get, but because they come from different offices, take different amounts of time, and expire on the destination country's clock rather than yours. Get the sequence right and the rest of the application is much calmer.
What an apostille is
An apostille is a certificate that confirms a public document is genuine: that the signature, seal, or stamp on it belongs to the official who signed it. It does not vouch for the content. Countries that belong to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention accept each other's apostilles without further embassy steps.
All the popular destinations on this site except Ghana and Thailand currently accept apostilles: Portugal, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Poland, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic are all listed parties. For countries outside the convention you need legalization instead: US authentication, then certification by that country's embassy or consulate. Thailand acceded to the convention on June 30, 2026, but it enters into force for Thailand on February 28, 2027, so legalization still applies until then. Ghana does not appear on the Hague Conference's list of parties.
State vs. federal apostilles
The most common mistake is sending a document to the wrong office. Who apostilles a document depends on who issued it.
| Document | Issued by | Who apostilles it |
|---|---|---|
| Birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates | State or county vital records office | Secretary of State (or equivalent) of that state |
| Notarized letters, affidavits, and copies | Notary commissioned by a state | Secretary of State of the notary's state |
| State and local police records | State or local agency | Secretary of State of that state |
| FBI Identity History Summary | FBI (federal) | US Department of State, Office of Authentications |
| Other federal agency documents | Federal agency | US Department of State, Office of Authentications |
The State Department's Office of Authentications accepts requests by mail with Form DS-4194, which must name the country where each document will be used; documents without a country of use cannot be processed. It estimates about 12 business days after receipt for mailed requests. There is also a weekday drop-off window from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. with a 2 to 3 business day turnaround, limited to one submission and 15 documents per day. Check the current fee on the State Department's page before you send payment, and pay the exact amount.
Watch out for notary apostilles
Some services notarize a copy of your FBI check and then get a state apostille on the notary's signature. Many consulates reject this. Spain's consulate in Washington states that the FBI check needs a Hague apostille certifying the FBI signature and that notary-level apostilles are not accepted.
The FBI Identity History Summary
Most consulates want a national criminal record check, and for Americans that means the FBI Identity History Summary, sometimes called an FBI background check or rap sheet. Spain's Washington consulate, for example, accepts only the FBI check, not state or local police certificates.
How to request it
- Online with electronic fingerprints. Apply and pay at the FBI's electronic portal (edo.cjis.gov), then have fingerprints taken at a participating US Post Office. The FBI says results typically arrive within 48 hours of the visit.
- Online with a mailed fingerprint card. Apply online, then mail a standard fingerprint card. Expect about 10 days after the FBI receives it. This option works from abroad.
- Fully by mail. Send the applicant form, an FD-1164 fingerprint card, and payment to the FBI's CJIS Division in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Allow up to 15 days plus mailing time.
- Through an FBI-approved channeler. Private companies can submit for you, for an added fee.
The FBI fee is $18 per request, and each additional sealed copy costs another $18. The FBI authenticates its results with a watermark and the signature of a division official, which is what the State Department then apostilles. Ask for the result in a format your destination and the Office of Authentications will accept, and don't separate stapled pages: Spain's consulate rejects FBI checks that have been altered or had staples removed.
Certified birth and marriage certificates
Consulates want certified copies issued by the vital records office, not photocopies or hospital souvenir certificates. Long-form versions that list parents' names are often required, especially for descent claims and dependent visas.
- Order from the vital records office in the state where the event happened, not where you live now.
- Ask whether the state's apostille office has rules about which official signed the certificate or how recently it was issued.
- Order extras. You may need one set for the visa, one for local registration, and one for a bank or school.
Marriage certificates matter for spouses applying as dependents. Divorce decrees matter if a name changed or a prior marriage could raise questions.
Translations
Documents not in the local language usually need an official translation. Requirements differ:
- Spain asks for official or sworn translations into Spanish. Its Washington consulate notes that the sworn translation of an FBI check does not need its own apostille.
- Ecuador and Colombia require criminal records and pension certificates to be translated into Spanish and apostilled.
- Poland accepts translations by a sworn translator or a consul.
Translate the whole package, including the apostille certificate itself. Get the apostille first, then the translation, so the translator includes it.
Timing and validity windows
Most documents have no expiration date printed on them. The receiving country decides how old is too old, and windows commonly run from 90 days to six months. Some real examples from official sources:
| Country / visa | Rule |
|---|---|
| Spain, non-lucrative visa (Washington consulate) | FBI check issued within 6 months; medical certificate within 90 days of submission |
| Ecuador, pensioner visa | Criminal record dated within 180 days of your last entry into Ecuador |
Count backward from your appointment date. The FBI check, apostille, and translation can easily take a month or more together, so start them first, but not so early that they expire before the appointment.
Step-by-step plan
- Get the consulate's checklist. Download the current list for your visa from the consulate serving your state. Note each document's validity window and translation rule.
- Book your appointment or set a filing date. Everything else counts backward from it.
- Order the FBI check. Electronic fingerprints at a post office are usually fastest.
- Order certified vital records from the states where the events happened.
- Send federal documents to the State Department with Form DS-4194, naming the country of use.
- Send state documents to each state's Secretary of State. Rules and turnaround times vary by state.
- For non-convention countries, add embassy legalization after the US authentication.
- Get sworn translations of the documents and their apostilles.
- Make copies and keep originals flat and intact. Many consulates want an original and a copy of each item.
Keep a scanned set in the cloud. You will need these documents again for local registration, renewals, and possibly permanent residency. Our moving abroad checklist puts this paperwork in the larger timeline, and how residency visas work explains where it fits in the process.
Check before you act
Immigration rules, income minimums, fees, and tax law change, sometimes with little notice. This guide is general information, not legal, immigration, or tax advice.
- Confirm current requirements with the country's official immigration agency or the consulate that will handle your application.
- For US tax questions, use IRS.gov and a tax professional who works with Americans abroad.
- Get advice from a licensed local attorney before signing leases, buying property, or submitting residency paperwork.
Common questions
Where do I get an apostille for an FBI background check?
From the US Department of State's Office of Authentications, because the FBI check is a federal document. State Secretary of State offices cannot apostille it. Tell the State Department which country you will use the document in.
How long is an FBI background check valid for a visa?
The FBI result has no expiration date of its own; the receiving country sets the window. Spain's consulate in Washington, for example, requires it to be issued within six months of your application, and Ecuador requires criminal records dated within 180 days. Check your consulate's rule before you order.
Do I need to translate the apostille too?
Usually yes. When a country requires an official translation, the translator normally translates the document and its apostille certificate. Spain's Washington consulate says the sworn translation itself does not need its own apostille.
What if my destination country doesn't accept apostilles?
Countries outside the Apostille Convention require legalization instead: US authentication followed by certification at that country's embassy or consulate. Thailand joined the convention in 2026, but it takes effect for Thailand only on February 28, 2027.
Sources
- Identity History Summary Checks — Federal Bureau of Investigation. fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/more-fbi-services-and-information/identity-history-summary-checks
- Requesting Authentication Services — U.S. Department of State. travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal-considerations/judicial/authentication-of-documents/requesting-authentication-services.html
- Criminal records checks for living abroad — U.S. Department of State. travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/living-abroad/criminal-records.html
- Apostille Convention status table — Hague Conference on Private International Law. hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41
- Visado de residencia no lucrativa — Consulate General of Spain in Washington, D.C.. exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/washington/en/ServiciosConsulares/Paginas/Consular/Visado-de-residencia-no-lucrativa.aspx
- Concesión de visa de residencia temporal jubilado — Government of Ecuador. gob.ec/mremh/tramites/concesion-visa-residencia-temporal-jubilado
Last reviewed October 18, 2026. General information only, not legal, immigration, or tax advice. Requirements change, so confirm with official sources before you apply. See our disclaimer.
