If a country has asked for your FBI background check with an apostille, there are two parts to it: the FBI background check itself, and a federal apostille from the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. Anshin Mobile Notary & LiveScan handles both, whether you’re here in Los Angeles or already living abroad.
Two Ways We Do It
In Los Angeles: $300
We take your fingerprints electronically, at our office or at your home or workplace, since we’re mobile. Mobile visits add a travel fee based on your location. That gets you an electronic FBI background check, and then we obtain the federal apostille. The $300 covers both, and return shipping within the U.S. is included.
From Abroad: $400 Plus Shipping
If you’re already living outside the U.S., you get fingerprinted on FD-258 cards at your local police and mail the cards to us, with a copy of your passport and the signed FBI form. We check everything and submit your cards to the FBI. Once your FBI record comes back, we obtain the federal apostille and ship it to you. Shipping to your country is extra.
How Long It Takes
- Electronic FBI background check: the FBI says up to 48 hours, but almost all of ours come back the same day, usually within a few hours.
- Federal apostille: about 9 business days.
Those are business days, not calendar days, so leave yourself time before your appointment or deadline.
Getting Your FBI Results
The FBI doesn’t email you the report itself. It emails you the details to log in and download your report as a PDF. Send us that PDF, not a screenshot. If you get stuck, we can help you open it.
Mistakes We See
- Sending a screenshot of the FBI report instead of the PDF
- Counting calendar days instead of business days
- Starting too late, or letting the check expire before applying
- Trying to get a state apostille for an FBI report. The California Secretary of State won’t issue one. An FBI background check is a federal document, so its apostille can only come from the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., and we take care of that for you.
Where Our Clients Use It
We help clients with FBI background checks and apostilles for Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Austria, South Korea, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Thailand and many more countries. See our guide for Americans living abroad.
Translation
If the country also needs a translation, we provide certified translations in any language, including sworn translations for Spain.
Common Questions
What’s the difference between a state apostille and a federal apostille?
A state apostille is for documents issued by a state, like a birth certificate. An FBI background check is a federal document, so it needs a federal apostille from the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. You don’t have to deal with Washington yourself; we handle it from start to finish.
Can you come to me?
Yes. We can fingerprint you at your home or office anywhere in Los Angeles. Mobile visits add a travel fee.
I live outside the U.S. Do I need to come back?
No. Get fingerprinted on FD-258 cards at your local police and mail them to us.
Get Started
Call or text 310-526-0200. Tell us where you’re headed and whether you’re in Los Angeles or abroad, and we’ll take it from there.
