Studying abroad in Spain, Italy, Germany, or another country that requires an apostilled FBI background check? We personally walk your documents into the U.S. Department of State for 7 to 10 business day processing, then ship them back to you with 2-day shipping included. No guesswork, no waiting months.
Most students discover the apostille requirement too late. Here is the timeline you actually need to follow.
Mailing it in yourself? The Department of State's standard queue currently takes 5 to 12 weeks. If your visa deadline is less than 3 months away, that timeline will not work. We are the fastest option available.
Required for all student visas (long-stay). Must be apostilled and translated into Spanish. Spain is the #1 study abroad destination for U.S. students.
Required for student visas and permesso di soggiorno. Must be apostilled. Italy is the second most popular destination for U.S. study abroad.
Required for student residence permits. Must be apostilled. Covers university enrollment and language program visas.
Required for long-stay student visas (visa de long séjour). Must be apostilled for submission to the French consulate.
Required for student residence permits. Must be apostilled. Covers both university and language school enrollments.
Required for E-2 teaching visas and D-2 student visas. Must be apostilled for submission to Korean immigration.
Required for student visas and residency permits. UAE joined the Hague Convention in 2023. Covers Dubai and Abu Dhabi programs.
May be required for temporary resident student visas depending on the consulate. Must be apostilled if requested.
Plus Japan, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Greece, Austria, Argentina, Chile, Australia, and 100+ more Hague Convention countries. See the full apostille guide
Most students find out about the FBI background check apostille requirement weeks or even days before their visa appointment. By then, the standard mail-in process (5 to 12 weeks) is already too late.
We process apostilles in 7 to 10 business days, then ship your document back with 2-day shipping included. That means you can start this step as late as 3 weeks before your deadline and still make it. But the earlier you start, the less you have to worry about.
Get Your ApostilleThe entire process takes about 2 weeks from submission to your door. Here is exactly what happens.
Fill out a short form and upload your FBI background check PDF. It takes about 5 minutes. You get a tracking link right away so you can follow your order.
We prepare all the paperwork, forms, and cover letters. You do not need to fill out anything else or figure out what the Department of State requires.
We personally deliver your documents to the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. Processing takes 7 to 10 business days. This is the only way to skip the months-long mail queue.
Your apostilled FBI background check is shipped directly to you with 2-day shipping included in the price. Overnight and international shipping are also available.
No hidden fees. No setup costs. No contracts. Everything you need is included.
For study abroad student visas
Overnight shipping available for an additional fee. International shipping: provide your own label or contact us for options.
Students can submit directly. Study abroad offices can manage submissions for their entire cohort.
You have your FBI background check and need it apostilled for your visa. Fill out the online form, upload your document, and you are done. We handle everything from there.
Submit FBI background checks for your students in batches through the Partner Program portal. See every student's status in one dashboard. White-label communication branded to your program.
Don't Have Your FBI Background Check Yet?
You need an FBI background check before you can get the apostille. If you are near one of our three Virginia locations, we can fingerprint you and have your results back in as low as 30 minutes. Then we take it straight to the Department of State for the apostille. Everything under one roof.
Get fingerprinted, receive your FBI background check, and we take it straight to the Department of State. Your apostilled document arrives at your door.
Download our one-page coordinator guide. It includes everything you need to add the FBI apostille to your pre-departure materials: a ready-to-paste checklist blurb, a direct link for your students, pricing, and timeline details. Drop it into your orientation packet, student portal, or email template.
View Coordinator Guide (PDF)Or email us at support@fingerprintsandapostilles.com and we will set up everything for your program.
See what customers say about our apostille turnaround time, communication, and service. From expats and students to attorneys and businesses.
Read Our ReviewsYes. Many countries require an apostilled FBI background check as part of the student visa application. This includes Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany, France, South Korea, the UAE, and dozens of other countries in the Hague Apostille Convention. Without the apostille, your visa application will be incomplete and your consulate will not process it.
An apostille is an official certification from the U.S. Department of State that authenticates a federal document for use in foreign countries. Think of it as a stamp that tells the foreign government "this document is real and issued by the U.S. government." Your FBI background check needs this certification before a foreign consulate will accept it as part of your visa application.
The apostille processing takes 7 to 10 business days after we receive your FBI background check. Then we ship your apostilled document back to you with 2-day shipping, which is included in the price. So from submission to your door, plan for about 2 weeks. If you also need the FBI background check itself, getting fingerprinted at one of our Virginia locations takes about 30 minutes, and results come back in as low as 30 minutes to 2 hours.
We are based in the Washington, D.C. area and personally walk documents into the Department of State. This is the only way to get expedited processing. When you mail documents on your own, they enter the general queue which currently takes 5 to 12 weeks or longer. There is no way to expedite the mail-in process.
No. Students anywhere in the United States can use our apostille service. You submit your FBI background check online, we handle the apostille at the Department of State, and ship the completed document directly to you. You only need to visit one of our Virginia locations if you do not already have your FBI background check and want us to do the fingerprinting as well.
Start at least 4 to 6 weeks before your visa appointment or program deadline. Our processing takes 7 to 10 business days, plus 2 days for return shipping. If you still need your FBI background check, add time for that step. Starting early gives you a buffer in case of any delays and keeps you ahead of your classmates who will inevitably wait until the last minute.
Yes. If your program coordinator wants to manage submissions for the whole group, they can use our Partner Program portal. It includes batch submissions, cohort tracking, and volume pricing. But most students submit directly through our online form on their own. It takes about 5 minutes and you get a tracking link right away.
Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany, France, South Korea, the UAE, Japan, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Greece, Austria, Argentina, Chile, and many other countries in the Hague Apostille Convention. If your country requires a "police clearance" or "criminal background check" for a student visa, it almost certainly needs to be apostilled. Check with your program or consulate to confirm.
Your visa deadline is not going to move. Submit your FBI background check today and have your apostilled document back in about 2 weeks. 7 to 10 business day processing plus 2-day return shipping included.