Call us to Learn More
1-301-605-1500
Do I Need an Apostille or Embassy Legalization for an FBI Background Check?
If you are sending an FBI Background Check overseas, the destination country will typically require it to be authenticated for international use. If the country is part of the 1961 Hague Convention, you will need an apostille. If the country is not part of the Hague Convention, you will need embassy or consulate legalization, which can involve multiple steps. You can check WCS’s List of Countries to determine the correct path for your destination.
FBI Background Check Services
- A Certificate of Foreign Government (CFG) is an FDA-issued export certificate frequently used to support overseas regulatory submissions and import approvals for U.S.-manufactured products.
- The FDA now issues electronic CFGs (eCFG). Once you receive the digital download, WCS can print the certificate and prepare it for authentication as required for international use
- WCS manages the end-to-end document authentication workflow for export certificates, including submission to the U.S. Department of State and any additional steps needed for the destination.
Apostille or legalization processing time depends on the destination and the document type. Federal documents are authenticated by the U.S. Department of State (WCS’s apostille page references a 4 day turnaround time for federal documents).
When sending us your FBI Background Check for processing, please remember to:
- Include the original document (or the version required for your destination)
- Include our WCS Express order confirmation printout or your cover letter and instructions
- Include a prepaid return label (FedEx or UPS preferred) for return shipping. If you prefer, we can ship using our FedEx account and bill the charge on the invoice