What the document actually is
The document consulates ask for is the FBI Identity History Summary, sometimes called an FBI background check or a police certificate. You request it with your fingerprints, and the FBI returns a summary of what it holds, or confirms it holds nothing.
For use abroad it needs a federal apostille from the U.S. Department of State. No state office can apostille it, because it is a federal document.
The order that works
Fingerprints first, then the FBI check, then the federal apostille, then translation if the country needs one. Translating before the apostille usually means paying twice, because most countries want the apostille page translated too.
We submit fingerprint requests within 30 minutes of your appointment, and our federal apostille courier service runs 10 to 15 business days after the results come back.
How recent it has to be
This is where people lose a month. Spain commonly wants the check issued within the last 3 months. Italy, Greece, and South Korea commonly say 6 months. New Zealand often says 6 months. Portugal varies by consulate.
Get fingerprinted close to your consulate appointment rather than far ahead. An FBI check that expires before your appointment has to be redone from the start.
One more thing worth knowing
Italy commonly requires the original hard copy of the FBI result, with the wet signature and seal, rather than a printed PDF. Order the hard copy from the beginning if Italy is your destination.
If you are not sure which rules apply to you, call (971) 514-3743 and tell us the country. We will tell you the sequence and the timing before you book anything.