Just Got Your FBI Results? Here’s Exactly What to Do Next

You just received an email with your FBI Identity History Summary as a PDF attachment. Or maybe a hard copy arrived in the mail. Either way — you have the document. Now what?

If you need this document for a visa application, a move abroad, citizenship by descent, or any other international purpose, the next step is getting an apostille. And if you have a deadline — a consulate appointment, an employment start date, a visa window — the next step needs to happen fast.

Here is exactly what to do, in order.

Step 1 — Do Not Do Anything to the Document

Before anything else: do not notarize it, do not make any markings on it, do not staple anything to it, and do not print it out and then scan it again. The FBI Identity History Summary is a federal document. The US Department of State authenticates the FBI Section Chief’s original signature on it. Any modification — including a notary seal — breaks the authentication chain and causes the State Department to reject your submission.

If you received a PDF: keep it as-is. If you received a hard copy: handle it carefully and do not fold or crease it.

Step 2 — Confirm You Need a Federal Apostille (Not a State Apostille)

If your destination country is a Hague Convention member — which covers 129 countries including all of Europe, most of Latin America, Australia, Singapore, Japan, and more — you need a federal apostille from the US Department of State. That’s it. One step on top of what you already have.

Step 3 — Email Your FBI PDF to MR Fingerprints

This is where most people’s process gets dramatically faster.

The US Department of State accepts PDF copies of FBI Identity History Summaries for apostille purposes. You do not need to mail a physical document. Email us your FBI PDF and we begin processing the same day we receive it.

Here is what we handle from there:

1. We prepare your DS-4194 form — the State Department’s Request for Authentication Services form. This is where most DIY submissions go wrong: a missing destination country in Section 4 or the wrong fee causes your entire submission to be returned unprocessed.
2. We submit your document to the US Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington DC — in person, through our DC partner, not by mail. In-person submission is the fastest non-emergency method available.
3. The State Department processes your apostille in 7–10 business days and releases the document to our partner.
4. We ship your apostilled document to your address via FedEx or UPS.

Total time from the day you email us your PDF: approximately 2–3 weeks on our expedited service. Standard mail-in to the State Department yourself: 6–8 weeks — if the form is filled out correctly on the first try.

Step 4 — Check Whether Your Country Needs a Certified Translation

A few countries require a certified translation of your FBI document in addition to the apostille. Here is the quick reference:

• ???????? Germany — certified German translation always required
• ???????? Italy — certified Italian translation always required (plus hard copy, not just PDF)
• ???????? Portugal — certified Portuguese translation always required
• ???????? Brazil — certified Portuguese translation always required
• ???????? Spain — confirm with your specific consulate
• ???????? France — certified French translation required
• ???????? Mexico — certified Spanish translation required
• ???????? UK / ???????? Australia / ???????? Singapore — no translation required

If your country requires translation, MR Fingerprints coordinates certified translation in all major languages — delivered alongside your apostilled document as one complete package. You do not need a separate translation provider.

Step 5 — Watch Your 90-Day Clock

What If You Already Have Your FBI Results But No Deadline Yet?

Even if your consulate appointment or application is months away, getting the apostille done now is the smarter move. Here is why:

• The State Department is only open for in-person submissions Monday through Thursday, 7:30am–9:00am — a 16-hour window per month. Our DC partner submits daily, but appointment backlogs can affect timing.
• Processing times can fluctuate. Right now, expedited is 7–10 business days. If volume increases, that could stretch. Submitting now locks in current timing.
• You will have one less thing to manage when your application window opens. The apostille is done, the document is in hand, you focus on everything else.

The Complete Next Steps — Summary

5. Do not modify the document
6. Confirm you need a federal apostille (not state, not embassy legalization)
7. Email your FBI PDF to MR Fingerprints — we handle the rest
8. Confirm whether your country needs a certified translation — we handle that too
9. Watch your 90-day validity window — do not wait

????  Email your FBI PDF → [email protected]

????  Message us with questions → Message Us

????  Call us → 213.761.5883