What to Do After You Get Your FBI Background Check

Getting your FBI background check back is a milestone, but it is not the finish line. Before you can submit it as part of your Spanish visa application, there are two more steps you need to complete. If you have not yet gotten your background check, see our guide on how to get an FBI background check first.

Step 1: Get the Apostille
An apostille is a certification that validates a document for international use. Think of it as an official stamp of authenticity that tells foreign governments the document is legitimate. For your FBI background check to be accepted in Spain, it needs to have this apostille attached.

You can get the apostille one of two ways through the US Department of State. The first is to mail your background check in, which is straightforward but slow — processing by mail can take two to three months. The second option is to drop it off in person at the Department of State's office in Washington, D.C., which brings the turnaround down to about two weeks.

If you have someone in the D.C. area who can do that drop-off and pickup for you, that is the way to go. If not, Blueprint Spain offers an expedited FBI apostille service where we handle the drop-off and pickup on your behalf and then scan or mail the apostilled document back to you.

Step 2: Get a Sworn Translation
Once your background check has been apostilled, it needs to be translated into Spanish. This is not something you can do yourself, and it is definitely not something to hand off to an AI tool. Running your document through ChatGPT or any other translation software will not be accepted.

The translation must be completed by a sworn translator who is officially licensed by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Blueprint Spain works with trusted sworn translators who do excellent work. Just reach out and we will connect you.