Frequently Asked Questions: FBI Background Checks & Apostilles for Official Documents

Yes, you must submit the federal FBI Identity History Summary (background check). Spanish authorities reject state or county background checks.

The background check needs to have been issued within six months of submitting your visa application.

No. The report must be less than six months old.

Yes. Each person aged 18 or older must submit an individual report, apostille, and sworn translation. Minors under 18 are usually exempt.

Not necessarily. Spain focuses on offences carrying potential sentences over one year. Misdemeanors are often allowed, but each case is reviewed individually.

Using a approved channeler with Live Scan is fastest. Most people will receive a digital copy of the background check within hours to a couple days after doing the Live Scan. Mailing ink fingerprints generally takes three weeks, but can be delayed. Check our guide here.

Many Spanish police stations offer fingerprinting. You would then mail those prints with your application to the FBI or use a channeler that accepts mailed cards. See our guide here.

You simply submit a new set. Live Scan centers usually re-scan at no extra charge.

No. Print the digital copy out yourself. This document is acceptable for apostille and translation.

Yes. Provide a background check from every country where you spent six months or more in the last five years, each legalized or apostilled and officially translated (if not already in Spanish).

Expect about $50 for Live Scan fingerprints and FBI background check channeler fee.

No. The apostille and the sworn translation are sufficient.

An apostille is a certificate issued under the Hague Convention that legalizes an official government document for international use. Apostilles are normally issued by the state and federal Departments of State.

Only the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. may apostille this federal document; state authorities cannot.

No. They will only apostille an original FBI report or a printed PDF that shows the FBI's digital signature. Photocopies are rejected.

The certificate never expires, but consulates require the background check to be issued less than 6 months before you submit your application.

Normal processing (mail-in) runs six to eight weeks. Using an expedited courier service usually cuts the wait to five to ten business days. Blueprint Spain offers an expedited apostille service. You can request an expedited FBI background check apostille by contacting us here.

Yes. You can mail the report from Spain to the Department of State yourself or hire a courier like Blueprint Spain to handle payment, delivery, and return shipping for you.

Translate after apostille. Sworn translators must translate the background check and the apostille.

No. Each document (for example, each family member's FBI report) requires its own separate apostille.

Only the Secretary of State of the state that issued the certificate can apostille it.

You must submit an original certified copy (security paper or raised seal) signed by the state registrar.

Always request the apostille from the state that issued the marriage certificate, no matter where you live now. You can mail the request from any state or from abroad.

Most state apostille offices accept any undamaged certified copy, but Spanish consulates typically want it issued within the last 3-6 months. Ordering a fresh copy is the safest route.

Turnaround varies by state: 1-4 weeks by mail is typical. Many states offer same-day or 24-hour service for walk-in or courier requests, and some allow paid "expedite" mail options.

Translate after the apostille is attached. The sworn translator must include the apostille text in the certified translation.

No. A document can only be apostilled by the country that issued it. You must obtain the apostille (or equivalent legalisation) from the foreign authority where the marriage was registered.

Only the Secretary of State in the state where the company is registered can apostille the certificate.

You must submit an original, state-issued Certificate of Good Standing (sometimes called Certificate of Status). Sometimes this will be issued as PDF other times it will be sent to you via mail. Depends on the state.

No. A Certificate of Good Standing already bears the official signature and seal of the state registrar, so an extra notarization is unnecessary.

Spain requires the certificate to be issued within 6 months. Order a fresh copy to avoid any issues.

By mail, most states take 1-3 weeks. Many offer same-day or 24-hour service for walk-in or courier submissions, and some allow paid "expedited" mail processing for an extra fee.

Only if the state can still issue a current status certificate. Once the entity is fully dissolved and removed from the register, most states will not issue a Certificate of Good Standing, hence no apostille is possible.

The apostille itself never expires.