Description
Order an Expedited FBI Background Check Apostille, Federal Hague Apostille
- Faster than All Other Apostille Services with In-Person Drop Off Service at Federal Office of Authentications
- Average Turnaround Time is 7-10 business days (around 2.5 weeks) as of November 2024
- We Also Provide Non-Expedited Apostille Service, if you have extra time
- Direct Service with Dan Hickman, Ph.D.
- Unlike other services, you don’t have to trust your documents to an inexperienced employee.
- Dan has processed federal apostilles personally for over eighteen years.
- Dan orders and processes all federal apostilles personally, no outsourcing.
- Dan is available by phone, text, email 60+ hours per week and will always return emails/texts promptly.
- We will walk-in, drop off your background check(s) in-person at the federal authentications office in DC.
- This is the fastest non-emergency method to receive a federal apostille.
- Shipping from our office to you (or another address) can be added at checkout.
- We always scan/email all apostilles before shipping.
- We Never Provide State-Level or DC District-Level Apostilles in place of Federal Apostilles
- Order Processing Takes Only 5 Minutes with PDF Upload
- We Complete Form DS-4194 and All Necessary Paperwork
- Translation to Spanish, French, Portuguese and Italian Available (Not Included)
- Better Customer Service, Call or Email Anytime (No Receptionists or 3rd Party Answering Services)
- No Gimmicks, No Fees, No Minimum Rates
- International Service: Worldwide Shipping Available
Example Apostille Issued by the United States Department of State
Dan Hickman, Ph.D., and his small US-based team is able to process federal apostilles for your FBI background check directly from the Federal Authentications Office in D.C. Dan completes nearly all of the apostille process personally; his team deals with accounting and other non-essential parts of the process.
What makes us different: we never charge extra/hidden fees, we provide simple pricing, and our service is always faster than all other US-based apostille services, guaranteed. Additionally, when you work with us, you will work directly with Dan Hickman, who has processed apostilles personally for over eighteen years.
As for processing time, we will walk-in, drop off your background check(s) in-person at the federal authentications office in DC, which is the fastest non-emergency method to receive a federal apostille. Current processing takes about 7-10 business days (not calendar days), which is about two weeks as the authentications office is not open on Fridays. We quote around two weeks as we have to receive the document and scan/ship back to you, and complete certified and sworn translations, when necessary.
Additionally, we do not overprice shipping as you will need the completed, apostilled background check shipped to you. We only charge what USPS, FedEx and DHL charge us and pass our discounts and shipping experience on to you.
NOTE: You must send your background check to us. Simply email or upload (at checkout) the official electronic, PDF version, that is, the document issued by the FBI or an approved channeler. If you did not receive the digital version, you will need to ship the original paper copy background check to us.
APOSTILLE PROCESSING TIME: Although the Federal Authentication Office’s website states that turnaround time may be over twelve weeks, we obtain most federal apostilles in 7-10 business days (around 2.5 weeks as of November 2024) with our acclaimed expedited ordering process.
DISCLAIMER: We are glad to provide this service and have ordered many federal apostilles in the past eighteen years, so there is a smaller chance of delays due to errors, and we always use expedited shipping. Using our services will save time, guaranteed; however, delays may occur in processing at the Department of State, and we are unable to control their processing times. We update processing times monthly.
TOTAL COST: In the United States, there are many agencies willing to process apostilles on your behalf for a fee; most charge $200+ per document, depending on the service selected. We charge only $195, including all federal fees and in-person drop off service of your document. Additionally, you will need to add shipping from our office to you, your attorney, on another address at checkout. The government will process your background check apostille and then we will pick it up in person, from which point we will scan/email/ship to you. We only charge what USPS, FedEx and DHL charge us.
FAQs, FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
- PDF vs Original Hard Copy, which is better? They are 100% the same and the finished product is 100% the same. The printed, mailed copy no longer has ink signatures, which is why the apostille is so important. If you submit the PDF, we will print and submit pursuant to government rules and regulations, and the apostille (signed/sealed) will be permanently attached to the printed background check.
- Should I notarize my background check? No, absolutely not. Notarized background checks will be rejected and returned. The website for the authentications office mentions notarization, but it is referring to state-level documents such as powers of attorney, etc. Documents issued by the federal government should not be notarized as the federal agent’s signature (Chris Ormerod) is what needs to be authenticated and validated, not that of the notary.
- Is there any way expedite the apostille process further? Yes, if you have a documented life or death emergency, you can petition for in-person same day service in DC; however, your appointment will need to be approved in advance by the Federal Office of Authentications, and if approved, you will need to travel to DC. Otherwise, our drop off and pick up service is as fast as it gets. Our goal is to get your background check to DC as quickly as possible; nonetheless, the government is required by federal law to process in order. Our system is designed to obtain your apostille as quickly as possible, and we do everything possible to make that happen.
- Do I need to select a shipping option at checkout? If you need the original, hard-copy apostille, yes. We always scan/email the apostilled background check; however, only a few countries will accept a digital, scanned version. If you need the original shipped to you, that is, more than just the scanned/PDF, please select a shipping option at checkout.
- Can I change my address after the order has been placed? Yes, of course. We always email/call/text once your document ships from DC to our office to confirm shipping details. At that point, you can adjust shipping methods, change the shipping address, request international shipping and so on. If you are unsure of the final destination of your apostille, just select “no shipping” at checkout and you will be able to adjust or add shipping once we scan/email the apostille to you.
SUBMISSION: You will need to send your FBI Background Check to us in one of two ways:
- EMAIL/UPLOAD: If you selected the electronic, email option from the FBI or an approved channeler, simply email or upload (after payment) the official PDF version to us. This file must be the PDF file issued by the FBI or a channeler, not a scanned version of the mailed, paper copy.
- MAIL/FEDEX: If you selected the paper copies from the FBI. You can mail or FedEx your FBI report to us. We will provide our mailing/shipping address by email.
INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING: We are glad to ship your apostilled background check to any country in the world via FedEx or DHL. Paying $55 for international shipping at checkout is a deposit only; if the actual rate is less, we will refund the balance, if more, we will send an invoice before shipping. Rates will be calculated and confirmed before your apostille arrives to our office.
Any doubts, questions or concerns, call or email us. We never use call centers or answering services, and Dan takes a lot of calls, all day, every day. If you can’t get in touch, please try back in a few minutes or send an email. Most emails are answered in an hour or less.
Dan Hickman, Ph.D., Southeast Spanish, Inc., info@sespanish.com
877.374.0095 (office), 877.376.2085 (cell), 865.777.1177 (international)
Ramiro Hernandez –
I have no words to express how satisfied I am with my apostille orders. Dan and his company are extremely professional, and with a quick turn-around. AMAZING!!!!
Christopher Boyd –
Super helpful and knowledgeable, this service allowed me to understand how to get the documents I was needing to work and marry abroad as a US Citizen in time for flights.
Ryan Gittins (verified owner) –
SE Spanish offers an incredibly streamlined service accompanied by close communication throughout the entire process and rapid turnaround time. I was dreading the necessary paperwork to get visas in Peru but SES made it very easy. The ordering process was very clear and efficient and took probably two minutes. I received an automated confirmation immediately and a personal confirmation from Dan within an hour. The US govt was delayed during our process and Dan wrote on multiple occasions to keep us updated and assure us that he would mail the necessary documents the same day he received them, which he did. All of which was well worth the fee, was a huge help, and helped manage our stress levels as we had little time left on our Peruvian visa. Many thanks Southeast Spanish, Inc :).
Silvia Costa Pasquini –
Dan has been wonderful to work with. My daughter needed to apostile her FBI background check for a Spanish Visa, Dan was extremely professional, honest, patient, and prompt with every question and request. He went above and beyond other service providers. For example, I had requested and paid for a Fedex next day delivery, which was delayed because of Fedex’s own internal issues. Without any need for me to request, Dan proactively offered to ask Fedex for a refund, and within hours refunded my credit card account. Dan understand the importance the apostile process has in people’s lives and he makes sure to have the process done in a timely, organized, and professional fashion. I would use Dan again if I needed, and recommend him without any reservations. Thank you Dan for the excellent quality of your service!
Kyra Salamon (verified owner) –
Dan was so helpful and got me exactly what I needed as quickly as possible. I am moving to Spain this month, and I found out I needed an apostille very late in the process. I am now going to make it there on time for my job to start, thanks to Dan. Knowing that there is no expediting apostilles once they are in D.C., Dan ships the apostilles to-and-from the day he gets them, so that there is as little delay as possible; the overnight shipping cost is completely worth every penny and very affordable. Additionally, he sent updates as often as he could on the status, and emailed me the translation even earlier than the apostille. Whenever I emailed him a question to check the status and/or verify info, he responded within five minutes or less every single time. I also found out helpful info from him, such as the fact that if an FBI background check is notarized before sending it to D.C., it would be considered invalid. I will absolutely recommend his services to all in the future who are going through the immigration process.
Inbal (verified owner) –
Dan made the Apostille process so manageable. He was super prompt. Highly recommend!
Mateo L. (verified owner) –
They did an amazing job with the apostille and translation process, if I were to do it by myself I would probably mess something up. They took care of all the difficult and confusing process in the best time frame possible. Thank you!!!
Susan (verified owner) –
Dan should be your first and only stop in acquiring an Apostille. I made the costly mistake of going somewhere else first. Dan knew exactly what went wrong. He is completely knowledgeable as to what countries require what paperwork in acquiring visas. He is a pleasure to deal with. Fast, accurate and professional service!
Gilda Joffe –
Working with Dan was a real pleasure after dealing with so many unresponsive companies and agencies. Obviously Dan is a busy man because of all the services that he provides, – however he makes you feel like his number one priority, by answering all emails promptly with the best information he can give you at the time. If only all companies were like this! Thank you Dan.
Cathy Marvin –
Dan was excellent at communicating and knowlegable about the whole process. Highly recommend.
Monique Feldman –
EXCELLENT SERVICE. Very Impressive. I would use this company again and highly recommend Dan.
Julio (verified owner) –
I needed an official document apostilled and translated to Portuguese – as a first timer, sending your originals to the unknown is a leap of faith: Dan made it all very easy with rapid and super transparent communication every step of the way! Top recommendation!
Joscelyn B. –
I used Dans’ services to complete a few documents for my upcoming MBA program in Spain. He was extremely helpful, knowledgeable and responsive, which made an already stressful process from a visa standpoint a bit easier. I will continue to refer Dan to students in the future.
Maurice (verified owner) –
I am in Europe and needed an Apostille done for my FBI background check that I already had done. I didnt know were togo and I luckily came across Dan and his team browsing google. I read the comments left from others and they seemed legit. I gave Dan a call and told him what I needed and my worries. He made everything very ez. If you are looking for a place to do Apostille stuff, well you have come to the right spot. I give them 5 stars and if I could give 10 stars I would. Thanks again Dan.
Morgan D –
Dan and his team were wonderful to work with and took the hassle and stress out of the Apostille process. The communication was quick and clear. Highly recommend!