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
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)
Jake (verified owner) –
Very fast, responds very quickly. Definitely worth it, saved me a bunch of time.
Gretchen Conrad –
This service is so worth it! I had to get a background check done for a student visa and the wording around getting it certified through the Apostille is so weird and difficult to understand. I nearly gave up several times, but I’m so glad I found SESpanish and Dan’s service. He did an awesome job and returned my apostille to me in a very timely manner. Of course a lot of it depends on the government itself, but he kept me updated almost the entire time. Definitely use his services and his work, it’s so worth the money and less hassle for you!
Kevin Pirko –
Fast, easy, efficient, excellent customer service, everything happened according to plan and helped us get a Spanish student visa in a short window. Highly recommend using this service.
Devin Kennedy (verified owner) –
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! I needed an apostille on a background check for a visa application for the NALCAP program in Spain. Dan was very quick to respond to my questions and made sure to answer all of them thoroughly! For those that are worried about the part that says it’s “not valid at the Spanish Consulate in Los Angeles,” that’s only referring to the translation part, not the apostille/authentication part. I raised this concern and Dan was quick to reassure me that he knew ways around it. He kept me informed throughout the whole process with timeline updates, and he let me know when my apostille was almost ready to be sent out. I highly recommend using this site for several reasons: the quick response times, quick turnaround times, and the transparency and honesty of the team. Great customer service all around! Thank you so much for everything, Dan!!!
Ryan Brooks (verified owner) –
Excellent service and extremely fast! I need an apostle for some paperwork in Slovenia, and it was in my mailbox in less than 3 weeks from submission! Talk about a lifesaver; I would have had to restart the 3-month process if it were not for Dan! I highly recommend using his services if you need something done correctly and quickly. I will always come back to this business for their services. Thank you so much!!
Allison Ahern (verified owner) –
Dan was so helpful. I received my apostle and translation in 3 weeks and was updated at every step by a personal email from Dan. I would recommend this service to everyone.
Greg (verified owner) –
Awesome service! Quick and responsive to every message or email and also helped me understand exactly what I needed for my visas for Spain. Highly recommend!
Alihan (verified owner) –
Very efficient and professional, received my apostille in 3 weeks, thanks a lot!
Molly Jensen (verified owner) –
Wonderful service! I appreciated the regular updates Dan sent about the status of my order, and he answered all of my questions promptly and thoroughly. The whole process was convenient, and my apostille and translation arrived in a timely manner.
Mark Cooney (verified owner) –
WOW! I was totally blown away with this service. Dan and company, basicallly held my hand through the whole procedure. he always took the time to talk, communicate and assure me, that all would go well. AND IT DID! I highly recommend this service. Did everything from A to Z.
So glad I picked his company to handle my precious documents.
Paulina Martinez (verified owner) –
Thank you Dan for everything
Needed some papers for my Spanish Passport and everything worked out very well
Dr. Fausto Hilario (verified owner) –
Without a doubt Dan is the consummate professional in his field. Working beyond normal hours to resolve my documentation issues ( without adding any additional fees) demonstrates he really cares about each and every client. I highly recommend Dr. Hickman and his professional team without any reservations. So happy my friend David recommended him to me before I started my search on the internet for a reliable source. Thank you Dan!
Debra C –
This service took all of the complications out of obtaining the Apostille needed to volunteer out of the country. Dan answered my questions and followed through on every issue. It was the best price I found. Now that it is finished in a quicker time than expected, I will use them again in the future. Highly recommended.
Omri –
Dan Hickman helped me get a document apostilled. He was very informative and speedy. 10/10—very good experience.
Tatiana A (verified owner) –
I’m impressed by the service! Before placing the order I called Dan and he answered all my questions. He’s very knowledgeable and responds very quickly to any answers or emails. I got my apostille back in exactly two weeks. I received the Apostille attached to my background check in the mail, along with the translations, copies, and certificate of translations. I 100% recommend this service!