Expedited West Virginia FBI Apostille Services
West Virginia residents who need an FBI background check apostilled for use abroad cannot get it done at the State Capitol. It is a federal apostille, issued in Washington, DC. Apostille Authentications receives your FBI result by email, has the request hand-carried to the U.S. Department of State, and sends the finished document to your West Virginia address by FedEx in 10 business days.
Call (971) 514-3743 or request a quote.
- Ensure your documents are processed without delay
- Speak with our experts for personalized assistance
- Discover how we can expedite your apostille process
Why Charleston cannot apostille your FBI background check
In West Virginia, apostilles and certifications are issued by the Secretary of State at the State Capitol Building in Charleston. The office authenticates documents attested by West Virginia officials: birth, death and marriage certificates, court orders, recorded deeds, wills, diplomas, and documents such as powers of attorney that were properly notarized in West Virginia.
On FBI checks the Secretary of State’s website is blunt. It says FBI background checks that need an apostille or certification must go through the U.S. Department of State, and adds in capitals: “DO NOT SEND” them to the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office. The competent authority is the Department of State Office of Authentications.
Two things West Virginia clients should know:
- A State Police record check is a different document. The West Virginia State Police Criminal Identification Bureau issues state criminal record checks, with fingerprinting and appointments handled through its vendor, IdentoGO. That is a West Virginia State Police record, not the FBI Identity History Summary. When a consulate’s checklist says FBI, federal or national, it means the FBI report.
- Living near Washington does not shorten the federal queue. Clients in Martinsburg, Charles Town and Harpers Ferry are a short drive from DC, but the apostille still has to be requested from the Office of Authentications with the correct form. Our Herndon, Virginia office already hand-carries requests there, so there is no need for you to make the trip.
For West Virginia birth certificates, court documents or notarized papers, see state apostille services.
How it works from West Virginia
- Have your prints taken locally. You can get an ink FD-1164 card at a police department, sheriff’s office or fingerprinting vendor. The other route is electronic: register on the FBI’s eDO site, then visit a participating U.S. Post Office. Both lead to the same request for an FBI Identity History Summary, which costs $18 at the FBI.
- FBI result. You receive a PDF bearing the FBI watermark and a division official’s signature.
- Email it to us. Send the PDF with a copy of your passport photo page. We check that the name and date of birth agree before the request is filed.
- Department of State. We complete Form DS-4194, and the Herndon office hand-carries the file to the Office of Authentications. No DOJ certification is required for an FBI result. It goes to the Department of State directly.
- Shipping. FedEx to your door in West Virginia, or FedEx or DHL to an address overseas.
Apostille Authentications has no office in West Virginia and takes no fingerprints there. We start work when your FBI PDF arrives.
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Certified translation and discounted shipping.
West Virginia pricing and turnaround
| Service | Price | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| Expedited FBI apostille (you already have the FBI result) | $390 | 10 business days |
| Standard FBI apostille | $195 | 7–8 weeks |
Turnaround is measured from the day your FBI PDF reaches us. Hand delivery in Washington accounts for the faster service.
Where we serve West Virginia clients
Statewide, by email and FedEx. That includes Charleston and Huntington, the university city of Morgantown, Parkersburg and Wheeling along the Ohio River, Beckley in the south, and Martinsburg and Charles Town in the Eastern Panhandle. Someone in Clarksburg or Fairmont follows the same five steps and gets the same 10 business days.
Why West Virginians need an apostilled FBI check
Common destinations for our West Virginia clients include Spain and Italy for residency, study and citizenship by descent, South Korea and Japan for teaching visas, and Mexico and Panama for retirement and residency. Germany and Australia ask for an apostilled FBI check in some work visa cases.
Spain, Mexico and Panama will expect a Spanish translation, and Italy an Italian one. Certified translation can be added to your order. Because many authorities only accept an FBI check issued within the last 3 to 6 months, schedule your fingerprints with your application date in mind.
Read more about the federal process on our FBI apostille services page.
FAQ
Can the West Virginia Secretary of State apostille an FBI background check?
No. The office in Charleston authenticates documents attested by West Virginia officials and West Virginia notaries. Its website tells applicants not to send FBI background checks there, because they must go through the U.S. Department of State.
How fast is an expedited FBI apostille in West Virginia?
10 business days after we receive your FBI result. The standard option takes 7–8 weeks.
Can I submit a West Virginia State Police record check instead?
Only where the foreign authority asked for a state police record. The Criminal Identification Bureau’s check is a state document. If the requirement names the FBI, you need the FBI Identity History Summary.
I am in Morgantown or Huntington. Do I need to go to Charleston?
No. Charleston has no role in an FBI apostille and we do not have a West Virginia office. You email the PDF and we ship the apostille by FedEx.
I live in the Eastern Panhandle. Should I take it to Washington myself?
You do not need to. Our Herndon, Virginia office hand-carries the request to the Office of Authentications and we return the apostille to Martinsburg, Charles Town or wherever you are.
Start your West Virginia FBI apostille
Call (971) 514-3743, message us on WhatsApp, or request a quote. Let us know the destination country and your deadline.
