When apostille for national government documents for a visa or work permit abroad, many documents must have a Federal Apostille Service Process before they can be accepted in the foreign country. This means that the document must be authenticated at the Department of State in Washington, D.C. During high-demand periods, the processing time can be longer. It is important to know this ahead of time so that you can plan accordingly.

FBI Background Checks

Apostilles are needed for many federal documents, including fingerprint-based background checks from the FBI. The apostille process for the FBI typically takes several days to a few weeks. If you have a tight deadline, there are expedited services available to reduce the wait time.

Social Security Documents

The Social Security Administration issues internationally recognized documents like:

FDA Documents

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issues internationally recognized documents such as:

Phytosanitary Certificates

Often required for international importation of plants and agricultural products, these documents must be apostilled to be valid in other countries. For speedy service, it is helpful to contact the FDA directly and ask about their processing times. In some cases, it may be necessary to have the document signed by a specific official and notarized before the apostille is issued. If this is the case, it is important to have a reliable notary who can quickly sign the document before the apostille deadline. The apostille process will then be completed within one to three business days.