The criminal background check apostille is a document that verifies the authenticity of the signature, seal and stamp of a notary public or consular officer in the United States. It is used for international documents and is not valid for use in any US state.
It may be required for:
- Traveling outside of the United States and entering Canada, Mexico, or any other country that requires a criminal background check;
- Getting a passport;
- Applying for a visa;
- Applying for citizenship;
- Obtaining employment at a foreign embassy or consulate, or applying for a job with an international company;
- Applying for academic scholarships, fellowships, grants or internships abroad.
What is an Apostille Certificate?
An Apostille Certificate is a certificate issued by a Secretary of State or equivalent foreign official that certifies the authenticity of a signature on a document from the United States. The Apostille Certificate allows for international recognition of the document based on its seal, so long as you have it notarized in order to be accepted in some countries.
How does it work?
You will need to obtain an Apostille Certificate for any criminal history report issued by a third party. You can obtain this from your local Secretary of State’s office or other government agency authorized to issue such certificates or you can hire apostille criminal record service to get your criminal background check apostilled. The apostille itself is simply placed on the front of your original criminal history report.