Federal Apostille Courier Service

U.S. Department of State Apostille & Authentication Courier in Washington, DC

Need a federal apostille for an FBI background check or another U.S. federal document?

A Washington Travel & Passport Visa Services, Inc. (VisaDC) provides professional Federal Apostille Courier Services for individuals, businesses, attorneys, immigration professionals, and international clients who need U.S. federal documents authenticated for use abroad.

Located in the Washington, DC area, VisaDC can submit eligible federal documents to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications for an Apostille Certificate or Authentication Certificate, depending on the country where the document will be used.

Federal Apostille Processing

U.S. Department of State Fee: $20 per document
VisaDC Service Fee: $108 per document
Total: $128 per document

FedEx 2-Day Return Shipping: $18 within the United States

Current U.S. Department of State walk-in processing: approximately 7 business days after submission

VisaDC submits federal authentication requests during the U.S. Department of State’s public walk-in submission hours, Monday through Thursday.

Need assistance?

Call (703) 435-1422
Email info@visadc.com

We Accept the Official FBI eDO PDF

There’s no need to wait for a paper copy from the FBI. We accept the official electronic FBI Identity History Summary (eDO PDF) issued directly by the FBI, allowing you to begin the apostille process sooner.

📍 Offices in Reston, VA and Washington, DC

📞 Toll-Free: 1-877-721-7678 | ✉️ Email: info@visadc.com

– A Completed Authentication Request Form (PDF).

What Is a Federal Apostille?

A federal apostille is an Apostille Certificate issued by the U.S. Department of State for an eligible document issued or signed by a U.S. federal official.

Federal apostilles are generally used when a qualifying U.S. federal document will be presented in another country that participates in the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention.

The U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications issues both Apostille Certificates and Authentication Certificates.

The destination country determines which certificate is required.

Apostille Certificate

An Apostille Certificate is generally used when the document will be presented in a country participating in the Hague Apostille Convention.

Authentication Certificate

An Authentication Certificate is generally used when the document will be presented in a country that is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention.

Some non-Hague countries may also require additional legalization through their embassy or consulate after U.S. Department of State authentication.

VisaDC can help determine the appropriate authentication process based on your document and destination country.

Federal Documents We Can Assist With

VisaDC can assist with many documents issued by U.S. federal agencies, including:

• FBI Background Checks / FBI Identity History Summaries
• Federal Court Documents
• Social Security Administration Documents
• IRS Certifications, including certain U.S. Tax Residency documents
• U.S. Department of Agriculture documents
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office documents
• Certain Department of Homeland Security documents
• Office of Personnel Management documents
• Environmental Protection Agency documents
• Certain federal agency letters and certifications
• Other eligible U.S. federal documents

Not every document qualifies automatically. Federal documents generally must meet the U.S. Department of State’s requirements concerning the issuing authority, signature, seal, certification, and date of issuance.

Contact VisaDC before sending your documents if you are unsure whether your document qualifies.

FBI Background Check Apostille

One of the most common federal apostille requests we handle is the FBI Background Check Apostille.

An FBI Identity History Summary may be requested for:

• Immigration
• Residency permits
• Work permits
• Employment overseas
• Citizenship applications
• Student visas
• Long-term visas
• Marriage abroad
• Professional licensing
• Foreign government applications

Because an FBI Identity History Summary is a federal document issued through the U.S. Department of Justice/FBI, an eligible FBI background check requiring an apostille for international use is submitted to the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications.

Can VisaDC Process an FBI Background Check PDF?

Yes. If you received an official FBI Identity History Summary electronically through the FBI’s electronic process, contact us and email the official FBI PDF for review.

In many cases, we can begin the federal apostille process using the qualifying official FBI electronic document.

Email your FBI PDF to:
info@visadc.com

We will review it before processing.

Federal Apostille Cost

Our standard federal apostille pricing is straightforward.

Per Document

U.S. Department of State Fee: $20
VisaDC Federal Apostille Service Fee: $108

Total: $128 per document

Return Shipping

FedEx 2-Day: $18 within the United States

International return shipping is also available.

FedEx International: $60
Typical international delivery is approximately 2–6 business days, depending on destination and carrier conditions.

Payment Options

We accept:

• Credit/Debit Card
• Zelle
• Cash
• Money Order
• Check

Credit/debit card payments are subject to a 3.5% processing fee.

Zelle payments are subject to a $2 processing fee.

How Long Does a Federal Apostille Take?

For qualifying walk-in requests, the U.S. Department of State currently states that it processes requests within 7 business days.

VisaDC submits eligible federal authentication requests during the Department of State’s public walk-in submission period, which is currently Monday through Thursday.

There is no public walk-in submission on Friday.

Processing times are controlled by the U.S. Department of State and can change. Shipping time should also be added when calculating your total turnaround.

If you have an upcoming international deadline, visa appointment, residency application, or travel date, tell us before sending your documents.

How Our Federal Apostille Courier Service Works

Step 1 – Send Your Document to VisaDC

Contact us with:

• Type of document
• Country where the document will be used
• Your deadline, if applicable

For certain electronically issued federal documents, such as qualifying FBI background checks, you may be able to email the official PDF to us for review.

For documents requiring an original or certified paper document, mail or deliver the document to our Reston office.

Step 2 – VisaDC Reviews Your Document

We review your document to determine whether it appears ready for submission and whether the destination generally calls for an Apostille Certificate or Authentication Certificate.

Step 3 – We Prepare the Federal Submission

VisaDC prepares the authentication request for submission to the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications.

The destination country is important because it determines the type of certificate requested.

Step 4 – Courier Submission to the U.S. Department of State

VisaDC submits qualifying requests during the Department of State’s available walk-in submission period.

The Department of State currently permits walk-in drop-off and pickup Monday through Thursday and states that qualifying walk-in requests are processed within 7 business days.

Step 5 – Completed Apostille or Authentication

Once the U.S. Department of State completes the request, VisaDC retrieves the processed documents.

Step 6 – Scan and Return Shipping

Upon request, we can email a scan of the completed document before shipping.

The completed documents can then be returned by FedEx within the United States or internationally.

Federal Apostille vs. State Apostille

One of the most common apostille mistakes is sending a document to the wrong government authority.

The correct apostille authority generally depends on who issued or certified the document.

Federal Documents

Examples:

FBI Background Check
→ U.S. Department of State

Federal Court Document
→ May require U.S. Department of State processing depending on the certification

Federal Agency Document
→ U.S. Department of State when eligible

IRS Certification of U.S. Tax Residency
→ Federal authentication process when eligible

State Documents

State-issued or state-notarized documents generally follow the appropriate state’s apostille process.

Examples include:

Virginia Birth Certificate
→ Commonwealth of Virginia

Virginia Marriage Certificate
→ Commonwealth of Virginia

California Birth Certificate
→ California Secretary of State

DC Notarized Document
→ District of Columbia authentication/apostille process

If the document is intended for a non-Hague country, additional state, federal, and/or embassy authentication steps may apply.

Contact VisaDC if you are unsure which process applies.

Apostille vs. Authentication: Which Do I Need?

The answer primarily depends on the country where the document will be used.

Hague Convention Country

If the destination participates in the Hague Apostille Convention and your qualifying federal document requires certification for use there, the U.S. Department of State may issue an Apostille Certificate.

Examples can include countries such as:

Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Bulgaria and many other Hague Convention countries.

Non-Hague Country

If the destination is not covered by the Hague Apostille Convention for the relevant process, you may need a U.S. Department of State Authentication Certificate instead.

Additional embassy or consular legalization may also be required.

Because treaty status and foreign-document requirements can change, VisaDC recommends confirming the requirements for the destination country before beginning the process.

Do Federal Documents Need to Be Notarized?

Generally, you should not notarize an original federal document simply to obtain a federal apostille.

The U.S. Department of State specifically instructs applicants not to notarize qualifying original federal documents for this process.

An eligible federal document should generally contain the appropriate federal official’s signature, printed name and title, agency seal, date of issuance, and other required elements.

If you are uncertain about your document, send us a copy for review before altering or notarizing it.

Do I Need Form DS-4194?

The U.S. Department of State requires Form DS-4194, Request for Authentication Services, as part of an authentication or apostille request.

VisaDC prepares the federal submission paperwork as part of our courier service.

The most important information we need from you includes the country where the document will be used, because that information determines the requested certification.

Why Use a Federal Apostille Courier?

Individuals can submit qualifying authentication requests directly to the U.S. Department of State. Using VisaDC is an optional private courier service for customers who prefer assistance with document review, submission preparation, physical drop-off/pickup, and return delivery.

The Department of State currently publishes different processing procedures based on the submission method.

For qualifying requests associated with travel in 2–3 weeks, its Washington, DC walk-in service currently provides processing within approximately 7 business days.

For customers whose travel is five weeks or more away, the Department of State currently directs applicants to use its mail-in service and states that those requests are processed within approximately five weeks after receipt.

VisaDC’s Washington, DC-area federal apostille courier service is designed for customers who want professional assistance managing the submission process.

Why Choose VisaDC?

Washington, DC Area Courier

VisaDC operates in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and handles document authentication requests for customers throughout the United States and abroad.

Federal Apostille Experience

We regularly assist customers with FBI background checks and other federal documents requiring U.S. Department of State processing.

Document Review

Before processing, we can review your documents to help identify common submission problems.

Domestic and International Customers

You do not need to live in Washington, DC.

Documents can be sent to us from anywhere in the United States or internationally.

Return Shipping

We offer domestic and international FedEx return delivery.

Scan Before Shipping

If requested, we can email a scanned copy of the completed apostille or authentication before returning the documents.

Federal Apostille Service for Customers Nationwide

VisaDC provides federal apostille courier assistance to customers throughout the United States, including:

Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Florida, California, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and all other U.S. states.

You do not need to travel to Washington, DC.

Send your qualifying documents to VisaDC, and our team can coordinate the federal apostille or authentication submission on your behalf.

We also serve U.S. citizens and other customers currently living overseas who need U.S. federal documents authenticated for use abroad.

Frequently Asked Questions About Federal Apostilles

Where do I get an apostille for an FBI background check?

Eligible FBI Identity History Summaries requiring a federal apostille are processed through the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications.

VisaDC provides a courier service for submitting qualifying FBI background checks for federal apostille processing.

How much does an FBI apostille cost through VisaDC?

Our standard price is:

U.S. Department of State fee: $20

VisaDC service fee: $108

Total: $128 per document

Return shipping is additional.

How long does an FBI apostille take?

The Department of State currently states that qualifying walk-in requests are processed within approximately 7 business days.

Shipping and VisaDC intake/return handling time should be added to the total turnaround.

Can I email my FBI background check?

If you received an official FBI Identity History Summary electronically, email the official PDF to info@visadc.com for review.

We can confirm whether the file appears suitable for our submission process.

Do I need the original FBI background check?

This depends on the version of the FBI document you received. Official electronically issued FBI documents may be handled differently from ordinary scans or photocopies.

Send us the official file for review before mailing anything.

Can someone else submit my documents to the Department of State?

Yes. The U.S. Department of State currently states that another person may drop off and pick up documents on an applicant’s behalf, provided its applicable requirements are followed.

VisaDC provides this courier service for qualifying submissions.

How many federal documents can be submitted?

The U.S. Department of State currently limits its walk-in service to one request per day with a maximum of 15 documents for one customer or company.

Contact us in advance if you have a large-volume request.

Is an apostille the same as authentication?

No.

An apostille is generally used for qualifying documents going to countries participating in the Hague Apostille Convention.

An Authentication Certificate is generally used for documents going to countries outside that system.

Non-Hague destinations may require additional embassy legalization.

Can VisaDC handle embassy legalization after federal authentication?

Yes, VisaDC can assist with legalization for many foreign embassies in Washington, DC when additional embassy processing is required.

Requirements and consular fees vary by country.

Can you ship my completed documents internationally?

Yes.

VisaDC provides FedEx international return shipping to many countries.

Our standard international return shipping charge is $60, with typical delivery of approximately 2–6 business days, depending on destination and carrier conditions.

Can I get a scan before you ship the completed apostille?

Yes.

Request a scanned copy when placing your order, and we can email a scan of the completed document before return shipping.

Can I bring my documents to your office?

Yes.

Our Reston office accepts walk-in customers during regular business hours:

Monday–Friday
9:00 AM–5:00 PM

Start Your Federal Apostille Request

Need an FBI apostille, federal document apostille, U.S. Department of State authentication, or embassy legalization?

Contact VisaDC before sending your documents so we can confirm the appropriate process for your document and destination country.

A Washington Travel & Passport Visa Services, Inc.

VisaDC

1875 Campus Commons Drive
Suite 210
Reston, VA 20191

Phone: (703) 435-1422
Toll-Free: 1-877-721-7678
Email: info@visadc.com

Office Hours:
Monday–Friday
9:00 AM–5:00 PM

Federal Apostille Courier Service – $128 Per Document

Contact us today to begin your U.S. Department of State apostille or authentication request.

Important Disclosure

A Washington Travel & Passport Visa Services, Inc. is a private document courier and processing company. We are not the U.S. Department of State and are not affiliated with any government agency. Customers may apply directly to the appropriate government agency without using a private courier service.