FBI Background Check Apostille for Colombia — Federal Authentication & Official Translation
We obtain your FBI federal background check, secure the US federal apostille from the State Department, and provide the official Spanish translation certified for Colombia — fully remote, no travel to the US. Everything Migración Colombia, notarías and employers require.
- Federal apostille — US State Dept. only
- Fingerprinting at the US Embassy in Bogotá
- Apostille accepted in Colombia (no consular legalization)
- Official Spanish translation included
FBI check for Colombia — what do you need?
Step 1 of 4
Where are you right now?
FBI background check apostille for Colombia: how it works
An FBI background check apostille for Colombia is the combination of three things: your FBI Identity History Summary (IHS), a US federal apostille issued by the Department of State, and an official Spanish translation certified for use in Colombia. Together they make your US criminal-history record legally valid before Migración Colombia, notarías and Colombian employers.
Because Colombia has been a member of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention since 2001, the US apostille is all you need — there is no consular legalization step. The two parts people most often get wrong are using the right (federal) apostille authority and using a translator that Colombia actually recognizes.
The critical distinction: federal vs. state apostille
This is the most common cause of expensive delays. The FBI is a federal agency, so its documents can only be apostilled federally:
Who needs this service?
Applying for a Colombian migrant (M) or resident (R) visa, or a cédula de extranjería, requires a US FBI background check with a federal apostille and official Spanish translation. We handle the full chain remotely.
If you spent time living or working in the United States and now need to prove your US conduct in Colombia, the FBI national check — not a single-state check — is what Colombian authorities accept.
Marrying a Colombian citizen or registering family events before a notaría often requires an apostilled FBI certificate when one spouse has US residence history.
Companies hiring foreign staff and regulated professions in Colombia may require an apostilled FBI background check as part of work authorization and credential recognition.
Required documents
| Document | Issuing authority | Estimated time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| FBI Identity History Summary (IHS) | FBI CJIS Division — Criminal Justice Information Services | 10–14 business days (standard) / 5–7 business days (FBI-approved channeler) | The original printed FBI result letter. For use in Colombia (Migración Colombia, visa M/R, cédula de extranjería) the certificate is generally expected to be issued within the last 90 days at the time you file. |
| Fingerprint card — Form FD-258 (rolled ink) | US Post Office, law enforcement, approved channeler, or US embassy in Bogotá | Completed before FBI submission | The FBI requires rolled impressions. From Colombia, the US Embassy in Bogotá offers fingerprinting for American Citizen Services; we provide the pre-filled card and review it before submission to avoid rejection. |
| Federal Apostille — U.S. Apostille Certificate | U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications, Washington DC | 4–8 weeks (standard mail) / 5–7 business days (expedited) | FBI records are federal documents. Only the U.S. Department of State can apostille them — a state Secretary of State will return it unprocessed. Colombia has been a Hague Apostille member since 2001, so this single apostille is accepted with no consular legalization. |
| Official Spanish translation (traducción oficial) | Traductor oficial certified by Colombia’s Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores | 1–3 business days after the apostille is received | Colombian authorities require foreign-language documents to be translated by a traductor e intérprete oficial certified in Colombia (Resolución of the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores). The translation must cover the FBI letter and the apostille text. |
| Passport copy (legible, current) | Applicant | Current — must not be expired | Your name on the FBI request must match your passport exactly. Compound surnames common in Colombia (two apellidos) are a frequent source of mismatch — we reconcile names before the FBI request is filed. |
Step-by-Step Document Checklist
US Post Office, police department, or — if you are in Colombia — the US Embassy in Bogotá (American Citizen Services). Digital scans are not accepted by the FBI.
Mail FD-258 + payment to FBI CJIS in Clarksburg, WV, or use an FBI-approved channeler for faster processing.
FBI documents are federal — only the US Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington D.C. can apostille them.
Translated by a traductor oficial certified by Colombia’s Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, covering the apostille text.
Submit the apostilled, translated FBI certificate with your visa, cédula de extranjería or notarial procedure.
⚠️ Remember: the 90-day clock starts from Step 1 issuance date — not when you submit to Spain.
How the process works
We confirm your Colombian requirement — visa M (migrante), visa R (residente), cédula de extranjería, marriage in Colombia, or work — and verify a federal FBI check is what Migración Colombia expects, not a US state check. Firm quote and timeline up front.
We send a pre-filled FD-258 card with instructions. You can be fingerprinted at the US Embassy in Bogotá, a US post office or police department if you are in the US, or an approved channeler. We review your card before it goes to the FBI.
We submit your card to the FBI CJIS Division — or use an approved channeler for faster turnaround — and track the request, notifying you the same day your Identity History Summary is issued.
We submit the FBI result to the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington DC for the federal apostille. This is the only valid apostille authority for FBI documents.
A traductor oficial certified by Colombia’s Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores prepares the official translation of the full apostilled document, so it is accepted by Migración Colombia and notarías.
Your complete package — FBI result, federal apostille and official translation — is couriered (DHL/FedEx) to your address in Colombia or abroad, ready to file.
Common Mistakes That Get Applications Rejected
We review your documents before submission to catch every one of these errors before they cause a rejection.
Who Needs This — Real Situations
Relocating to Medellín on a migrant visa to join his Colombian spouse.
Back in Bogotá and needs to prove her US conduct for a job and her cédula.
US-resident groom needs an apostilled background check for the notaría.
Pricing for FBI apostille services for Colombia
All packages include free document review, name (two-apellido) check, status updates and tracked international delivery. Get an exact quote for your case →
Official sources & authorities
Information on this page is based on procedures from recognized government and intergovernmental bodies — not third-party estimates.
Related guides
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Reviewed by
Laura ChenLegal Document Expert
Specialist in documents for the English-speaking market with a focus on fast and secure processing.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Colombia accept a US apostille instead of consular legalization?
Both the United States and Colombia are members of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention — Colombia since 2001. That means a single apostille issued by the U.S. Department of State makes the FBI document valid in Colombia. There is no need for legalization at a Colombian consulate; the apostille replaces the whole consular chain.
Why can’t a state Secretary of State apostille my FBI document?
State Secretary of State offices only have apostille authority over state-issued documents — birth/marriage certificates, state courts, notaries and state agencies. The FBI is a federal agency, so the FBI Identity History Summary falls under federal apostille jurisdiction, which belongs exclusively to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications. Sending an FBI document to a state office wastes weeks.
Can I get fingerprinted in Colombia instead of travelling to the US?
Yes. The US Embassy in Bogotá provides fingerprinting through American Citizen Services, and you can also use an FBI-approved channeler. We send you a pre-filled FD-258 card and review it before submission so the FBI does not reject it for smudges or missing fields.
Does the translation have to be done in Colombia?
For documents presented to Colombian authorities, the translation must be by a traductor e intérprete oficial certified in Colombia by the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores. A translation certified only in the US is frequently not accepted. We arrange the official Colombian translation, covering both the FBI letter and the apostille.
How recent does the FBI certificate need to be for Colombia?
It depends on the procedure, but Colombian visa and migration processes commonly expect the criminal-record certificate to have been issued within the last 90 days. Because the US Department of State apostille alone can take 4–8 weeks by standard mail, we usually recommend the expedited route so the document is still current when you file.
Do I need to be a US citizen to request an FBI check?
No. The FBI processes Identity History Summary requests for anyone ever fingerprinted in the US, regardless of nationality. If you lived, worked or studied in the United States, you are eligible — which is why many Colombians who spent time in the US use this service.
How long does the whole FBI apostille process take for Colombia?
Standard FBI processing is 10–14 business days; an approved channeler reduces it to 5–7. The US State Department apostille adds 4–8 weeks standard or 5–7 business days expedited, and the official Colombian translation 1–3 days. End to end: roughly 5–8 weeks standard, or 2–3 weeks expedited.
Is the "FBI background check" the same as the US criminal record Colombia asks for?
Yes. When Migración Colombia or a notaría asks for your US criminal record or "certificado de antecedentes" from the United States, they mean the FBI Identity History Summary carrying a US federal apostille and an official Spanish translation. "FBI background check", "federal background check" and "US criminal record certificate" all refer to that same document.
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