MUST apostille FBI letter

[acupunturabuenosaires]

Sorry, more bad news for US citizens trying to get their residency: despite conflicting information floating around, one DOES indeed have to have the FBI Antecedentes Penales letter apostilled, since May. I was just told so today by a rep at migraciones.

 

[gunt86]

That is pretty helpful information, and also troubling as getting an apostille requires first to have the document notarized, then getting it certified in the county in which the notary is registered, and then later getting it apostilled in the state of which the country resides...this isn't so easy..and one hopes that the FBI will actually provide notarized documents.

 

[igor]

... getting an apostille requires first to have the document notarized, then getting it certified in the county...

Eh, do you think that FBI agent is going to put a "No record" seal in front of a public notary and then show him his badge?

I believe documents from selected state/government organizations are getting apostilled without going through public notary system.

 

[acupunturabuenosaires]

I have called the FBI office at the embassy (no answer, left message), will try and get their input of the notary/apostille issue and post what I find out. The people at FBI in WV are absolutely good for nothing, don't even waste your time calling there.

 

[GuilleGee]

Does not really cause many problems just inconveniences. This has come into effect since the FBI now does offer certification of your FBI Criminal Background Report, just make sure to mark you want it on your Fingerprint Cover Letter.

Def. does add more time to the process, since the FBI will not send it directly to the Department of Authentications at State Dept. so you must first receive the FBI report, complete a new cover letter and send it to State.

It's a hassle, but generally migrating to another country is.

 

[STElmoFranco]

I just got my FBI criminal background check in the mail today. They received it on June 1st, and it was sent to me on July 21st. I'm still in the USA, will arrive in a few weeks. I requested that the letter be certified by the FBI so I could get it apostilled. Does anyone know what a certified letter looks like? I don't know, and want to make sure it is before sending it to the State Department.

 

[GuilleGee]

It has an embossed seal (you can feel it) and the signature of a department chief.

 

[emilyr]

For any soon-to-be Argentine newcomers, I recommend getting your prints in the States, especially with the extra waiting time from the Apostille required from the US Department of State.

The FBI received my prints and request (according to the ceritfy mail stamp) on April 1, 2010. Then, my parents got the fingerprints rejection letter at the end of JULY. I have hunch it will be easier to at least get those prints in the States if you can. The Embassy here is totally unhelpful even though they have digital print machines on site, except to send you to the same Arg police station who do their best to take the prints. When I was in the station, I met another girl with her fingerprints rejected by the FBI!

 

[tsmith8586]

I'm in the process of getting married and I'm doing the document race as we speak. Apparently, I did everything all wrong. So I want to pass on my struggles so no one else has to go through the same mess.

1) Birth Certificates MUST have an Apostille from the issued state. "Please also note that the U.S. Department of State will not issue an apostille for State-issued documents."... excerpt from the Dept of State's website on Apostille. http://www.state.gov/m/a/auth/c16921.htm

2) The FBI report MUST have an Apostille as well, from the US Dept of State. This website will give you the information on how to send it, how much it costs, and the wait time. http://www.state.gov/m/a/auth/index.htm

Hope this helps.

 

[sam3g]

Just so I can be clear, as I need my DNI SOON (job waiting for me) and I just got my FBI stuff in the mail.

Is the FBI apostille a separate sheet? My FBI background check is one page, embossed seal with signature of division head. Is this good enough? The apostille for my birth certificate is a separate sheet.

I wonder if I could just forge an apostille? I don't really have time to wait, pay fedex, etc... :/