FBI Apostille during COVID - What's your experience?

Hi Kriseasy, I have no experience to offer you. Only to say I am in a similar boat  at  the moment. The state.gov website says that document authentications  (I am assuming Apostilles  included - researching that now) may take 2 to 3 months.
     I contacted several companies to get an idea of timing, some of them told me the same as you. Others told me 10 to 12 weeks which is consistent with what is said on the state. gov website. And if I am adding time for delivery and sworn translation, I personally could be looking at up to 4 or 5 months. (Assuming I try to move forward with out the help of a company)
      I spoke with the visa office here in Brazil and they simply told me, that is too long. I can request a two month extension to my time here, but it may not be enough. But your case may be different than mine. Hoping all goes very well in both of our cases.

06/23/21

Kriseasy,

The Federal Police know that we're in the middle of a pandemic and that processes everywhere have slowed down.  One of the reasons for the 90 day limit is that, understandably, they don't want applicants who have committed recent crimes applying on the basis of old, clean background reports.  If you've been in Brazil since a date close to the date of your Background Check, and the document isn't too much older than 90 days, chances are they they'll still accept it.

In the meantime, you should eliminate any other causes of delays that are under your control.  If you have a copy of your Background Check, you can get the Sworn Translation done now.  That goes for your other documents, too:  Sworn Translations don't expire.  Unlike some State apostilles, the Federal apostille is very simple:  you should be able to get the Sworn Translation for that very quickly once it comes, and it will be easier to manage as the last missing piece of the puzzle.

Also bear in mind that if you are already here and do not plan to be out of the country for more than thirty days, your documents do not expire until 16 September.

You may find the relevant information here: Diário União

I received my Apostilled FBI Check about a month ago (delivered in the US). Submitted fingerprints via USPS and received background check almost instantly. Printed digital copy and sent off for apostille on April 30, received at the very end of May. Total time was almost exactly a month.

My FBI background check fingerprinting was done through the USPS in Portland, having already filled in the application and paid the fees on my cell phone on my way to the USPS. I had my FBI background check in my email before I reached the door of the post office to leave. As part of my package, I sent a computer-printed copy of this FBI background check to the SF Consulate for my VITEM Xl, that was all they wanted, no further translations etc. They were so fast and easy to work with.

I just recently got all this done, I believe I did the fingerprints back in January  2021 and received them at the end of March took about 2 months too receive the apostille.  I left too Brazil February 26th and had my family send the documents through ups too São Paulo, the hardest part for me was getting the translations done on all the documents, there was some issues with missing stamps on there end, but got that fixed ASAP and turned them into the cartorio and got them back in 2 days, from there I got married in April,  went too the policia federal too turn the documents in and after 2 months got my residency card. It was a long process lots of stress of worrying about not making the 90 day deadline but made it, I’ve been told that the policia federal may expect the background after 90 days but can depend from place too place, I had a lot of documents too do as I was also married in the states and had too get those divorce papers aswell as my birth certificate had too be an original also my passport was needed and only my background needed too be apostille.  Now I’m in the process of trying too learn Portuguese too try and work out here but that’s a way down the road for me...

06/26/21

JRomero1988

Glad that you finally made it.  Congratulations!

Thank you abthree, I’d like too thank everyone on this forum who offered me there advice you guys truly helped me a lot get this done and am very thankful too all of you!!!

Congrats JRomero.
It is tough but worth it in the end!

Hi,

Thank you for this thread.

1) Does does the FBI government agency itself apostille the document? Or do I need to get that done by my state treasury department?

2) Can I get electronic/digital copies of the FBI report with a apostille stamp? Or do I need to request the FBI report mailed to me?

I am also worried about the length of time based on the FBI site with a report being mailed to me- it says it can take 100 days.

Thank you!

@roy_usa_2023 I am going back to the USA, to do the FBI Background Check again. For the Apostille I am forwarding the Background Check documents from A/B Channeler to USA Apostille. (800) 141-1667. They will charge me $195 and informed me it is a 4-6 week turnaround time. If the results have to be sent Internationally, it will cost an extra $100. Given the choice DHL is the king of international delivery, the others could not even find my house on a map.

I saw something in your post about a "state agency". You are looking for an Apostille that can only be done Federal. I will have my Birth Certificate apostilled as a state function, but not the FBI.

Good Luck,

Roddie in Retirement

P.S. Take it from someone who just paid R$7,250 fee for my Overstay.  I would not miss any of their deadlines.

@roddiesho - thank you!!

01/31/24 1) Does does the FBI government agency itself apostille the document? Or do I need to get that done by my state treasury department?2) Can I get electronic/digital copies of the FBI report with a apostille stamp? Or do I need to request the FBI report mailed to me?    -@roy_usa_2023

1 . FBI -- and any other US Federal documents -- are apostilled by the US State Department in Washington, DC.  The apostille services have people to handle this.  Documents issued under the authority of a state, including county and city documents are apostilled by the Apostille Authority of that state.  For many, but not all, states that's the Secretary of State, so search for "Apostille Authority (name of state)"

2 . Approved Channelers can provide both hard and digital copies, and the apostille services can normally work with the digital copy and return an apostilled hard copy to you.

@abthree- thank you!