Apostille background checks are often required by foreign companies and governments. They may also be required by US states, counties and municipalities.
The reasons for requiring apostilles vary and can range from simple to complex.
For example, if you are applying for a passport in the United States, you will need to present your birth certificate and other documents to prove citizenship. This process is called authentication. Your birth certificate will need to be authenticated prior to submitting it as part of your application for a passport. Authentication means that an authorized official from the state where your birth certificate was issued (the issuing authority) has certified that it is genuine and unaltered.
This official will also certify the accuracy of any information contained on the document such as dates and names. If you were born in another country other than the United States, then it may be necessary for you to obtain an apostille from the US State Department before submitting your documents to Passport Services for authentication and subsequent issuance of a US passport.
Additionally, many countries require that certain legal documents issued outside their country be authenticated prior to being accepted as valid legal documents within their borders. For example, if you have been arrested or convicted of any criminal offense at any time in your past including misdemeanors or felonies , then you will need to obtain a certified copy of your police records from the jurisdiction where the arrest took place. This document must be authenticated by a US State Department official in order for it to be accepted by Passport Services as proof that you were never convicted of any crime.
You can hire FBI criminal record check apostille services to help you obtain this document. The State Department will not accept a police record unless it has been properly certified by an official from the issuing jurisdiction and by the US Department of Justice.