FBI Background Check & Apostille for a Portugal Visa

Substantively updated 5 September 2026. The original URL is retained. This is administrative preparation information, not legal advice or an official checklist.

Two separate steps: the FBI record and its apostille

Request your own Identity History Summary from the FBI, then follow the U.S. Department of State process for the federal apostille. A local police certificate is not the same document as an FBI record. Confirm exactly which records your visa category and consulate request before ordering.

The VFS Portugal US national-visa instructions specify a police certificate issued less than 90 days before submission and an apostilled FBI record for applicants who have lived in the US for over a year. Check your nationality and residence history against the current instructions; do not assume one country's record covers every case.

1. Choose the FBI request route

The FBI's Identity History Summary page provides online, mail and approved-channeler routes, fingerprint instructions and current processing estimates. Check any channeler eligibility restrictions before paying.

The FBI lists a direct-request fee of $18 per person. Fingerprint collection, delivery and private channeler charges may be additional. The FBI says you cannot pay it extra for faster service; do not confuse a private provider's service charge with an official expedite fee.

Follow the request route's instructions for identity information and fingerprints. Keep your confirmation and a record of the issue date. If you are outside the US, check the applicable fingerprint and delivery options before arranging a service.

2. Check the federal apostille instructions

FBI records are federal documents. Use the State Department's federal-document guidance and authentication request instructions. State-issued civil records use a different issuing-authority process; do not assume the same office handles every document.

The State Department request page lists Form DS-4194, the document to be authenticated and a $20 fee per document. Identify Portugal as the destination country. Check the current submission method, return arrangements, payment requirements and address directly before sending originals.

Keep the record and apostille together, preserve your own copies and verify names and document details before using them in the application.

3. Coordinate the dates with your visa submission

Use separate dates for fingerprint collection, FBI issue, apostille dispatch, return and the intended visa submission. Compare the record's issue date with the current document-age requirement. The apostille date does not make an older underlying record newly issued.

Check the providers' live estimates, then allow for delivery and possible rework. We do not promise a combined turnaround or a visa appointment date. If your appointment changes, recheck whether the documents will still meet the instructions.

Preparation questions worth resolving early

• Which country's records are required for your residence history?
• Does the document format match the receiving authority's instructions?
• Have you separated official fees from fingerprinting, delivery and intermediary charges?
• Will every time-sensitive record still meet the requirements on submission day?

If the summary contains an error, use the FBI's correction route. If it contains adverse entries or your legal eligibility is uncertain, consult a qualified immigration lawyer. Administrative preparation is not an assessment of the effect of a criminal record on your application.

Fit this document into the full application

Continue with the US applicant document checklist, visa-cost worksheet and VFS application process. This article handles the FBI/apostille task; the full checklist also covers your route-specific evidence.

GetFastVisa provides administrative support, not legal representation or official expedited processing. Read our service scope, fees and exclusions before purchasing.

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