How to Get an FBI Apostille in Medellín: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

Applying for an FBI apostille from Medellín? Here’s a hard truth you need to know first: nowhere in this city can issue this certificate. Not Cancillería, not the US Consular Agency in El Poblado, nowhere. The apostille comes from Washington, DC, whether you are applying from Medellín or anywhere else in the world.

There is no need to worry. But this is the first thing worth knowing before you lose a week of time chasing the wrong office due to misguidance or lack of information. Maybe you are renewing a Pensionado or Migrante visa and Cancillería keeps sending the file back. Or you are a Paisa who spent years in Miami or Houston, settled back home since, and just found out a visa application to another country, like Spain, or Canada, wants proof of a clean record from those years abroad. Either way, the process from here is identical.

This blog walks through exactly how to get it done, from start to finish, without ever leaving Medellín. Whether you have your Identity History Summary in hand and only want to apply for an apostille, or you need to begin the application from the scratch, you will find all the steps here.

Your FBI Identity History Summary, on its own, is only a U.S. federal document. There is no proof on it that tells a Colombian official that the signature of the official on it is real, or that the person who signed it had the authority to do so.

This is the entire point of requesting an apostille. It is a certificate that is physically attached to your FBI background check report to ensure that the signature and seal on your documents are genuine. The certificate is recognized by every country that has signed the 1961 Hague Convention. Colombia has been a member of the Hague Convention since 2001. Therefore, it accepts an apostille instead of requiring a longer embassy legalization process.

Which Government Office Authorizes an FBI apostille Certificate?

The FBI is a federal agency and only a federal authority can vouch for the seal and signatures on the  documents. Therefore, no state-level apostilles can help you with this. Only the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington, DC, can issue an FBI Apostille, and the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will accept it to pursue your application.

Colombia formalized these requirements under Resolution 5477 of 2022, and which visa category you are applying for determines whether you need an FBI apostille. Here are the most common situations why an FBI Apostille may be required:

Important: Whether you need an FBI Apostille depends on the requirements of the country where you are submitting your application. If the destination country is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille is usually required. If it is not, additional legalization through the relevant embassy or consulate might be required.

Before the process moves forward and you send anything to Washington, you must have a few documents in the right form because this is what turns a five-week wait into a five-week wait plus a rejected package sent back to Medellínfor another round of application processing.

A Legible Set of Physical Fingerprints

The process begins with your fingerprints. The FBI requires your fingerprints to process an Identity History Summary Check, and for anyone applying from outside the US, that means physical impressions ink-rolled on an official FD-258 or FD-1164 card. Not a photocopy, not a form printed from a random website

In Medellín, you have a few options to record your fingerprints:

Read: FBI’s official guidance for recording legible prints

Your FBI Identity History Summary Report from Medellín

This is the document containing the actual record the FBI holds of your criminal history, or a confirmation that there is no criminal record during your stay in the U.S.

Now there are two types of cases for people applying for an FBI Apostille while in Medellín-

1. You have to apply for an FBI Background Check while in Medellín
2. You have received the FBI Identity History Summary

Here’s the complete process you need to follow to get your FBI Identity History Summary and an Apostille without leaving Medellín.

Here’s what you need to begin the process:

• A properly rolled ink official fingerprint card (FD-258 or FD-1164).
• A trusted courier service to ship your application from Medellínto the United States.

Note: Colombian immigration authorities often require an apostille. However, not everyone needs it. You only need an apostille if the requesting authority has asked for it. So confirm before spending your time and money on an apostille.

Step 1: Getting FBI-Compliant Fingerprints in Medellín

You need to get your fingerprints taken on the official FBI fingerprint card. You can download the card from here - FD-258 or FD-1164. However, DIY fingerprinting often leads to delays, rejections, and re-submissions of the application due to smudged and unclear prints or wrong fingerprinting technique.

Here are the most successful fingerprinting options in Medellín for an FBI Background Check

• Mobile Fingerprinting Services

You can choose a professional fingerprinting provider like Globeia Medellin who offers mobile fingerprinting services at your preferred time and location in Medellín. A trained professional comes to you with the official FBI fingerprint cards and records your fingerprints, reviews the card for any corrections, and it is shipped to the US.

• Private Fingerprinting Providers

Many private fingerprinting providers in Medellín also understand FBI requirements and can record your fingerprints. Make sure you use a professional and reliable coordinator to record fingerprints in compliance with the FBI guidelines in order to avoid unnecessary delays and rejections.

• National Police

Some Colombian National Police stations may agree to take your fingerprints, but you must bring your own official FD-258 or FD-1164 card and confirm in advance that the associate is familiar with the correct rolled-ink technique, since this is not their standard service.

Can I record my fingerprints at the U.S. embassy in Bogota?

No, the U.S. embassy does not offer any fingerprinting services for FBI Identity History Summary requests. So, do not waste your time or money travelling to Bogota.

Can I record my FBI Background Check fingerprints on local Colombian fingerprint forms?

FBI will reject any fingerprint submissions that are not recorded on an FBI-approved fingerprint card. So Colombian police fingerprint forms would not work for this application.

Check: Mobile Fingerprinting Services in Medellin 

Step 2: Submitting Your FBI Background Check Application

Now after recording your fingerprints, you have three options to go ahead with your FBI background check application.

Method 1: Mail the Card and Application Yourself

You need to download and fill the FBI Identity History Summary Request Form. Add your $18 USD payment by money order or in credit card payable to the Treasury of the United States. Cash, personal checks, business checks are not accepted.

Note: The fee is subject to change. It is advised to check the FBI website or communicate with your coordinator to confirm the current amount.

Courier everything to:

FBI CJIS Division - Summary Request

Use a major international courier service such as DHL, FedEx, or UPS from Medellín for reliable tracking and faster international delivery.

Method 2: eDO - Electronic Departmental Order

First, go to the FBI eDO website, fill and submit your application and payment online, receive and save the registration or confirmation number you get after payment. Write the confirmation number clearly on your fingerprinted card and mail the physical card to the FBI address given in your confirmation instructions.

Method 3: Get A Professional Application Submission Coordinator like Globeia

This is one of the easiest and hassle-free ways to submit your FBI background check application from Medellín without worrying about anything, from fingerprinting, to documentation, payment, submission, and apostille.

Step 3: Receive the FBI Identity History Summary in Medellín

Based on your way of submitting the application, your completed FBI Identity History Summary will be delivered. You will either receive it as a PDF (if you submitted it via eDO portal and selected electronic delivery), or a printed copy by U.S. First-Class Mail for mailed applications.

Note: The completed document includes an FBI watermark and the signature of an authorized FBI official.

But here you need one more document in Medellín to ensure that these documents are legitimate, that is - an FBI Apostille.

As we discussed earlier, an apostille is only issued by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C and no office/local authority present in Medellín, Colombia can provide it. You need to mail your official Identity History Summary to the United States.

Here are the exact steps you need to follow to easily get an FBI apostille for Medellín:

Step 1: Gather the required documents

You need to collect your FBI Identity History Summary, complete official Form DS-4194, and add the required government fee before submitting your application.

Common challenge: Many FBI Apostille applicants in Medellin unknowingly submit an incorrect version of their FBI report, submit an incomplete DS-4194 form, or use an unsupported payment method. These issues can delay the process and may also result in re-submissions or rejections.

Step 2: Send the Document to the U.S. Department of State

You need to drop the completed documents to the Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C. either through courier or walk-in drop off option.

Common challenge: Since the documents are travelling internationally applicants often have to worry about courier timelines, tracking, and ensuring the package reaches the correct office in the U.S. with all the required documents enclosed.

Courier address:

U.S. Department of State

Note: Globeia Inc. being physically present in the U.S. cuts the time spent in mailing the courier and drops it directly at this address securely, removing all the risks of your documents getting misplaced.

Step 3: Arrange Return Shipping to Receive Your Apostilled FBI Background Check Report

The U.S. Department of State does not ship authenticated documents internationally. You have to arrange the shipping to your Medellin address.

Common challenge: Many applicants from Medellín are unaware that they must generate a prepaid international return label themselves, or they do not choose an appropriate courier partner. Missing this step can delay the return of the apostilled document even after authentication is complete.

Do you need an FBI Identity History Summary first? The complete FBI Background Check from fingerprinting to Apostille in Medellín can be really challenging, especially when no local authority can help you through the process. One minor error will cost you weeks of your time, money, and efforts.

On the other hand, a professional international background check coordinator, like Globeia can take all your worries away by managing the entire process. This is how:

Step 1: Mobile Ink Fingerprinting in Medellin

With Globeia Medellín, you experience the convenience and comfort of choosing the time slot as well as the location of your preference. Whether you are at your home in Envigado, working from your office in El Poblado, or anywhere else in Medellín, Globeia comes to you.

You book an appointment via SmartForm and a trained associate will visit your chosen location to take your fingerprints professionally using the exact technique required on the official FD-258 or FD-1164 card. The associate will also conduct an on-the-spot quality check to make sure your fingerprints are legible and match FBI’s standard. So no travel is required from your end.

Note: If you already have your fingerprints, you can skip this step and directly select the FBI Identity History Summary services

Step 2: FBI Identity History Summary Request Through Globeia Inc. in the US

Globeia Inc.’s USA office receives your completed fingerprint card and submits it to the FBI on your behalf as part of your application.

Step 3: Processing and Live Tracking Through the SmartPortal

The progress of your application is monitored by Globeia and you are notified once the FBI issues your Identity History Summary. The best part is you get real-time updates of your application through the SmartPortal.

Step 4: Apostille Submission

Once your FBI report is ready, Globeia Inc. in the USA physically submits the apostille to the U.S. Department of State for Apostille Authentication. With these services, you don’t have to fill separate forms or arrange return couriers for apostille.

Step 5: Apostilled FBI Identity History Delivered to Medellin

The apostilled FBI report is delivered back to you in Medellín. Thus, you receive a submission-ready document for an employer, visa office, or Migracion Colombia.

Being physically near the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentication in Washington, D.C., enables Globeia Inc. to submit the documents directly to the office at the walk-in counter. It also saves you 2-3 weeks of mailing time.

If you have already received your FBI Identity History Summary, you can directly select Globeia’s FBI Apostille Services and need to follow these steps:

• Mail your FBI Identity History Summary: Send your FBI Background Check report to Globeia Inc. in the USA for apostille coordination.
• Document submission: After receiving your document, Globeia professionals in the U.S. coordinate and submit your FBI Identity History Summary to the U.S. Department of State office via walk-in drop off directly at the center.
• Live updates on SmartForm: You can check all the updates regarding your FBI apostille process on the SmartPortal.
• FBI apostille delivered: After processing, your apostilled FBI Identity History Summary is delivered to you through the selected option.
• Translation: Globeia also offers certified translations wherever required.

You have received the apostilled FBI Background Check in Medellín. But what next? In order to present your apostilled Identity History Summary in Medellín, you need to complete a certified Spanish translation and submit it to the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Cancillería).

How Globeia Inc. Helps Translate the Apostilled Document?

Globeia offers professional certified translation services at this very crucial step of your FBI Background Check process. Globeia translates both your original FBI report as well as the attached apostille page together that meet the legal guidelines required by the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that the government receives a complete file.

Getting an FBI Apostille in Medellín can seem a bit complicated at first as the process involves different steps that go through multiple authorities in the United States. However, the process becomes easier and stress-free with the correct guidance and professional coordination of a trusted international background check coordinator like Globeia Inc. in the USA.

From fingerprinting and the U.S. Department of State apostille to legally compliant Spanish translation, Globeia manages it all and you get to track your application status in real-time. All you need to do is - Book An Appointment Right Away and Begin the Process!