Philadelphia, PA
FD-258 Fingerprint Card Apostille in Philadelphia, PA
How Philadelphia residents get their FD-258 Fingerprint Card authenticated for use abroad — which office handles it, the local details, timing and price.
Quick answer
The FD-258 card itself is never apostilled. The one local step in Philadelphia is getting fingerprinted; the FBI report your prints produce is then authenticated by the U.S. Department of State.
- County
- Philadelphia County
- Federal court
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- State apostille office
- Pennsylvania Department of State, Harrisburg
- Our nearest office
- Washington, D.C. (headquarters)
Getting fingerprinted in Pennsylvania
Fingerprinting is the one step that has to happen locally. The FD-258 card itself is never apostilled — it produces the FBI report, and the report is what gets authenticated.
In Pennsylvania, prints can be taken by local law-enforcement agencies and licensed fingerprinting providers in cities such as Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown. Electronic (live scan) capture through an FBI-approved channeler is usually fastest.
Once the report is issued, we authenticate it in Washington, D.C. and ship it anywhere. See FBI background check apostille.
Philadelphia: the local details
Philadelphia is in Philadelphia County, within the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania state documents are apostilled by the Pennsylvania Department of State in Harrisburg.
Fingerprinting is the one step that happens locally — through Philadelphia-area law-enforcement agencies or licensed providers, or electronically through an FBI-approved channeler. Everything after that we handle by mail.
About the FD-258 Fingerprint Card
How the FD-258 fingerprint card fits into obtaining and apostilling an FBI background check.
Getting it done from Philadelphia
We don’t have an office in Philadelphia — and you don’t need one. Philadelphia clients send documents by mail, and our nearest office is Washington, D.C. (headquarters).
| Destination | Route | Our turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| Hague Convention country | U.S. Department of State apostille | 10–12 business days |
| Non-Hague country | Authentication + embassy legalization | 15–17 business days |
FD-258 Fingerprint Card in Philadelphia — FAQ
Is there an apostille office in Philadelphia for a FD-258 Fingerprint Card?
No. The only office that can authenticate this document is the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. We handle that submission for Philadelphia clients by mail.
Do I need to visit an office in Philadelphia?
No. Philadelphia clients send documents by mail and receive them back by tracked courier.
How long does it take from Philadelphia?
About 10–12 business days for Hague Convention countries and 15–17 for non-Hague countries including embassy legalization, plus shipping.
How much does it cost?
$399 per document for Hague countries, with government fees and U.S. shipping included; non-Hague destinations are $399 including embassy legalization.
Which federal court covers Philadelphia?
Philadelphia is in Philadelphia County, within the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Related: All documents in Philadelphia · FD-258 Fingerprint Card in Pennsylvania · FD-258 Fingerprint Card — full guide
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