How to get a criminal background checked notarized?

[AliceBrown]

I'm applying for a residence permit (Iceland) and I need to get a criminal background check. I know I can directly apply to the FBI but that'll months, I'm told. Is there a quicker way I can get a legitimate criminal background check notarized? I live in California.

Thank you.

[AxeZ]

Can't you just go to the nearest police station and get an receipt that you haven't been convicted?

[Administrator]

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In general terms, you need to contact the police authority of each city you've lived in for the past five years and get a document from each of them stating your full record. If you didn't live in a city during some time period, you'll need to determine the controlling authority.

Contact your country courthouse and tell them what you need and ask them how to go about getting it. As you stated, you also have the option of going for the full FBI check. Local police records are USUALLY good enough and always faster. For an American visiting Iceland, these should be quite sufficient.

Hopefully your 'full record' is "No record." And, if you are lucky, you only have to deal with one or two authorities.

Getting the records notarized is pretty simple. My bank did all mine for free when I left the U.S. Generally, there are quite a number of places that will notarize for two or four dollars. Vast improvement over Europe where it can be 5 to ten GBP (or equivalent).


HOWEVER ... is notarized enough ...? Thing is, notarization is not an international convention; it's local government.

Make sure you don't need an Apostile. That is a different animal, and requires documents be sent to your state capital (Hague Conventions); use the google for many details. Can also be a bit pricey; some states charge a bit more than others.

Example: I got a copy of my birth certificate (about $20 from Delaware), which was notarized for free (my fathers bank, AND, notarization was unnecessary .. I just did it because it was free & convenient), and which cost about $30 to get Apostiled in Dover (state capital). My University diploma from Pennsylvania set me back $50 or $60 for the Apostile.

Also make sure that five years is enough. Some countries require more. Sorry, I can't advise you on Iceland.

the Admin

[Dawie]

Why do you need to get it notarised? If the criminal record check is original and stamped and signed by the authority that issued it then that should be fine. Notarisation is only usually necessary if you are making photocopies as it assures that a photocopy is the same as the original document.

[Administrator]

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Some countries insist on original documents being reviewed and vouched for by a controlling government authority to ensure that they are not forged.

Thus my discussion about apostille and the Hague Conventions.

I had an original birth certificate and an original university diploma (actually, I HAVE them ) ... yet, they are not 'valid' immigration documents in most EU nations without an apostile.

In East Europe (especially), notarization is not accepted .. it MUST be apostiled.

Yes, some countries let you in anyway ... and there is some prejudice regarding the country of origin. U.S. documents tend to be accepted despite 'requirements,' whereas someone coming from India or Nigeria might be faced with a bit more difficulty.

the Admin