The FBI background check is one of the most critical — and most frequently botched — documents in the Ecuador visa process. Every visa category requires one, and the process for getting it translated correctly involves more steps than most people expect. If you skip a step or do them out of order, you'll end up paying twice and losing weeks.
Here's the complete process, from requesting the check to submitting a certified Spanish translation.
Why Ecuador Requires an FBI Background Check
Ecuador requires a criminal background check from your home country for every visa type — retiree, professional, investor, dependent, and others. The Cancilleria uses this to verify that you don't have a serious criminal history that would disqualify you from residency.
For US citizens and residents, this means an FBI Identity History Summary (sometimes called a "rap sheet" or "Identity History Summary Check"). State-level background checks are not sufficient on their own, though some applicants are asked for those in addition to the FBI check.
Step 1: Get Your FBI Identity History Summary
You have two options for requesting your FBI background check:
Option A: FBI Channeler (Faster) FBI-approved channelers like Fieldprint or National Background Investigations process your fingerprints electronically and return results in as little as 3-5 business days. You'll visit a fingerprinting location, and the channeler submits everything to the FBI on your behalf. This is the fastest route and the one we recommend.
Option B: Mail Directly to the FBI (Slower) You can submit a fingerprint card (FD-258) directly to the FBI by mail. Processing time is typically 12-16 weeks. This is significantly slower and only makes sense if you're planning well in advance or don't have access to a channeler.
Whichever method you use, the result is the same: an official FBI Identity History Summary document.
Step 2: Get the Federal Apostille
This is where most people make their first mistake. The FBI background check is a federal document, which means it must be apostilled by the US Department of State, Office of Authentications — not by your state's Secretary of State.
State Secretaries of State can only apostille documents issued by their own state. Since the FBI is a federal agency, only the US Department of State can apostille its documents. Sending your FBI check to a state office will result in a rejection and wasted time.
How to get the federal apostille:
- By mail: Submit your FBI check to the US Department of State, Office of Authentications. Standard processing is 6-8 weeks.
- Expedited: Third-party apostille services can hand-deliver your document to the Department of State and often cut the timeline to 1-3 weeks.
Once you receive the apostille, it will be attached to or accompany your FBI check. Keep them together — they're a package.
Step 3: Get the Certified Spanish Translation
With the apostilled FBI check in hand, you're ready for translation. The certified translation must cover:
- The complete FBI Identity History Summary — every field, even if it says "No Record" or "No Criminal History"
- The apostille certificate — all numbered fields, stamps, signatures, and seals
- Any annotations, stamps, or markings on either document
This is a critical point: the translation must include the apostille. If you translate the FBI check before getting the apostille, you'll need to pay for translation again once the apostille is attached. Always follow the order — FBI check, then apostille, then translation.
Our apostille + translation service handles this entire sequence so nothing falls through the cracks.
The Expiration Problem
FBI background checks have a limited validity window. For most Ecuador visa processes, the check is considered valid for approximately 6 months from the date of issuance. If your check expires before your visa application is submitted, you'll need a new check, a new apostille, and a new translation.
This is the single biggest reason to plan your timeline carefully. The FBI check should be one of the last documents you obtain — not the first. Start with documents that don't expire (birth certificates, diplomas, marriage certificates) and save the FBI check for when you're closer to your submission date.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using a state apostille instead of federal. We see this constantly. The FBI check goes to the US Department of State — not your state's Secretary of State. A state apostille on a federal document will be rejected.
Translating before apostilling. If you translate the FBI check and then get the apostille, the translation is incomplete because it doesn't include the apostille certificate. You'll need to pay for a new translation. Our guide on common translation mistakes that delay visas covers this and other pitfalls in detail.
Letting the check expire. If you get the FBI check too early, it may expire before your visa application is ready. Plan backward from your target submission date.
Forgetting to translate the apostille itself. Some translators only translate the FBI document and skip the apostille page. Ecuador's Cancilleria expects everything translated — the background check and the apostille.
Realistic Timeline
Here's what the full process looks like end to end:
| Step | Timeline | |------|----------| | FBI check (channeler) | 3-5 business days | | FBI check (by mail) | 12-16 weeks | | Federal apostille (by mail) | 6-8 weeks | | Federal apostille (expedited) | 1-3 weeks | | Certified translation | 3-5 business days |
Best case (channeler + expedited apostille + standard translation): approximately 2-4 weeks.
Worst case (mail-in FBI + standard apostille): approximately 5-6 months.
Most people land somewhere in between. Using an FBI channeler and an expedited apostille service keeps the timeline manageable.
What It Costs
Translation of an FBI background check with apostille is a straightforward job — typically a 2-3 page document. Visit our pricing page for current per-page rates, or contact us for a quick quote. We also offer visa translation packages that bundle the FBI check with your other visa documents at a better rate.
Get It Done Right
The FBI background check is one document where the process matters as much as the translation itself. Get the steps out of order and you'll waste time and money. Get them right, and it's one of the simpler items on your visa checklist.
If you're working with EcuaPass on your visa application, they can coordinate the FBI check and apostille timeline alongside your other documents. We handle the translation side as soon as your apostilled check is ready.
Need your FBI background check translated for Ecuador? Get a free quote — we respond within 24 hours.