New York Background Check & Apostille Guide

Issuing agency

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS)

Steps to request and apostille your record

1. STEP 1Request Your Background Check

   • Request a Personal Record Review from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). For immigration and international use, you MUST select 'travel/other country' or 'international purpose' as the reason when scheduling your fingerprinting. This ensures DCJS provides a signed document that can be apostilled.
   • Fingerprinting is done through IdentoGO. Visit identogo.com or call 877-472-6915 to schedule an appointment at a live-scan center near you.
   • The total fee is approximately $89.25: $75.00 for DCJS processing plus $14.25 for the IdentoGO vendor fee. Alternatively, a Cardscan submission costs $47.50 for DCJS plus the $17.50 IdentoGO fee.
   • Bring one valid form of photo identification to your fingerprinting appointment.
   • You can also submit fingerprints by mail using a standard FD-258 fingerprint card. After completing enrollment online and paying the fee, print and sign the confirmation page and mail it with the completed fingerprint card to DCJS.

2. STEP 2Receive Your Results

   • DCJS will mail your Personal Record Review response via U.S. Mail within 7-10 business days after receiving your fingerprints.
   • Because you selected 'international purpose' as the reason, DCJS will provide a signed and sealed document suitable for apostille. If you did not select the international purpose, your record review cannot be apostilled — you would need to resubmit.
   • If you believe you may have open warrants or immigration issues, consult an attorney before getting fingerprinted.

3. STEP 3Apostille Your Background Check

   • Submit your DCJS record to the New York Department of State for apostille.
   • The apostille fee is $10.00 per document.
   • Walk-in service is available at customer service locations in New York City, Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, and Utica. Standard processing takes approximately 4 business days.
   • Same-day service is available on a limited basis — documents must be received and approved by 11:00 AM EST.
   • You can also submit by mail. Allow additional time for postal delivery beyond the processing time.
   • Contact: New York Department of State, (518) 474-4429.

4. STEP 4Translate via EcuadorTranslations.com

   • After your background check is apostilled, submit it to EcuadorTranslations.com for certified Spanish translation and notarization.
   • Cost: $150 per document ($130 per document when submitting 3 or more). Price includes notarization.
   • Turnaround: 3 business days.
   • Upload a clear, color scan (300 DPI minimum) of the full apostilled document — including the apostille certificate itself.

Apostille authority

Key notes

• You MUST select 'travel/other country' or 'international purpose' when scheduling your fingerprinting appointment. If you select a domestic reason, DCJS will not produce a signed document and it cannot be apostilled.
• New York has multiple walk-in locations for apostille service (NYC, Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Utica), making same-day or next-day apostille feasible.
• The DCJS fee structure changed in February 2026. The current DCJS processing fee is $75.00 for live-scan or $47.50 for Cardscan, plus IdentoGO vendor fees.
• New York's rap sheet is called a 'Personal Record Review' — this is the official name you will see on correspondence.
• Processing times can vary during high-volume periods. Plan for the upper end of the 7-10 business day estimate.

Sources and verification