Question 1

Do I need a federal U.S. apostille or a state-level apostille for my document?

Accepted Answer

Only on documents issued by U.S. federal agencies — FBI Identity History Summary, federal court records, US Department of State documents, IRS letters. These are apostilled exclusively by the US Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington DC. Foreign documents must be apostilled in the country of issuance — never in the U.S. State-issued documents (birth, marriage, university diplomas) go through the issuing state's Secretary of State, not through the federal office.

Question 2

Which credential evaluation service does USCIS accept for H-1B and EB-2 in 2026?

Accepted Answer

USCIS accepts any NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services) member. WES is the most widely used, with 7-business-day turnaround for complete files. ECE, IERF, SpanTran and Josef Silny deliver in similar timelines (10–20 business days standard, faster under their priority lanes). The evaluation must be a course-by-course report — a document-by-document report is insufficient for H-1B and EB-2/EB-3 petitions.

Question 3

How long is an FBI background check valid for U.S. immigration applications?

Accepted Answer

USCIS treats FBI Identity History Summaries as valid for 15 months from issuance. Foreign police certificates must be issued within 2 years of submission for adjustment-of-status, and within 6 months of the final immigrant-visa interview at the consulate. Certificates from countries the applicant lived in for 6+ months since age 16 are all required.

Question 4

Does USCIS require a U.S.-based translator for foreign documents?

Accepted Answer

No. Any competent translator can certify the translation, provided they sign a Certificate of Translation Accuracy attached to the original or apostilled document. The certificate must state that the translator is competent in both languages and that the translation is true and accurate. Notarisation of the translator's signature is not required by USCIS but some consulates ask for it.

Question 5

Which Secretary of State apostilles a U.S. university diploma?

Accepted Answer

The diploma must be apostilled by the Secretary of State of the state where the university is registered — not where the campus is, not where the applicant lives, not where the federal Department of Education sits. A diploma from the University of Florida is apostilled by the Florida SoS in Tallahassee; a diploma from UC Berkeley by the California SoS in Sacramento. Submitting to the wrong state SoS triggers a complete restart.

Question 6

How does USCIS premium processing work and which visas qualify in 2026?

Accepted Answer

Premium processing is a $2,805 surcharge that obligates USCIS to take action (approval, denial or RFE) within 15 calendar days. Available for I-129 (H-1B, L-1, O-1, P-1), I-140 (EB-1A, EB-1B, EB-2, EB-3) and certain I-539 categories. The clock starts only when the apostilled and translated supporting documents are on file — premature filing without complete evidence triggers an RFE that pauses the 15-day window.

Apostille USA — Federal & State Hague Apostille (24–72h Online)