How a Florida fdle background check is used in Brazil
Brazil's residence authorizations, handled with the Polícia Federal and the Ministry of Justice under the 2017 Migration Law, commonly ask for criminal-record certificates from the countries where you've lived in recent years. Because it's a country-level requirement, ask whether a Florida state record is enough or whether an FBI check is expected; federal records are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State, not by us. If the FDLE check is accepted, request it notarized at issuance, since a printout can't be apostilled. It will also need a sworn Portuguese translation, and the original travels with it.
Translation for Brazil
Our general rule for translations is certified by the translator, notarized by a separate notary and apostilled in Florida, but Brazil instead requires its own public translators. Under Law 14.195/2021, only a tradutor e intérprete público registered with a Brazilian Junta Comercial gives a translation public faith in Brazil, and the original-language document must accompany it. Apostille in Florida first, then have a Brazilian public translator translate the apostilled original, and ask whether the apostille page must be translated too.
What your FDLE criminal history check must look like
Order the certified, notarized criminal history from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement — the version FDLE notarizes at issuance. An online instant check or a printout without FDLE's notarial certificate cannot be apostilled. The notarized FDLE result is a Florida document, so it receives a Florida apostille; an FBI identity history summary is a federal document that goes to the U.S. Department of State instead and is not something we handle. If the receiving office asks for a "state police certificate", the notarized FDLE check is what they mean.
Step by step: FDLE background check apostille for Brazil
- Order online — pick "FDLE background check" and "Brazil" on the order form; $220 per document, $380 for two, $160 each for three or more.
- Send a photo — reply to the confirmation email with a picture of the document. We check the certification before anything ships, so a defect is caught before it costs you a round trip.
- Drop it at FedEx — after approval, FedEx emails you a prepaid QR code; show it at any FedEx Office or Ship Center, no printer or label needed.
- Filed in person in Tallahassee — we walk the document into the Florida Department of State and ship the apostilled original back by FedEx within 5–7 business days of receipt — to your U.S. address, or to Brazil with international return shipping (+$100).
One Florida apostille is all the U.S. side needs for Brazil. Whatever the office there asks for after that — a translation, a filing deadline — is covered above.