California Affidavit of Good Conduct Apostille

Foreign employment, residency, professional licensing, adoption, or visa applications where a “good conduct/good character” declaration is requested and a sworn affidavit is accepted. Common destinations: the UAE, Gulf states, parts of Asia and Latin America, and EU states (many of which require the official check).

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Quick facts

Category: Affidavit / Sworn Statement
Apostilled by the California Secretary of State (Sacramento or Los Angeles)
Fee: $20 per document (mail) or $26 (walk-in) at the California Secretary of State
Free document review before you pay any government fee
Tracked outbound and return shipping included

What to know

Affidavit route (self-prepared — no issuing office): 1. Draft the affidavit. State the good-conduct declaration with identity details and the purpose; a third-party character reference can be drafted by that person. 2. Personally appear before a California notary with satisfactory ID. The notary administers an oath/affirmation and completes a jurat; the affiant signs in the notary’s presence. 3. Confirm the notary’s seal, signature, commission number, and expiration are present and legible. Official-record routes (if required): - California DOJ criminal record review (live-scan; a state record) — confirm whether a notarized copy apostilled in California is acceptable. - FBI Identity History Summary (“FBI background check”) — federal; authenticate through the U.S. Department of State, not the CA SOS. Who can swear it. The affiant about their own conduct, or a third party providing a.

Frequently asked questions

Will a self-sworn good-conduct affidavit be accepted?

Sometimes — but many destinations require the official DOJ record or FBI background check. Confirm first.

Can California apostille my FBI background check?

No — it’s a federal document handled by the U.S. Department of State.

What’s the difference from “no criminal record”?

They overlap; “no criminal record” (#213) asserts a clean record, “good conduct” attests to character. The route is identical; the destination decides what it accepts.

What exactly do I submit (affidavit route)?

Your sworn affidavit, notarized with a jurat. The SOS apostilles the notary’s signature.

Common destinations

Countries this document is most often sent to (pulled from this page's own guidance). Every destination has its own rulebook — apostille (Hague) or full legalization (non-Hague).

Compliant with the rules that actually get documents accepted