u/River7song

I am at the beginning of the process. As a first step, I took copies of all required documents to my local honorary consul yesterday and got them certified as true copies. However, the consul stapled all of the documents together and stamped and signed the packet on the back, and I need to send two of those documents to the State Dept for an apostille. (He put the stamp over the staple, so I don't want to undo the packet.) When I explained this to the consul, he was unhelpful and maintained that certifying the true copies as a package was "how it was always done.". He also said he couldn't answer any questions, that I would need to ask at a Consulate.

• Should I obtain the necessary apostilles first, then go back and get the copies certified?
• Can a copy with an apostille attached be certified as a true copy?
• Also, does the FBI background check need an apostille?
• Thanks for any/all advice!