FBI Background Check: Request, Status and Getting It from Abroad

An FBI background check, officially the FBI Identity History Summary, is a fingerprint-based search of federal records that shows arrest and conviction data linked to your fingerprints. People order it for employment, professional licensing, visa and immigration applications, or simply to review their own file. Below we cover how to request it, how long each channel takes, and what to do from outside the United States.

What the Identity History Summary actually is

The report is often called a Rap Sheet. It is compiled by the FBI CJIS Division from fingerprint submissions sent by federal, state and local agencies over the years. Because the search runs on fingerprints rather than a name, it is more thorough than a name-based check: it can surface records from any jurisdiction where your prints were ever taken. The summary itself is issued to you, the individual, and you decide who receives a copy.

How to submit a request: three channels

There are three ways to submit, and the channel you choose mostly determines the waiting time.

The eDO route and Channelers both rely on electronic fingerprint capture, which is why they are far quicker than post. If you need the document urgently, avoid the mail route unless you have no other option.

Electronic Departmental Orders (eDO) and online requirements

The eDO system lets you complete the whole request online. You will need:

• Form I-783, the application form for a Departmental Order request
• Your fingerprints, captured digitally at an enrollment centre or on a card if you qualify for the mail option
• Payment of the $18 FBI fee
• A valid email address, since the electronic report is delivered by email
• Proof of identity if the FBI requests it later

Once submitted, you can track the FBI background check status through the online portal rather than waiting for post.

Ink fingerprint card by mail

The traditional route uses the FD-258 Fingerprint Card. You complete Form I-783, have your fingerprints rolled in ink onto the card, and post both to the FBI. This is the fallback for anyone who cannot reach an electronic enrollment centre, including US citizens living abroad. Poor-quality prints are the main cause of delays or rejections, so use an experienced technician and press each finger fully. If the FBI cannot read your prints, they may ask you to resubmit, which adds weeks.

Find a fingerprinting location

For electronic capture, the FBI’s partners run enrollment networks. Certifix operates livescan fingerprinting locations, and IdentoGO centres offer the same service; both feed into the eDO process. Search the provider’s location finder for the nearest site and book ahead. If nothing is nearby, or you are overseas, any of these usually works:

• A local police station, many of which take ink prints for a small administrative fee
• A US embassy or consulate, which can take prints for federal purposes
• A private fingerprinting service that completes FD-258 cards

FBI check vs state check: what appears on the report

A state background check is usually name-based and covers only that state’s records. The FBI check is fingerprint-based and searches the national file, so it can show arrests and dispositions from multiple states. This has one practical consequence: expunged or sealed records can still appear, because the original arrest was reported federally even after a state court cleared it. If that happens, you can challenge the entry and supply the court order showing the expungement.

Using the report for employment or licensing

You can order your own summary and hand it to an employer, a licensing board or an immigration authority. Some employers, however, are required to obtain the check through an FBI Channeler or through a state system, in which case your personal copy will not satisfy them. Always ask the requesting organisation which format they accept before you pay for anything. For a wider view of check types and who requires which, see the guide to background checks explained: types and cost.

Departmental Order 556-73: your right to the file

The legal basis for personal access is U.S. Departmental Order 556-73, which obliges the FBI to provide individuals with their own Identity History Summary on request. It also sets out the challenge procedure, so the same order covers both getting the report and correcting it. You do not need a lawyer or a third party to exercise this right; the request is yours to make directly.

If there are errors in your report

Mistakes happen, most often with common names or incomplete dispositions. To challenge an entry, contact the FBI CJIS Division with the details of the record and any supporting court documents. The FBI will liaise with the contributing agency, and if the challenge succeeds the summary is corrected and reissued. Keep copies of everything you send, and expect the process to take longer than the original request.

Do you need an apostille?

If the report is going to a foreign authority, an apostille is often required. Because the FBI summary is a federal document, the apostille is issued by the U.S. Department of State through its FBI Apostille Service request process. Order it as soon as you receive the report, since it is a separate step with its own processing time and cannot be bundled into the original check.

A worked example: applying from abroad

Situation: a US citizen in London needs the summary for a work visa in another country, with no enrollment centre nearby.

Steps: book an ink fingerprint appointment at a local police station, have the prints taken on an FD-258 card, complete Form I-783, and post both with payment to the FBI. When the report arrives by email, submit it to the U.S. Department of State for the apostille.

Result: the report takes a few weeks by post and the apostille adds further time, so the total is measured in months rather than days. Anyone in this position should start as early as possible, or travel to an electronic enrollment centre if a trip is feasible.