How To Get an FBI Background Check for Japan in 2026?

Getting an FBI background check from Japan means requesting your Identity History Summary through the FBI's eDO portal or by mail, getting your fingerprints rolled onto an FD-258 or FD-1164 card by a trained provider in Japan, then mailing that card to the FBI in West Virginia for processing. Once your report comes back, it still needs an apostille from the US Department of State and often a certified Japanese translation before it can be used in Japan.

Between the two ways to apply, applying online through the eDO portal is usually the better fit if you are in Japan. It is faster, gives you a clear tracking reference, and lets you pay by credit card instead of arranging a US dollar check or money order, which is genuinely hard to get from Japan. It also matches how a lot of processes in Japan already work, with everything tracked and confirmed digitally rather than left to chance in the mail.

Documents like this come with a lot of terminology, and many readers will see these words in both languages. Below are the terms you'll meet throughout this blog:

An FBI background check is called an Identity History Summary. It is issued by the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division in Clarksburg, West Virginia. It lists certain information from fingerprint submissions the FBI holds, mainly related to arrests. If you have no record, you receive a response confirming that no prior arrest data is on file.

The check is fingerprint-based, not name-based. That is why the FBI won't hand over anyone else's arrest record, and why you must give your own fingerprints to get yours. The FBI requires a positive match through fingerprints before releasing anything.

Check Out Fingerprint Background Check vs Name-Based Check

FBI Identity History Summary, rap sheet, police clearance: same thing?

Mostly yes, but the names matter because different organizations use different ones. "Identity History Summary" is the official title. "Rap sheet" is the everyday term for the same record. "FBI background check," "FBI clearance," and "FBI police certificate" are what visa offices, employers and immigration blogs tend to call it. When a Japanese school or a Canadian visa checklist asks for an "FBI check," this is the document they mean.

"Police clearance" is the tricky one, because it is a generic term. A US local or state police letter is not the same as an FBI check, and neither is Japan's own 犯罪経歴証明書. Each covers a different jurisdiction. Japan-related requests almost always want the federal, FBI-issued version, so don't substitute a state or city record unless the requester says it's acceptable.

What it shows, and what it doesn't

Your summary shows arrests that were fingerprinted and reported to the FBI. For each arrest it lists the submitting agency, the date, the charge, and the outcome if known. It can also show some federal employment, naturalization or military entries. Minor matters that never involved fingerprinting generally don't appear.

It does not cover records from Japan or any other country. It is not a character reference or a credit check. And it doesn't always reflect the final outcome of a case, because dispositions depend on what local courts and agencies report to the FBI. 

Also, it cannot show sealed or expunged records that the state has properly removed. Questions about sealing or expunging state-level arrests go to the state identification bureau, not the FBI.

Read more here What Does an FBI Background Check Show

Who Needs an FBI Background Check in Japan

US Citizen Applying to Work or Teach in Japan: Japanese immigration doesn't always require it for a work visa, but schools, dispatch companies and programs like JET often ask for one.

• US Citizen Already Living in Japan: You may need it for a third country's visa, an adoption, a US professional license, or a job back in the States.
• Japanese National Who Lived in the US: Study abroad, an internship or a work stint in the US can trigger a request for an FBI check when you apply for Canada, Australia or other countries. Many countries ask for police certificates from anywhere you lived for around six months or more.
• Non-US, Non-Japanese Residents Who Once Lived in the US: The FBI processes requests from all nationalities. If a third country asks for your US record, this is how you get it from Japan.
• SOFA Status Personnel Transitioning to Civilian Visas: You lose SOFA status when you separate, and you then have 60 days to secure another status. A civilian employer or school may ask for an FBI background check during that window.
• High-Skilled Professionals and Corporate Transfers: Some multinational employers and immigration counsel ask for the FBI background check when you have a US work or residence history.

People living in Japan mix these up because both are "police certificates," but they are issued by different governments and cover different records. The FBI check speaks only for the United States. The Japanese police certificate speaks only for Japan. Which one you need depends on where you've lived and where you're applying.

Which Certificate You Need and When?

• Lived in both the US and Japan, applying to a third country (such as Canada or Australia): you'll likely need both.
• US citizen living in Japan short term, applying to a third country: usually only the FBI check, since Japan certificates are typically required after longer stays. Check the destination's threshold.
• US citizen living in Japan for several years, applying to a third country: both, because your residence history now includes Japan.
• Japanese national who studied or worked in the US, applying abroad: the FBI check for your US years, plus the Japan certificate.
• Japanese national who has never lived in the US: the Japan certificate only.
• Non-US, non-Japanese long-term resident of Japan who once lived in the US: the FBI check, the Japan certificate, and possibly one from your home country.
• Employer in Japan asking an American hire for a background check: the FBI background check. The Japan certificate doesn't apply.

Step 1: Start the FBI Background Check Request

You have two ways to begin. Both need physical fingerprint cards mailed to the FBI, so plan for courier time either way.

• Apply Online - Go to the FBI's eDO portal (edo.cjis.gov), enter your details and pay the fee by card. You then receive a confirmation email. You mail your completed fingerprint card and that confirmation email to the address listed in it. The request continues as an electronic submission once the card arrives.
• Apply By Mail/Courier - Download the Applicant Information Form from the FBI website and fill it out by hand. Sign it, add your phone number and email, and put it in the package with your fingerprint card and payment. 

Either way, the FBI does not accept scanned or emailed fingerprint cards. The physical card must go by mail or courier, directly to the FBI address on your confirmation email or the form.

Step 2: Get FBI Fingerprints Taken Correctly

Your prints must be rolled in ink on an FD-258 or FD-1164 card, ideally by a trained professional. You need a fresh card every time, since the FBI won't reuse a previous card and doesn't return cards.

Step 3: Fill out the Fingerprint Card the Japan Way

Your technician will complete the card, but you must supply accurate details. Give your name exactly as it appears on your passport, in the same romanization you'll use everywhere else. Convert your height to feet and inches and your weight to pounds, since the card is American. Write your address in Western order, and state the "reason fingerprinted" clearly, for example "visa application" or "immigration".

Step 4: Mail Your FBI Background Check Request Package

Put everything together in one package and ship it by tracked international courier. Include:

• Your application submission receipt or confirmation email, if you applied electronically.
• Your completed application form, if you applied by mail.
• Two sets of fingerprint cards, which is the safe practice.
• Your $18 fee, either paid online during your electronic request or included with your mailed application

Step 5: Track Application and Receive

Your courier will give you a tracking number, which lets you confirm delivery to the FBI. If you applied online and chose email notifications, the FBI also updates you as the request progresses. The confirmation email includes the link and PIN you need to check status and retrieve your results.

Processing is about 1 to 3 days for US citizens and 2 to 3 weeks for non-US applicants, counted from when the FBI receives your card. These are typical timeframes, not guarantees. The FBI does not expedite requests and works in the order received. How Long Does an FBI Background Check Take: Processing Times Explained

You will receive your FBI background check as an electronic PDF, with the option of a mailed copy by US First-Class Mail. For use in Japan, the electronic PDF is usually the safest choice, because a paper copy mailed to Japan is slow and can be lost.

Step 6: Check for Errors

Read your result as soon as it arrives. Confirm that your name, date of birth and other details are correct, and that the summary matches what the requester needs. Because the name on your response matches the name you entered in your request, a spelling mistake means a fresh $18 request.

If the record itself looks wrong, you can challenge it. There is no fee, and the average response time is within about 45 days. Send documents that support your claim, such as court dockets or dismissal orders. You'll need your FBI number or State Identification Number to submit a challenge. 

Submitting FBI Background Check Application From Japan: Can Someone Else Do This For Me?

Yes. Several specialized providers in Japan will take your prints, check them for quality, and courier them to the FBI on your behalf. Many also handle the apostille and Japanese translation, so your document arrives ready to submit in Japan or anywhere else. Some agencies only take fingerprints, so ask exactly what's included.

DIY vs Specialized Service Provider in Japan

People in Japan sometimes assume they can take their own fingerprints at home. It's not as easy as it sounds. Humidity in summer smudges ink, dry winter skin leaves gaps, and worn ridges from manual work or age can be hard to capture.

The right pressure, the right amount of ink and clean, lotion-free fingers all matter. The FBI rejects cards whose prints aren't legible, and it is strict about it. These are your options in Japan.

Explore What Documents Do I Need for Fingerprinting? 

Option 1: Japan-Based Fingerprinting Agency (Mostly Tokyo)

Specialist fingerprinting agencies take your prints on the official FD-258 or FD-1164 card and certify it, so the card is ready to submit. Most are based in Tokyo, though a few also serve other major cities. Trained staff know how to roll clean, legible prints, and they will retake them if needed.

Option 2: Police Station Plus Notary

Some readers take an FBI card to a police station for prints, then have a notary sign and certify it. Japanese police stations can generally take fingerprints, but reports say they can't sign the card, which is often required. Others have reported cards accepted without a signature, so confirm what your requester needs.

Call first, since availability varies by station. A helpful phrase for the counter is:

For the notary office, you might say:

Have a native speaker review both phrases before you use them.

Option 3: On-Base Fingerprinting in Yokosuka

If you have base access, the Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka Security Department offers fingerprinting in Building 1495. It is by appointment only, booked at least 72 hours ahead, on hard-copy FD-258 cards, weekdays 8 AM to 4 PM except federal holidays. 

Option 4: Mobile or Doorstep Fingerprinting Services

A trained technician comes to your home, office or hotel with the cards, ink and equipment. Doorstep or mobile fingerprinting services are useful if you live outside Tokyo, work weekdays, or need several family members done at once.

Just do one thing, before booking, ask which cards they use, whether they retake until the prints are legible, and how they charge for travel.

To use your FBI background check in Japan, it usually needs to pass through a few layers first. The FBI issues the record, the US Department of State authenticates it with an apostille, and then a translator renders it into Japanese if the receiving office needs that.

FBI Apostille

Japan is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so a single apostille certificate is normally enough for the US document to be recognized in Japan. An FBI report is a federal document, so the apostille comes from the US Department of State, not a state office. You submit Form DS-4194, list Japan as the country of use, and pay $20 per document.

You can't walk in from abroad, so most readers in Japan either mail their documents or use an apostille agent. If you receive an electronic PDF, print it without changes, and never remove or alter any seal on a paper copy.

Japanese Translation

Japanese offices and employers often want a Japanese translation of English documents. Some accept a plain translation, and others want a translator's certificate confirming it is accurate. Ask which applies before you order.

Look for a Japan-based agency that specializes in 証明書翻訳 (certificate translation). Translate the apostille page as well as the FBI background check report itself, and send the translator a clear scan of both. 

The FBI fee is small. The real spread comes from fingerprinting, notary, courier, apostille and translation, and from whether you do it yourself or hire someone. Here is each stage, in the currency you'll actually pay.

As a rough estimate, a DIY route often lands somewhere between ¥15,000 and ¥45,000 depending on notary, courier and translation costs. Specialist packages cost more but bundle everything and reduce the risk of a rejected card.

Can I Pay for an FBI Background Check in Yen?

For stages in Japan, yes. Fingerprinting, notary services, courier and translation are all paid in yen. But the US steps are different. The FBI fee and the State Department apostille fee must be paid in US dollars, and most end-to-end providers also charge in dollars for the whole process, though a few Japan-based agencies price in yen.

The FBI doesn't accept personal checks, business checks or cash. Japanese residents don't usually have US checkbooks, so the answer is a credit card through the electronic route. That is why the online request is the best option for you in Japan.

Names with Variant Romanization and Legal Name Changes

Japanese names can be romanized in several ways, such as Yuuki and Yuki or Saito and Saitoh. Enter your name exactly as it appears on the passport you'll use for the application, because the name on your FBI response matches the name you enter in your request.

The search itself runs on fingerprints, so a spelling variant won't create or hide a record. If your legal name changed through marriage, use your current legal name and list former names wherever the form allows.

Non-US Citizens Who Once Lived in the US

You don't need to be a US citizen to request your FBI record, and a US residence history is enough reason to be asked for it. If you have no US record, you'll receive a "no record" result. Include the name you used in the US, such as the one on your visa.

Arrests, Dismissed Cases and Expunged Records

An arrest can appear even when the case was dismissed, because the summary is built from fingerprint submissions. The FBI generally can't change information unless the agency that submitted it tells it to.

If a disposition is missing, you can challenge the record, at no fee and with an average response time of about 45 days. Expungement works at the state level, so contact the state identification bureau where the arrest occurred.

Fingerprints Rejected Repeatedly

If your prints keep getting rejected, have multiple sets taken by a fingerprinting technician and mail all of them with your request. There is no easy fallback. The FBI doesn't provide name checks for these requests.

Check How Many Times Can You Submit Fingerprints to the FBI?

Wash your hands right before your appointment, skip hand cream that day, and tell the technician if your ridges are worn or your skin is very dry or damp.

Dual Nationals and Returnees (帰国子女)

If you hold both Japanese and US citizenship, the FBI check works the same way. But use the passport spelling that matches your application. You may also need the Japan police certificate if the destination asks for your Japan record.

Also, many countries only ask for police certificates covering time abroad after you turned 18. If you lived in the US only as a child, check the age threshold in the requirement before you spend money on a request you may not need.

Globeia is a trusted service provider with more than 10 years of experience in international fingerprinting and cross-border documentation, including FBI background checks and apostilles. From the first step to the last, you can rely on us to get your FBI background check in Japan ready to submit. This is what Globeia offers in Japan.

• Doorstep Fingerprinting: We've expanded our fingerprinting services across Japan, from Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, and more. Our associates come to your home, office or hotel, so you don't have to plan weekday trips to a police station or notary office.
• FBI-Compliant Cards: Our trained associates bring official FBI FD-258 or FD-1164 cards to every appointment, along with high-quality black ink and the equipment needed for clean, legible prints.
• Physical Presence in the USA: We have a physical entity in the US, Globeia Inc. Your fingerprint cards go there, where they are processed and submitted to the FBI on your behalf, so you don't need to arrange international shipping yourself.
• Expedited Federal Apostille: Our US office is only a few blocks from the US Department of State. We can handle the physical drop-off of your documents in the same workflow, and cut turnaround to about 10 days instead of the usual weeks of waiting.
• Japanese Translations and More: We offer certified translation into Japanese. If your document is meant for use elsewhere, we translate into 50+ languages, including Korean, Chinese, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese.

You can choose one of these services, a few of them, or all of them bundled together. However much you need, a ready-to-submit FBI background check can be delivered right to your doorstep in Japan.

Ready to start? Book your required FBI Background Check service here!

There is something reassuring about how this process treats everyone the same. It does not matter if you are a US citizen who has lived in Tokyo for a decade or someone who spent six months there on a work visa years ago. The FBI runs the same search on the same fingerprints either way. The only thing that actually changes your experience is how carefully you handle the details around it.