FBI Background Check from Brazil: What You Need to Know in 2026

Most people in Brazil who need an FBI background check think the process ends when the FBI sends them a document. It does not. Brazil requires the document to be apostilled and then translated into Portuguese by a certified sworn translator before any Brazilian authority will accept it. Getting those steps in the wrong order means redoing everything.

This guide covers the full process from start to finish: who needs the FBI Identity History Summary from Brazil, where to get fingerprints, how to apply, apostille requirements, sworn translation rules, the 90-day validity window, the Digital Nomad Visa requirement, and the complete timeline.

The FBI Identity History Summary, commonly called the FBI background check or FBI criminal record check, is a fingerprint-based federal document issued directly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It records your complete criminal history in the United States: arrests, charges, convictions, and the outcome of each case across all 50 states and US territories.

It is not a general background report. It is not issued by any state authority. Only the FBI issues it, and the only way to request one is by submitting physical ink fingerprints on an official FD-258 or FD-1164 card to the FBI CJIS system.

The FBI issues the document directly. No fingerprinting provider, no coordination service, and no embassy issues the FBI Identity History Summary.

If you have lived in the United States for six months or more after your 18th birthday, Brazilian authorities and many international institutions can request this document. It does not matter whether you were a US citizen or on a temporary visa. Six months of US residence is the threshold.

Common situations where the FBI background check is required from Brazil:

• Brazilian permanent residency

The Policia Federal and Brazilian immigration authorities require an FBI Identity History Summary from applicants who have US residence history.

• Brazilian citizenship applications

The naturalisation process in Brazil asks for federal criminal history verification from your country of origin.

• Brazil Digital Nomad Visa (VITEM XIV)

Introduced in 2022, this visa attracts thousands of remote workers to Brazil. It requires a criminal background check from your country of origin. For Americans or anyone with US residence history, that means the FBI Identity History Summary.

• Work permits and employment visas

Regulated sectors and international employers operating through Brazilian offices require FBI-level background verification.

• Marriage registration in Brazil

Some civil registry offices ask for authenticated criminal history documents as part of registering a foreign marriage.

• Residency in a third country

Americans living in Brazil who are applying for Spanish, Portuguese, German, or other European residency programmes need the FBI check and must arrange the apostille from Brazil.

• International adoption proceedings

Both sending and receiving countries typically require apostilled FBI documents from all parties.

This confusion causes real delays. The Brazilian Certidão de Antecedentes Criminais (criminal record certificate) and the FBI Identity History Summary are completely different documents.

If a Brazilian authority or an international institution specifically requests the FBI background check, the Brazilian Certidão cannot replace it. They cover different countries and are not interchangeable.

This is one of the most common questions on Brazil expat forums. The answer is: sometimes yes, but frequently no in a usable way.

Policia Federal stations in major cities like São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, and Florianópolis can take fingerprints. Some stations are willing to help with FBI applications and can produce prints on FD-258 cards.

However, several problems come up regularly:

• Card stock issues

Not all stations have the correct heavy-weight card stock the FBI requires. Prints on standard paper weight are rejected.

• Technique inconsistency

FBI rolling technique requires consistent pressure and complete nail-to-nail rolling on each finger. Results from police stations vary significantly by officer.

• Availability and language

Some offices are not familiar with FBI-specific formatting requirements. Language barriers can create errors in the personal details fields.

For these reasons, a private fingerprinting provider who specifically works with FD-258 and FD-1164 cards and understands FBI CJIS quality standards is the more reliable option in Brazil, particularly for immigration applications where a rejection means restarting the process entirely.

There are two routes. Both require physical ink fingerprint cards mailed to the US.

Route 1: Online via the eDO Portal at edo.cjis.gov

Go to edo.cjis.gov, register an account, complete the application form, and pay the $18 FBI processing fee by credit card or PayPal. After payment, you receive a confirmation email with submission instructions. Mail your physical FD-258 or FD-1164 fingerprint cards with a copy of your confirmation to:

FBI CJIS Division: Summary Request 1000 Custer Hollow Road Clarksburg, WV 26306, USA

Choose digital PDF delivery when registering. The document arrives by email the day the FBI issues it, cutting 1 to 2 weeks of return mailing from the US to Brazil.

Route 2: Direct Mail to the FBI

Complete the FBI Identity History Summary Request form, attach your fingerprint cards, and include payment of $18 by certified check or money order payable to the US Treasury. Mail everything to the same FBI CJIS address above. Results are returned by mail.

Route 3: Through a Coordination Service

For applicants who want the fingerprinting, submission, apostille, and translation coordinated in one workflow, Globeia manages the full process from Brazil.

Globeia's trained associates collect ink fingerprints on official FD-258 or FD-1164 cards anywhere in Brazil through mobile appointments. After collection, the fingerprint cards are couriered to Globeia Inc. in the USA, which coordinates electronic submission to the FBI CJIS system. The FBI independently processes and issues the Identity History Summary.

Globeia Inc. does not issue FBI Identity History Summaries. Globeia also coordinates the US Department of State apostille and sworn Portuguese translation as additional services.

Every appointment includes a Letter of Identity Verification with a unique QR code confirming that fingerprints were collected under international security protocols by a trained associate. This is a Globeia document, not a government document, and is not issued by or affiliated with the FBI.

The timeline for getting an FBI Identity History Summary from Brazil depends on each stage of the process, not only FBI processing time. Applicants need to consider fingerprint collection, sending documents to the United States, FBI processing, and any additional steps required for using the document in Brazil.

After the FBI receives your completed application and fingerprint card, processing time can vary depending on application volume, fingerprint quality, and whether additional review is needed.

A typical timeline may include:

• Fingerprint collection in Brazil: 1–2 days, depending on appointment availability.
• International courier delivery to the FBI in the United States: Around 7–14 business days.
• FBI processing: Processing times vary based on the applicant and current FBI workload.
• Digital FBI result delivery: Available once the FBI completes processing if electronic delivery is selected.
• Apostille and translation (if required): Additional time may be needed depending on the authentication and translation process.

The FBI only controls the processing of the Identity History Summary. Courier delivery, apostille processing, and translation timelines are handled separately and should be planned independently.

If you need to use your FBI Identity History Summary in Brazil, obtaining the FBI document may not be the final step. Depending on the purpose of the document, Brazilian authorities or organisations may require additional authentication and Portuguese translation.

Step 1: Obtain Your FBI Identity History Summary

The first step is applying for the FBI Identity History Summary through the official FBI process.

Applicants can apply through:

• FBI eDO portal for online application and electronic delivery, or
• Direct mail submission to the FBI CJIS Division
• Professional services

The application requires an FBI-compliant fingerprint card, such as FD-258, along with the required application details and FBI processing fee.

Selecting electronic delivery can help reduce mailing time because the FBI sends the completed document digitally once it is issued.

Step 2: Apostille the FBI Identity History Summary

An FBI Identity History Summary is a US federal document. If an apostille is required for use in Brazil, it must be issued by the US Department of State Office of Authentications.

The apostille verifies the authenticity of the federal document for use in countries that recognise Hague Apostille Convention documents, including Brazil.

The request is submitted to:

US Department of State

Apostille requirements can depend on why the FBI background check is being used. Before requesting authentication, confirm with the Brazilian authority, employer, immigration professional, or organisation receiving the document.

Step 3: Translate the FBI Document into Portuguese

For official use in Brazil, the apostilled FBI Identity History Summary may need to be translated into Portuguese.

The translation generally must be completed by a Tradutora Pública Juramentada (sworn public translator) registered in Brazil. A standard translation service may not be accepted for official purposes.

The translation should include the complete FBI document and the apostille page.

The usual order is:

FBI Identity History Summary → US Apostille → Portuguese Sworn Translation

However, specific requirements may vary depending on the Brazilian authority requesting the document.

The total time depends on whether you need only the FBI Identity History Summary or additional steps for official use in Brazil.

For applicants using the FBI check for immigration, residency, employment, or legal purposes in Brazil, it is recommended to begin the process early and allow extra time for each stage, especially if authentication and translation are required.

The FBI does not set an expiry date on the Identity History Summary. However, the US Department of State will not apostille a check older than approximately 90 days from its issue date.

Most Brazilian immigration authorities also expect the document to be recently issued. While 90 days is the standard most applicants and expat communities in Brazil reference, always confirm the specific validity requirement with the Brazilian authority handling your application. Different visa categories and different consulate offices may have different windows.

For the Brazil Digital Nomad Visa (VITEM XIV), start your FBI fingerprint application no more than 6 to 8 weeks before your intended filing date. This ensures the document is current when you reach the apostille and translation stage.

• Submitting prints on incorrect card stock

FD-258 and FD-1164 cards require heavy-weight card stock. Standard A4 printer paper is rejected. Some Brazil Policia Federal stations use incorrect card stock.

• Personal details that do not match your passport

Name, date of birth, and other fields on the fingerprint card must exactly match your current passport. Any discrepancy causes rejection.

• Mailing cards without pre-registering via eDO

Register and pay via edo.cjis.gov before mailing your cards. Sending cards without a confirmed application creates processing delays.

• Translating before apostilling

The apostille must be on the document before translation happens. A translation of an un-apostilled document is rejected by most Brazilian authorities.

• Forgetting that the translation may need its own apostille

Some Brazilian authorities require that the Portuguese translation carries its own apostille. Not confirming this upfront means additional rounds of processing.

• Applying too early

The 90-day apostille window means applying too far in advance can leave the document outdated before you even start the apostille step.

• Time it correctly.

Using a general translator instead of a Tradutora Pública Juramentada

• Book fingerprints first. Everything depends on having clean, readable impressions on the correct card stock. This is the one step that cannot be done online or remotely.
• Choose PDF delivery when registering on edo.cjis.gov. It eliminates 1 to 2 weeks of return mailing from the US to Brazil and gets the document to you the day the FBI issues it.
• Start 12 to 14 weeks before your filing deadline if you need an apostille and translation. The total window is 10 to 16 weeks. Do not start with 8 weeks to spare.
• Confirm whether the translation needs its own apostille. Call or email the Brazilian authority requesting the document before you begin. This one confirmation saves weeks.
• Find your Tradutora Pública Juramentada before you need them. The Junta Comercial of each Brazilian state maintains a registry of officially recognised sworn translators. Find one in your state early so there is no wait once the apostilled document arrives.
• For the Digital Nomad Visa, start 6 to 8 weeks before your intended application date. Not earlier. The document needs to be recent at the time of filing.

Globeia coordinates the full three-step process for Americans and former US residents in Brazil:

Mobile ink fingerprint collection anywhere in Brazil on official FD-258 or FD-1164 cards. Cards are couriered to Globeia Inc. in the USA for electronic submission to the FBI CJIS system. After the FBI issues the Identity History Summary, Globeia coordinates the federal apostille through the US Department of State. After the apostille, Globeia coordinates sworn Portuguese translation through accredited Tradutora Pública Juramentada translators.

Globeia does not directly apostille any official government document and does not perform apostille services on behalf of any government authority. All apostille requests are submitted to the US Department of State on the client's behalf.

The FBI document itself is only one third of what Brazilian authorities actually need. The apostille and the sworn translation are equally mandatory, and the sequence is fixed: FBI document first, apostille second, translation third.

Where most people lose time is discovering one of these steps after they thought they were done. The translation needs its own apostille in some cases. The Tradutora Pública Juramentada has to be registered in the right state. The card stock at Policia Federal was wrong and the FBI rejected the prints.

Start with fingerprinting. Mail your cards to the FBI. Choose PDF delivery. Once the FBI document arrives, move straight to the US Department of State for the apostille. Then find your sworn translator. Build 12 to 14 weeks into your timeline if you need the full package with apostille and translation.

That sequence, followed in that order, gets the right document to Brazilian authorities on time.