How to Apply for an FBI Background Check from Kanpur in 2026

You can get an FBI background check from Kanpur in three ways: (1) start an online request at edo.cjis.gov, pay the fee, and mail your fingerprint card to the FBI; (2) use the traditional mail-in route, sending the fingerprint card, application form, and payment to the FBI in Clarksburg, West Virginia; or (3) use a third-party coordination service to manage the card, courier, and apostille for you.

The FBI calls this document an Identity History Summary (sometimes called a “rap sheet”). It shows whether the FBI holds any arrest record linked to your fingerprints. This guide explains each step for applicants in Kanpur, why the common shortcuts don’t work from India, and how to avoid the mistakes that get cards rejected.

An FBI background check or an FBI police clearance tells you whether the FBI holds any arrest record tied to your fingerprints. The FBI calls it an Identity History Summary or rap sheet.

The FBI uses fingerprints to search its identification records, rather than relying on a name-only search. But the name and personal details on your request still matter. Enter them accurately and check whether the receiving authority requires your FBI result to match your passport or other application documents.

If you’ve never been to the United States, you probably don’t need one. Confirm with the requesting authority before starting the FBI background check application process from Kanpur.

In 2026, you may need an FBI Identity History Summary if a foreign immigration authority, consulate, employer or other organisation asks for a record of your U.S. criminal history. This may be part of a visa, residency, immigration or overseas employment application. The requirement depends on the purpose of your application, so confirm it with the requesting authority before applying.

Not for U.S. employment or licensing checks. 

The FBI’s personal Identity History Summary is not intended for U.S. employment or licensing purposes. Those checks may require a separate process through the relevant state identification bureau or requesting agency.

Check the FBI’s official guidance

Confirm these details before applying. To avoid paying for the wrong document or arranging unnecessary authentication, ask the requesting authority:

• Will they accept an electronic FBI result, or do they require a paper copy?
• Does the document need a U.S. Department of State apostille or another form of authentication? The destination country and its requirements determine which certificate is appropriate. 

See the State Department’s requirements

Also read How Do I Get an Apostille of the Hague for an FBI Background Check?

Quick Self-Check: Do You Need an FBI Background Check?

Why Kanpur Police Clearance Won't Work: A clearance from the Kanpur Police Commissionerate only verifies local records in India. It cannot verify your U.S. history. For that, foreign governments require hard-copy FD-258 fingerprint ink-rolling submitted directly to the FBI CJIS Division in West Virginia.

Also read What is an FD-258 Fingerprinting Card Used For?

Route 1: Online request with a mailed card

• Start the request. Go to edo.cjis.gov and follow the steps under “Obtaining Your Identity History Summary.” Complete your application and payment, then save the confirmation email.
• Get your fingerprints taken in Kanpur. Use the FBI-compliant card (unused, standard white paper). Include your name, date of birth, and signature, plus rolled and plain impressions of all ten fingers. Use black ink, not red or purple.
• Courier the original card. Send it with the printed confirmation email to the address on that email. The FBI then processes your request as an electronic submission.
• Wait for your response. For an electronic request, the FBI provides an electronic result and offers the option of receiving a response by U.S. first-class mail. For a traditional mail-in request, the response is sent by U.S. first-class mail. Allow additional time for international delivery if you choose a mailed response.

Route 2: Traditional mail-in

1. Complete the Identity History Summary Request Form (I-783) and sign it. Each person in a family needs their own form.
2. Get your fingerprint card taken as described above.
3. Prepare payment of $18 per person.
4. Check your package against the FBI’s Identity History Summary Request Checklist.
5. Courier everything to: FBI CJIS Division – Summary Request, 1000 Custer Hollow Road, Clarksburg, WV 26306.

Route 3: Third-party coordination

A coordination service doesn’t change how the FBI processes your request. It handles the practical steps around it:

• Checking that your fingerprint card meets FBI standards before it’s sent
• Preparing the package and arranging the courier, with tracking
• Routing the apostille after you receive your summary, if you need one

A service saves you effort and reduces avoidable rejections. It cannot speed up the FBI’s processing. Before you use any provider, ask what they handle, what’s included in their price, and what they need from you.

Whichever route you choose

• Do not include a self-addressed envelope. That includes prepaid Priority Mail, FedEx or UPS account numbers, and foreign postage coupons. The FBI responds by first-class mail.
• You get one sealed response per request. Extra sealed copies need additional requests at $18 each.
• Ask your fingerprinting provider to take two cards at the same appointment, so a rejection doesn’t mean rebooking.

Also read Where Do I Get Fingerprinting for FBI Background Check in India?

What Will You Receive?

Check What Does an FBI Background Check Show: How to Read It?

The Two Fingerprint Sets Strategy

Ask your provider to take two fingerprint cards at the same appointment. If the first is rejected, you can mail the backup immediately instead of rebooking. A second card is usually a better option compared with a rejection, which costs another fee, another courier charge, and weeks of delay.

Also read What If the FBI Was Unable to Process Your Fingerprint?

Before you book a fingerprint appointment, make sure you have a payment method that will work. The FBI fee for an Identity History Summary is $18 USD per person, you must pay the exact amount, and you cannot pay extra for faster service.

What the FBI accepts

Indian demand drafts aren’t on the FBI’s list of accepted payment methods, so don’t rely on one.

How you pay depends on your route

For most applicants in India, a card is the simplest option. Money orders and certified checks in U.S. dollars are hard to arrange from Kanpur.

Will an Indian credit card work?

It depends on the card. Check these before you pay:

1. Is it an internationally enabled card?

Many Indian debit and credit cards have international transactions switched off until you turn them on yourself. Open your bank’s app or net banking and check that international transactions are enabled and your transaction limit covers the amount in USD. Don’t assume it’s already on.

2. What network is it on?

Visa and Mastercard have the widest international acceptance, so they are the safest choice. RuPay is mainly a domestic network. Some RuPay Global or RuPay International cards may be used abroad, but a standard RuPay card will not work for a payment to a U.S. government agency.

The FBI doesn’t publish a list of accepted card networks, so test with a Visa or Mastercard if you have one.

3. Whose card is it?

If a relative or sponsor pays, their details go on the payment (or the credit card payment form if you are paying by credit card), not yours.

Quick checklist

The fee is small, but a failed payment can delay your whole application by weeks.

Some applicants may not prefer to coordinate fingerprint appointments, courier tracking, payment forms, and apostille routing on their own, that’s why Globeia gives you a simpler alternative.

What Globeia Takes Care Of

• Fingerprinting in Kanpur - FD-258/FD-1164 card completed to FBI standards, with a backup set prepared at the same appointment
• Package preparation and courier - your card and confirmation email prepped, packed, and sent to the FBI with tracking
• Payment support - guidance on paying the $18 FBI fee, including which cards work for international transactions
• Apostille routing - if your requesting authority needs it, we route your FBI response through our U.S. office for the Department of State apostille

One point of contact -no chasing multiple providers or wondering where things stand.

Pricing

Final pricing depends on your requirements - whether you need an apostille, how many copies, and where the documents need to reach. Talk to us and we'll give you an exact quote.

Who This Is For

Applicants who want one point of contact instead of coordinating between a fingerprint provider, a courier, and an apostille agent

• Applicants on tight deadlines - immigration or consulate timelines where a rejected fingerprint card costs you weeks you don't have
• Applicants who need an apostille - we handle the U.S. Department of State routing through our U.S. office
• Applicants who aren't sure where to start - we walk you through what your requesting authority needs before you spend a rupee

What Doesn't Change

The FBI controls processing time. No service - not Globeia, not anyone - can pay for faster processing. Your request goes through the same FBI system regardless of who helps you prepare it.

What we control is everything before it reaches the FBI: getting your fingerprints right the first time, making sure your payment goes through, and ensuring your card reaches West Virginia without delays.

Start your FBI background check with Globeia

When an official document is tied to an important next step in life, accuracy matters more than simply completing the paperwork. The right fingerprint card, correct personal details and appropriate submission route can all affect how smoothly the process moves forward. Understanding these requirements before applying is a practical way to reduce avoidable complications.

From Kanpur, you can request your FBI Identity History Summary online and mail your fingerprints, or follow the FBI’s traditional paper application process. Globeia can help with fingerprinting, card preparation, courier arrangements and apostille coordination, depending on your needs. Start by checking what the receiving authority requires, then plan each step accordingly.

Start your FBI background check in Kanpur with Globeia