FBI Background Check from Manila: Requirements and Application Process

Though the United States is over 13,000 kilometers from Manila, distance isn't usually the main reason for delays in an FBI background check. Normally, it's unclear fingerprint requirements, incomplete applications, or discovering too late that the receiving organisation expected a different version of the report.

Understanding the process before you begin can save both time and unnecessary expense. From local fingerprint collection to payment, courier options, and apostille requirements, this blog covers what people applying for an FBI background check from Manila need to know.

Before arranging fingerprinting or completing an application, it's helpful to understand exactly what you're requesting.

The document commonly referred to as an FBI Background Check is officially known as an FBI Identity History Summary.

Rather than certifying that a person has "passed" a background check, an Identity History Summary is a fingerprint-based search of the FBI's criminal history databases. It identifies whether the FBI maintains any arrest or criminal history information associated with your fingerprints and reports the results accordingly. If no record exists, the report simply states that no arrest data matching your fingerprints was found in the FBI's records.

Unlike many name-based background checks, the FBI relies on fingerprints because they provide a far more reliable method of confirming identity. Similar names, spelling differences, aliases, or name changes generally do not affect the search.

Which Version of the FBI Identity History Summary Do You Need?

Many organisations accept the FBI's electronically issued PDF report, while others request an original paper copy or require the document to complete further authentication before it can be used overseas. Confirming these requirements before you apply can save both time and unnecessary expense.

Not every international application requires an FBI Identity History Summary. In most cases, the deciding factor isn't where you're applying from. It's whether the organisation requesting the document needs information from the FBI's criminal history records.

When in doubt, follow the wording used by the organisation requesting the document. If the checklist specifically mentions an FBI Identity History Summary or FBI Background Check, an NBI Clearance or other local police certificate won't be accepted as a substitute.

For a successful FBI background check application from Manila, you will need the following:

Completed Identity History Summary Request

Every applicant must submit an Identity History Summary Request to the FBI. If you're applying through the FBI's Electronic Departmental Order (eDO) system, this is completed online.

Applicants using the mail-in process need to complete and include the Identity History Summary Request Form with their fingerprint card.

FBI's recommendation: Use the current official forms from the FBI website rather than older copies.

FBI Fingerprint Card

The FBI requires a full set of rolled fingerprints captured on the FD-258 or FD-1164 fingerprint card. Your fingerprints must be clear, complete, and legible, as poor-quality impressions are one of the most common reasons applications cannot be processed.

FBI Processing Fee

Each Identity History Summary request must include the applicable FBI processing fee. The current fee is USD $18 per request (subject to change) and covers the FBI's fingerprint search only. Fingerprinting, courier services, apostilles, translations, and other third-party services are separate costs.

Credit Card Payment Form (If Applicable)

Applicants paying by credit card with a mail-in application must complete and sign the FBI's Credit Card Payment Form. This authorises the FBI to charge the application fee. The form isn't required when payment is made directly through the eDO portal.

Valid Government-Issued Photo Identification

While the FBI generally doesn't require applicants to submit a copy of their identification, you'll usually need a valid government-issued photo ID when your fingerprints are taken. Most providers in Manila prefer a current passport, although some may accept other forms of identification. Always confirm the provider's requirements before your appointment.

Tip: If you're using a submission coordination service such as Globeia, many of these forms can be pre-filled or reviewed before submission, helping reduce avoidable errors.

One thing that applicants underestimate but plays a significant role in whether your application is processed successfully are the quality of your fingerprints.

Choosing a provider familiar with FBI fingerprint cards can help reduce the risk of unreadable prints and avoid the need to submit a new set later.

Where Can You Get Fingerprinted in Manila?

Applicants in Metro Manila generally have two options, depending on their preference and the type of assistance they need.

Mobile Fingerprinting by Globeia Manila

Applicants who prefer not to travel can choose Globeia Manila's mobile fingerprinting service, where a trained associate visits your home, office, or another convenient location within Metro Manila (subject to availability).

Appointments can often be arranged across areas including Makati, Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Ortigas, Pasig, Quezon City, Mandaluyong, Pasay, Parañaque, Alabang, and nearby districts, making it easier to complete fingerprinting without visiting a police facility.

Also Check How to Prepare for Your Mobile Fingerprinting Appointment?

Avoid Wasting Time: Places That Usually Can't Help with FBI Fingerprinting

It's easy to assume that any government office dealing with police records or U.S. services can take fingerprints for an FBI Identity History Summary. In reality, that's not always the case.

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is responsible for issuing NBI Clearances, which are separate from an FBI Identity History Summary. While some NBI offices may provide fingerprinting services for specific purposes, applicants shouldn't assume every branch can capture rolled fingerprints on an FD-258 or FD-1164 card for FBI applications.

If you're considering an NBI office, contact the branch beforehand to confirm exactly what fingerprinting services they offer.

U.S. Embassy in Manila

The U.S. Embassy in Manila does not provide fingerprinting services for FBI Identity History Summary requests. Applicants needing fingerprints are generally expected to arrange them through local law enforcement agencies or experienced fingerprinting providers in the Philippines.

So. you’ve got your fingerprints. Now what next? There are two paths you can take: either submit the application yourself, or choose a service that coordinates this step for you.

The difference lies in who prepares the paperwork, manages the submission, and coordinates the process before and after your fingerprints reach the FBI.

Option 1: Apply Directly to the FBI

Applicants who prefer to manage the process themselves can submit an Identity History Summary request directly to the FBI.

There are two ways to do this:

When applying directly, you'll normally be responsible for:

• Completing the appropriate FBI application.
• Preparing your FD-258 or FD-1164 fingerprint card properly.
• Arranging payment of the FBI processing fee.
• Sending your application to the FBI in the United States.
• Tracking courier delivery.
• Monitoring your application and downloading or receiving your report.

Option 2: Use a Submission Coordination Service

Some applicants prefer to use a submission coordination service. This is usually the preferred approach when applying under tight deadlines or for the first time.

Rather than preparing and managing every stage independently, the coordination service helps organise the application before it's submitted to the FBI.

Depending on the provider, this may include:

• Reviewing your application for completeness.
• Checking your fingerprint card before submission.
• Coordinating payment and document preparation.
• Arranging international courier delivery.
• Providing application status updates.

Although the FBI still issues the final Identity History Summary, using a coordination service can reduce administrative work and help minimise avoidable errors before the application is submitted.

Tip: Before deciding how to submit your application, consider the receiving organisation's deadline. If your documents need to be translated, apostilled, or delivered internationally after the FBI issues your report, choosing a submission method that can coordinate those additional steps may help streamline the overall process.

Are you missing something? Check FBI’s Identity History Summary Request Checklist.

Managing an FBI Background Check from the Philippines can involve multiple providers, separate appointments, and international document handling. Globeia brings these stages together into one coordinated service. For more than a decade, we have supported over 30,000 applicants across 100+ countries with international documentation through one coordinated process.

• Simple Online Application: Complete your application through Globeia's secure SmartForm. Our team will review your information before submission.
• Identity Verification: Secure Face ID verification helps protect your application against identity fraud and ensures it is linked to the correct applicant before processing begins.
• Doorstep Fingerprinting Across Metro Manila: Our trained associates can collect your fingerprints at your home, office, or another agreed location within Metro Manila (subject to availability).
• Fingerprint & Document Review: Before submission, we review your fingerprint card and supporting documents for obvious issues that could result in avoidable delays.
• FBI Submission Coordination: Your application is coordinated through Globeia Inc. in the United States for submission to the FBI, helping simplify the international application process.
• Application Tracking: Monitor your application's progress through SmartPortal with updates as your request moves through each stage.
• Secure Report Delivery: Once the FBI issues your Identity History Summary, your report is delivered securely online.
• Additional Document Services: If your receiving organisation requires a U.S. apostille or certified translation, Globeia can coordinate those services as well and courier the completed submission-ready document to your door.

Already Have Your Fingerprints?

You may not need another fingerprint appointment. If your fingerprints have already been captured on an FD-258 or FD-1164 fingerprint card, are clear, legible, and still suitable for FBI processing, they can often be used for your application.

If the prints appear suitable, we'll coordinate the remaining stages of your FBI Background Check, helping you move forward without repeating the fingerprinting process.

Now that you have your FBI Identity History Summary, you can use it in Manila. In most cases, it's simply one of several supporting documents you'll submit to the organisation that requested it. How you use the report next depends on that organisation's own procedures rather than the FBI's.

Before submitting your FBI Background Check, take a few moments to review the recipient's instructions.

• Some organisations ask applicants to upload documents through an online portal,
• Others require them to be presented in person or included with a larger application package.

Submitting the report in the wrong way can delay processing even if the document itself is valid.

Different organisations may also have their own document handling requirements. For example, they may ask that your FBI report be submitted together with identification documents, application forms, or other background checks covering countries where you've previously lived. If your application involves multiple jurisdictions, make sure you've gathered all required supporting documents before lodging your application.

Finally, retain a copy of your FBI Identity History Summary and any related correspondence for your own records.

Remember: Once your FBI Identity History Summary has been issued, the FBI's role is complete. Any questions about how, where, or when to submit the document should be directed to the organisation that requested it, as their requirements ultimately determine how the report will be used.

From Manila, an FBI background check will always require your fingerprints, your fee, and your patience. What varies is who owns the in between moments: the form‑checking, the courier tracking, the quiet anxiety of wondering whether your card arrived intact in West Virginia. If you value absolute control and have a flexible timeline, applying directly through the FBI’s eDO portal or mail‑in process can be a satisfying, self‑guided project. You will learn the process intimately, and when the report arrives, you will have earned every page of it.

If, instead, you value predictability and prefer your stress packaged somewhere else, a submission coordination service turns multiple vendors into a single point of contact. It doesn’t change what the FBI does, but it can change what falls on your plate before and after.

Either way, what matters is that when you finally have the report, you are ready for the next chapter.

Book Your Fingerprinting Appointment with Globeia Manila