FBI Background Check from Saudi Arabia: Step-by-Step Process

Does having your fingerprints taken in Saudi Arabia mean you have completed your FBI Background Check? Certainly not. The FBI has its own requirements for how fingerprints are collected, prepared, and submitted, when the applicant is living outside the United States.

Applying for an FBI Background Check from Saudi Arabia creates a few practical questions:

• Which fingerprinting form should you use?
• Can you apply electronically from Saudi Arabia?
• Where do your fingerprints need to go?

And what happens if the FBI report needs to be authenticated before it can be used in Saudi Arabia? In this blog we will discuss all you need to know about the FBI Background Check application from Saudi Arabia and how professional help, like Globeia makes the entire process seamless.

The main difference is how you complete the fingerprinting and get your application to the FBI:

Not every available fingerprinting provider in Saudi Arabia can collect your impression for an FBI Background Check. Here are the most relevant you can opt for:

Private Fingerprinting Providers

Private fingerprinting companies can collect your fingerprints for an FBI Background Check. You need to ensure that the provider offers ink-and-roll fingerprinting on the FBI fingerprinting card.

Challenge: Finding a provider who actually handles FBI fingerprinting can be difficult. Some private centers mainly provide fingerprinting for Saudi visas, residency, employment, or other local requirements. They may not be familiar with FBI fingerprinting guidelines or submission requirements.

Mobile Fingerprinting Service

Mobile fingerprinting is one of the most preferred methods to get your fingerprints at the comfort of your home, office, hotel, or another preferred location in Saudi Arabia. This can be more useful for applicants in cities such as Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, or Khobar who want to avoid traveling to a fingerprinting office in a busy schedule.

Challenge: Not every mobile fingerprinting service is equipped for an FBI Background Check application. Before booking, confirm that the associate can prepare the appropriate fingerprint card along with all the required information. 

Can Government or Official Fingerprinting Facility Offer FBI Fingerprinting? 

Applicants often assume that fingerprints already recorded through a Saudi government biometric system can be reused for an FBI Background Check. These government facilities may offer fingerprinting as part of residency, identification, immigration, or other official procedures. But they do not stock or roll fingerprints onto U.S. federal forms. You can only use these services when the fingerprints are being requested specifically for a Saudi government process.

Saudi Arabia applicants have to face unique hurdles while getting fingerprinted for an FBI Background Check. You must be aware of these tips to ensure your provider captures the accurate impressions:

1. Secure the Exact Card Layout (Form FD-258)

The FBI strictly requires fingerprints to be submitted on standard Form FD-258. 

2. Master the Roll Technique

Another most important reason applications are rejected is not using the correct ink technique. The FBI needs to see the unique ridges from one side of the nail to the other.

• Nail-to-Nail: Roll each finger smoothly from one side of the fingernail to the other side in one continuous motion.
• The Direction: The standard practice accepted by the FBI is to roll the thumbs toward your body, and the remaining four fingers away from your body.  
• Capture the Joint: Ensure the print extends from the very tip of the finger down to the first joint crease. 

3. Take Care of the Desert Dryness 

Saudi Arabia's arid climate and heavy air conditioning can dry out your skin and cause your fingerprint ridges to appear faint or cracked on the card.

• Hydrate Your Hands - Use a small amount of hand lotion before your appointment if your skin is too dry. However, it is recommended to take professional help because excess moisture can also make it difficult to capture the impressions.
• Do not over apply ink - Too much ink or pressure can produce dark, blurred impressions rather than clearer ridge detail. 

4. Consider Taking More Than One Set

The FBI itself suggests taking more than one fingerprint by an expert, if fingerprints have been repeatedly rejected. This can be even more useful when you are applying from Saudi Arabia because obtaining another set later may mean arranging another appointment and sending another fingerprint card internationally.

5. Keep Your Personal Details Consistent Throughout the Documents 

The information written on your fingerprint card should be accurate and consistent with the information in your FBI application and identity documents. Details, like your name, date of birth, place of birth, etc., must be complete and correct. Therefore, it is important to select a reliable fingerprinting service provider in Saudi Arabia, like Globeia.

Applicants living in Saudi Arabia generally have two ways to complete an FBI Background Check. You can manage the application independently through the FBI or use a professional FBI Background Check coordination service to handle the process for you.

Option A: Apply Independently to the FBI from Saudi Arabia

You can submit your FBI Background Check request directly through the FBI's Electronic Departmental Order (eDO) portal. However, completing the online request is only one part of the process when you are applying from Saudi Arabia. Here is how the process works:

Step 1: Submit Your FBI Request Online

Start your application through the FBI eDO system. This is what you must know before applying:

• The FBI currently charges $18 USD for an Identity History Summary request.
• Save your confirmation details after completing the request.
• Check and ensure that the personal information in your FBI application matches the details on your fingerprint card.

Step 2: Send the Fingerprint Card to the FBI

After submitting your eDO request, you need to send your completed fingerprint card to the FBI in the United States. 

Step 3: Receive Your FBI Result and Check What Comes Next

Once the FBI completes your request, you can receive the Identity History Summary through the delivery method selected during the application.

Option B: Use a Professional FBI Background

This is one of the most preferred options in Saudi Arabia. Applicants choose a professional FBI Background Check application coordinator who assists them from fingerprinting to submission. 

Therefore, instead of arranging each stage separately, you can manage the process through a single coordinated workflow.

From FBI fingerprinting and application preparation to sending the fingerprint card to the United States, Globeia brings these steps into one coordinated process. So applicants do not have to coordinate with different authorities or courier services separately on their own.

Step 1: Start Your Application Online

Provide your application details and the information required for your FBI Identity History Summary through the SmartForm. Globeia's process also includes identity verification before fingerprinting. It helps ensure that the application and fingerprinting appointment are linked to the correct applicant.

How this helps: You can complete the initial application process online instead of managing separate paperwork and providers from Saudi Arabia.

Step 2: Book FBI Fingerprinting in Saudi Arabia

Globeia can arrange professional fingerprinting in Saudi Arabia using the appropriate FBI fingerprint card, such as FD-258 or FD-1164, based on your specific requirement. Fingerprinting is available through Globeia's Saudi service network, including mobile options in eligible locations.

How this helps: You can have your fingerprints collected locally without traveling anywhere to complete the fingerprinting requirement.

Step 3: Get Your Fingerprint Card Checked Before Submission

After fingerprint capture, Globeia focuses on fingerprint quality and proper card completion. The Saudi Arabia service also includes a Letter of Identity Verification with every fingerprinting appointment. It helps confirm that your identity was verified during the fingerprinting process.

How this helps: Your fingerprint card is checked at the collection stage for any errors before the documents are sent for the next part of the process. If any issue is found, the fingerprints are recaptured on the spot. 

Step 4: Globeia Coordinates the U.S. Submission

Once the fingerprinting stage is complete, applicants who select submission support can have their documents sent to Globeia Inc. in the United States, which coordinates the FBI Identity History Summary submission. This removes the need to independently manage the U.S.-based document-handling stage.

How this helps: Instead of arranging international shipping and coordinating the U.S. submission on your own, the next stage is handled through the same workflow.

Step 5: Track the Process Through Globeia SmartPortal

SmartPortal provides visibility into the application. You can check the appointment scheduling, fingerprint completion, submission coordination, and other status updates. This gives applicants a central place to follow the progress of their application rather than relying on multiple providers or separate updates.

How this helps: You can see where your application stands and keep track of the different stages from one platform.

Step 6: Apostille, Authentication, or Translation Support

If your FBI Background Check requires additional documentation, Globeia can also coordinate apostille, authentication, legalization, and certified translation services.

Your FBI Background Check may need an apostille when it is being submitted to a Saudi authority or organization that requires an authenticated U.S. document. Saudi Arabia has been a party to the Hague Apostille Convention since December 7, 2022, and the U.S. Department of State identifies FBI background checks as federal documents that may require an apostille for use in Hague Convention countries.

What is The Use of An Apostille? 

An apostille is used to authenticate the signatures and seal on your U.S. federal document. This allows you to use the document for official use in another Hague Convention country, like Saudi Arabia.

Also Read: How to Get an FBI Background Check Apostille

The biggest challenge of applying for an FBI Background Check from Saudi Arabia is often managing the distance between where the fingerprints are taken and where the application is processed. Your fingerprints may be collected in Riyadh, Jeddah, or elsewhere in the kingdom, while the completed submission has to make its way through the U.S. process Thus, you will have to manage international courier as well. This is why applicants prefer Globeia as their FBI Background Check coordinator in Saudi Arabia because of its one streamlined process.

Begin your FBI Background Check application from Saudi Arabia today with Globeia’s Support.