FBI Background Check in Milan: Everything You Need to Know Before Applying

As Italy's financial and international business hub, Milan is home to professionals, entrepreneurs, students, researchers, and expatriates whose careers and ambitions often extend beyond national borders. Applications for permanent residency, overseas employment, higher education, professional licensing, and several other international opportunities often require an FBI Background Check as part of the documentation process.

Processing the application from Milan seems even more challenging when the applicants come to know that Italy doesn’t have an official FBI fingerprinting centre. The first crucial step of the application is getting your fingerprints captured correctly, yet you do not have any official place to begin. Moreover, you don’t even know which provider understands the FBI’s requirements and can guide you through every stage or the process from Milan to the USA.

This guide explains everything you need to know about obtaining an FBI Background Check from Milan. From understanding when it is required and how the process works to avoiding common mistakes and preparing your application correctly, everything is explained in one place.

One question that almost every applicant in Milan asks is, “Why am I being asked for an FBI Background Check when I am not even applying to the United States?”

Well, you have to be clear about one thing - an FBI Background Check is not requested based on where you are applying today. It is asked because of where you have lived previously. Applicants in Milan who have previously spent a significant amount of time in the United States for work, study, or other long-term purposes may be asked to submit an FBI Background Check as part of their overseas application.

An FBI Identity History Summary (also referred to as an FBI Background Check) is requested by various authorities to provide an official record of your criminal history in the U.S during your stay. This is the reason why only the FBI, and no other country or authority, can issue this document.

Note: Before the FBI can process your application, you need to submit your fingerprints on the official card so that the FBI can search across its records and provide your Identity History Summary. So, the FBI Background Check process begins with fingerprints, regardless of where in the world you're applying from.

Not every applicant from Milan needs an FBI Background Check. The requirement usually applies only to people who have previously lived in the United States for a certain period of time and are now preparing an application or documents for another country.

If that sounds like your situation, here are some of the most common applications where an FBI Identity History Summary may be requested:

Immigration and Permanent Residency  

This is one of the most common reasons why applicants in Milan need this certificate. Many countries ask them to provide police certificates from every country where they have lived previously. Thus, if you have spent the required amount of time in the United States, an FBI Identity History Summary may be one of the most important and mandatory documents before your application can move forward.

Canadian Permanent Residence

For people living in Milan, Canada remains one of the most popular immigration destinations. If you are applying through a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), Express Entry, or any other immigration pathway, Canadian authorities may ask you to submit an FBI Identity History Summary if you have lived in the US, irrespective of where you are currently living.

Australia and New Zealand

Milan applicants who are pursuing permanent residency, skilled migration, and long-term work opportunities in Australia and New Zealand may also need an FBI Background Check.

Overseas Employment

International employers also conduct background screening before confirming a job offer. This is even more important for positions involving finance, healthcare, aviation, education, and technology.  

Professional Licensing

Planning to continue your profession outside Italy? Many overseas licensing authorities require applicants to demonstrate a clear criminal record before granting professional registration. An FBI Background Check may be requested as part of the licensing process. This is common across professions such as healthcare, engineering, finance, education, law, aviation, and several other fields.

Higher Education 

Studying abroad often involves more than securing admission. Some universities, scholarship programs, research institutions, and academic placements may ask applicants to provide an FBI Background Check. This helps the receiving institution complete its background verification before confirming enrolment or research appointments.

Before you begin your application, you must understand the challenges or issues you may face throughout the process. Most of these challenges arise because you are applying for a certificate that will be provided from the U.S. but you are applying from Milan in Italy:

Most people think that obtaining an FBI Identity History Summary would be the same as getting a local police certificate in Italy. However, this is not true.

An FBI Background Check involves several stages , and each one depends on the previous step being completed correctly under professional guidance. A small error at the beginning of the process can delay everything that follows. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the overall journey before you start:

Although every Milan applicant's situation is different, the FBI Background Check process usually follows these steps:

Step 1 - Confirm the Application Requirement

Do you really need an FBI Identity History Summary certificate? Before arranging fingerprinting or preparing any documents, confirm that the authority handling your application specifically requires an FBI Identity History Summary.

Step 2 - Find a Provider for FBI Fingerprinting

This is the first big obstacle for Milan applicants. Italy does not have any official FBI fingerprinting centre or system. Due to this, the applicants have to first choose the right provider or coordinator to collect their fingerprints according to FBI guidelines.

Step 3 - Get Fingerprinted on the Correct FBI Card

Once you have chosen a provider, your fingerprints are collected on an FBI-accepted fingerprint card. The application usually requires either the FD-258 or FD-1164 fingerprint card, depending on your submission method.

This is one of the most important stages of the entire process because fingerprint quality directly affects whether your application can move forward.

Step 4 - Choose How You Want to Apply

You can either submit your application directly to the FBI by post or apply through the FBI's Electronic Departmental Order (eDO) system, where you submit your request online before mailing your fingerprint card separately.

Note: In both cases, ensure that your fingerprint card reaches the FBI before processing begins.

Step 5 - FBI Processing

Once your fingerprint card reaches the FBI, your fingerprints are searched against its criminal history records. If everything is in order, the FBI issues your Identity History Summary. Processing times depend on the FBI's workload and do not include international courier transit.

Step 6 - Receive Your Identity History Summary

Based on your submission method, you will receive your FBI Background Check. If your application is for immigration, professional licensing, or another international purpose, you may also need additional services such as apostille, certified translation, or legalisation before your documents are ready for submission.

The answer depends entirely on where you'll be submitting your FBI Background Check. Different countries have different document requirements, so it's important to understand what applies to your application before you proceed.

Important: Apostille, document legalization, or translation requirements may vary depending on the country and the authority requesting your FBI Background Check. Always verify the document requirement before submitting the application.

Applying for an FBI Background Check doesn't have to be this difficult. You can avoid coordinating with different providers and international courier services on your own, and trying to manage each stage yourself.

Globeia connects the entire process, from fingerprint collection in Milan to U.S. submission coordination, tracking, apostille, and certified translation, through a well-organized workflow.

Here's how Globeia coordinates the process:

Step 1: Book Your Appointment Through SmartForm

Fill the SmartForm by choosing your preferred appointment date, time, and location anywhere in Milan. Before your appointment is confirmed, you will complete a secure Face ID verification through SmartPortal to verify your identity.

Step 2: Professional Fingerprinting with Submission Coordination

Once your appointment is confirmed, Globeia completes your fingerprint collection and the next stages of the process through one connected workflow.

Important: Globeia coordinates your fingerprint collection and submission through Globeia Inc. in the United States. The FBI independently reviews every application, performs the record search, and issues the FBI Identity History Summary.

Government processing times and final decisions remain entirely under the FBI's control.

Step 3: Receive Your Letter of Identity Verification

All fingerprint appointments in Milan include Globeia’s QR-authenticated Letter of Identity Verification to verify your identity before fingerprint collection. This is Globeia’s internal verification procedure.

Step 4: Your Application Is Coordinated for FBI Submission

Once your completed fingerprint cards arrive at Globeia Inc. in the United States, the team prepares your application for submission to the FBI. This includes verifying that the required documentation is complete before coordinating the submission to the FBI's CJIS Division.

Note: Globeia coordinates the submission process through Globeia Inc. The FBI independently reviews every application, conducts the criminal record search, and issues the FBI Identity History Summary.

Step 5: Track Your Application Through SmartPortal

With Globeia, you do not have to wonder where your application is. You can monitor its progress through SmartPortal, once the application is submitted. The platform keeps you informed throughout the process until your results are ready.

Step 6: Receive Your FBI Identity History Summary

Once the FBI issues your FBI Identity History Summary, Globeia coordinates its delivery as a secure PDF or by international courier, keeping you updated throughout the process.

Step 7: Apostille and Certified Translation (If Required)

Globeia can also coordinate U.S. Department of State apostille services, certified translations in more than 50 languages. Thus, if the authority requesting your FBI Background Check requires an apostille or translation, Globeia can help prepare your documents.

Why Milan People Choose Globeia for Their FBI Background Check

Many Milan applicants experience delays because of poor-quality fingerprints, unclear impressions, or documentation issues. All of it can be significantly avoided with the right guidance and coordination of Globeia.

That's why applicants across Milan choose Globeia, instead of doing everything on their own:

The biggest challenge that Milan FBI Background Check applicants face is not knowing where to begin and how to ensure that every step is completed correctly to avoid delays or rejections. However, with the right support and professional coordination, the whole process becomes easier than most applicants expect.

Globeia eases the entire journey by bringing professional mobile fingerprinting FBI submission coordination, application tracking, apostille, certified translations, and international courier support together through one connected process.

Ready to start your FBI Background Check application from Milan? Book your appointment with Globeia today!