FBI Background Check in Zurich: What Is It and How to Get It?

If you are living in Zurich and someone asks you for an FBI background check, your first instinct is usually to contact the US Embassy in Bern or the Consulate in Geneva.

That seems logical. But neither office issues FBI background checks or processes them for applicants in Switzerland.

The document you need, officially called an FBI Identity History Summary Check, is issued only by the FBI in the United States. It is not available through any Swiss government office, the Zurich immigration office, or a US diplomatic mission in Switzerland.

This is where many people lose time. They assume that because the document is connected to the US government, a US government office in Switzerland must handle it locally. That is not how the process works.

The FBI background check must go directly through the FBI system in the United States.

That means the process usually starts with fingerprinting in Zurich. Your fingerprints are then submitted to the US for processing and review by the FBI.

This guide explains who actually needs an FBI background check in Zurich, how fingerprinting works from Switzerland, when an apostille may be required, and how you can complete the process without travelling back to the US.

An FBI Identity History Summary Check is the official criminal history record maintained by the FBI in the United States. Many people still call it an “FBI background check,” but both terms refer to the same document.

The report is built from fingerprint-based records stored in the FBI’s national database. This is important because the FBI is not searching your name the way a basic online background screening works.

The system looks for records connected to fingerprints that were previously submitted to the FBI by law enforcement agencies.

The report includes information about:

• Arrest records
• Criminal charges
• Court dispositions
• Convictions
• Records submitted by federal agencies
• Records shared by participating US state agencies

It is also important to understand that this is a federal-level check. Some employers, licensing boards, or immigration authorities may still separately request a state-level background check depending on the purpose of your application.

Check Complete FAQ Guide to FBI Background Check Process

No. These are two completely different documents.

An FBI background check is issued by the United States and covers criminal history records connected to the FBI database in the US. A Swiss criminal records extract, called a Strafregisterauszug, is issued through the Swiss federal system and only covers criminal records within Switzerland.

This distinction matters because many applicants assume one document replaces the other. It does not.

That is why confusing the two creates problems. Many applicants submit the Swiss extract when the authority specifically requested an FBI Identity History Summary. This can delay the processing or lead to document rejection.

An FBI Identity History Summary is usually required for people who previously lived in the United States and now need to prove their US criminal history to another authority.

This commonly includes

1. US citizens living in Switzerland
2. Green card holders
3. Former long-term US residents
4. People who studied, worked, or lived in the US for an extended period

The organisation handling your application usually decides whether you need an FBI background verification in Switzerland. This could be an immigration office, employer, university, or court. The rules are different for every country and application type, so what is required for one person may not be required for someone else.

The most common situations where an FBI background check in Zurich may be required include:

• Swiss residency permit applications
• Long-stay visa applications
• Permanent residence or naturalization processes
• Employment checks for finance, healthcare, childcare, or legal jobs
• Hiring by multinational companies with US operations
• International adoption applications
• Third-country immigration applications for countries like Canada or Australia

At the same time, many people do not need an FBI background check at all. This usually includes people who only visited the US for a short trip, remote workers employed by a US company without ever living in the United States, or nationals simply renewing their passport while living in Switzerland.

Clear confirmation from the requesting authority helps prevent delays and avoids submitting documents that are not actually required.

No. The Zurich Immigration Office (Migrationsamt) and the Canton of Zurich do not issue, process, or verify FBI background checks.

This causes confusion for many applicants because Swiss immigration authorities sometimes ask for an FBI background check in Zurich as part of a residence permit or immigration application. But they only receive the document from you. They do not create it or request it from the FBI on your behalf.

The Zurich immigration office and cantonal authorities mainly handle:

• Swiss residence permits
• Cantonal registration
• Local immigration administration
• Address registration and permit renewals

US criminal history records are completely separate from those systems.

Any FBI Identity History Summary must be issued directly by the FBI in the United States. The process cannot be transferred to a Swiss authority or replaced with a Swiss police certificate.

A lot of people lose time here by contacting the wrong offices. Knowing how the process actually works helps avoid unnecessary appointments, extra back-and-forth with immigration authorities, and delays in getting the correct document.

Fingerprinting is the most important part of the FBI background check process and also the step where most mistakes happen.

The FBI only accepts fingerprint-based submissions. If the fingerprints are unclear, smudged, or taken on the wrong card format, the application can be rejected without processing. That means the entire process starts again from the beginning.

In Switzerland, fingerprinting for private background checks is usually handled through designated police services, including the Police Records Office in Winterthur under the Zurich Forensic Science Institute. The US Embassy in Switzerland does not provide fingerprinting services for FBI checks.

The standard method used for FBI applications from abroad is traditional ink-and-roll fingerprinting on the official FBI FD-258/ FD-1164 fingerprint card.

This requires proper technique, correct ink, and careful rolling of each finger. Many general fingerprinting providers are not familiar with FBI-specific requirements or US submission standards.

That is why some applicants choose specialist providers like Globeia, which offers fingerprinting services on FBI-compliant cards (FD-258/FD-1164) designed specifically for US background check applications from Zurich.

Many fingerprinting providers in Zurich are not equipped for FBI-specific background check submissions.

The FBI requires fingerprints to be taken on the correct FD-258/FD-1164 fingerprint card using proper ink-and-roll technique. If the prints are unclear or taken incorrectly, the FBI can reject the application without processing it.

This is why choosing a fingerprinting provider in Zurich that understands FBI submission requirements is so important.

For FBI submissions, applicants should look for:

• Trained fingerprint associates
• Official FBI fingerprint cards
• Proper ink fingerprinting methods
• Quality checks before the fingerprints leave the appointment

Globeia provides FBI-approved ink fingerprinting services for applicants living in Zurich and other parts of Switzerland. Their associates use FBI-approved FD-258/ FD-1164 cards and check fingerprint quality during the appointment itself. This helps reduce the risk of rejection later in the process.

Applicants can book their mobile fingerprinting service through Globeia. A trained associate comes directly to the applicant’s home, office, or preferred location in Zurich.

After fingerprinting, Globeia also provides a Letter of Authentication with a QR code confirming that identity verification was completed and the fingerprints were taken by a qualified associate.

Step 1: Confirm Exactly What Document Is Required

Many immigration offices, employers, and licensing authorities only accept FBI background checks in Zurich issued within a certain period, usually between three and six months.

This helps prevent small errors that can slow down the application or create extra back-and-forth later.

For most applicants, the online form only takes a few minutes to complete.

Globeia’s associate brings the official FBI fingerprint cards to the appointment, so applicants do not need to arrange any materials themselves. Once the fingerprints are taken, the prints are checked for quality before submission to reduce the risk of rejection.

Applicants can directly schedule an appointment through Globeia’s mobile fingerprinting service in Zurich.

Your completed fingerprint cards are couriered to Globeia Inc. in USA, where they’re processed and submitted directly to the FBI on your behalf.

Applicants do not need to deal with shipping fingerprint cards internationally or coordinating the submission process between Switzerland and the United States themselves.

In those cases, Globeia can help with the apostille process and translations after the FBI report is issued by coordinating service requests through relevant government agencies.

After all required processing is complete, the final documents are prepared and delivered to the applicant.

Tracking is one of the biggest frustrations for people applying on their own. The FBI does not provide a detailed live tracking portal for mailed international applications, so applicants are often unsure whether fingerprints have arrived, whether processing has started, or when the report will be returned.

International shipping in both directions also creates gaps where there are no updates at all.

Globeia’s SmartPortal provides a live tracking dashboard that shows the progress of the application at each stage. Applicants can see:

• Fingerprints successfully taken and verified.
• Fingerprint package dispatched from Switzerland.
• Documents received at the US processing office.
• Application submitted to the FBI for processing.
• FBI background check completed.
• Apostille process started and completed if required.
• Translation completed if requested.
• Final documents prepared and delivered to the applicant.

The portal also sends updates when forms are verified or when a stage of the process is completed. That means applicants do not need to keep emailing for status checks or wondering where the application is stuck.

After fingerprinting, Globeia also provides a Letter of Authentication with a QR code that can be used for additional verification during the process.

An apostille is an official authentication certificate attached to a document so it can be legally recognised in another country. It confirms that the document was issued by a real government authority and that the signature or seal on the document is valid.

The apostille itself is not a background check. It is an additional certification added after the FBI Identity History Summary is issued.

Countries that are part of the Hague Apostille Convention use apostille as the standard method for accepting foreign official documents.

This can include documents used for:

• Immigration applications
• Residency permits
• Employment verification
• Citizenship or naturalization processes
• International adoption
• Overseas licensing or education requirements

At the same time, not every FBI background check requires an apostille. Some private employers or organisations may only ask for the FBI report itself.

The exact requirement depends on the authority requesting the document.

Another important point is that apostille and embassy legalization are not the same thing. Hague Convention countries usually require an apostille instead of embassy legalization.

In some cases, certified translation may also be required after apostille, depending on the country and language requirements.

Globeia can help applicants coordinate apostille and certified translation service requests after the FBI background check is issued.

Also Read Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for a Background Check

An FBI background check in Zurich is usually far more technical than people expect. Most confusion starts with one assumption, that a US Embassy or Swiss office handles this locally. It doesn’t.

In reality, every FBI Identity History Summary must go through the FBI system in the US, starting with properly captured fingerprints.

Even small issues like smudged fingerprints, a missing name detail, or sending the apostille to the wrong place can force the whole process to start over.

For applicants living in Zurich, Globeia helps with fingerprinting, mobile appointments, submission coordination, online applications, status tracking, apostille support, translation help, and final document delivery.

This removes the need to fly back to the US or chase different people for each step.