FBI Fingerprinting in London: Get Your US Background Check While Living in the UK

Americans living in London, or anyone who spends a lot of time here, often end up dealing with extra paperwork. Whether it is for work, study, or renewing a visa, there always seems to be one more document to sort out. One of the most common ones is the FBI background check, and that means getting fingerprinted.

Doing this while you are based in London can feel a bit tricky. Getting the timing right and making sure everything is accurate matters a lot here. Even something small, like a smudged fingerprint or a form filled out the wrong way, can lead to delays or even a rejection. And when you already have a visa deadline or a job waiting on this, that kind of setback just adds more stress to your plans.

This is usually where people start looking into their options for getting FBI fingerprinting in London. Here, these can range from police stations to mobile fingerprinting services that come to you. Keep reading to learn more!  

An FBI background check is officially called an FBI Identity History Summary. It is a federal record maintained by the FBI that shows any arrests, criminal charges, or convictions linked to your fingerprints anywhere in the United States. This information comes from federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies who submit fingerprint and arrest data to the FBI.

The report is generated from the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division, based in Clarksburg, West Virginia. If you have never been arrested or charged with anything in the US, your report will simply state that no matching record was found.

For most visa applicants, overseas employees, or students heading abroad, it’s a non-negotiable requirement. But what many don’t realize is how heavily this process relies on fingerprints.

Why Fingerprints Are Required in FBI Checks?

Fingerprints are unique to every individual, forming a globally trusted biometric identifier. While names and dates may be shared among thousands, fingerprints set each applicant apart, ensuring law enforcement checks are accurate and personalized.

There are several reasons the FBI relies on fingerprints:

• Identity Verification: Fingerprint prevents errors, mix-ups, or fraudulent claims.
• Global Recognition: Fingerprint-based checks are internationally trusted for accuracy.
• Data Consistency: They help maintain a complete, up-to-date criminal record database.

Learn How to Request Fingerprinting Services in the UK

Unclear fingerprints, incorrect forms, or improper technique are common reasons applications get rejected or delayed. For London applicants with urgent visa or relocation timelines, these simple errors can cause serious delays.

Who Typically Needs One While Living in the UK

If you live in London and have any past connection to the United States, whether through citizenship, work, study, or a visa, you may be asked for this document. Some of the most common groups who need it include:

• US expat professionals or dual citizens applying for UK Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), British citizenship, or visas to third countries like EU visas, Australia/NZ residency, etc.
• Doctors, nurses, and international teachers relocating to the UK who have spent significant time in the US.
• Londoners with ancestral ties (like, Italian, Irish, Polish, or Croatian descent) applying for EU visas via consulates in London, who previously lived or studied in the US.
• US multinational corporations with London offices requiring global background checks for prospective hires who worked or studied in North America.
• Anyone applying to live, work, or study in a third country while currently based in London, where that country asks for records from all previous countries of residence, including the US.

What an FBI Background Check is Not

While researching this process, you will likely come across a few other terms that sound similar but mean something different. The two most common ones in the UK are:

• ACRO Police Certificate, issued by the ACRO Criminal Records Office, which shows your criminal record in the UK
• DBS Check, issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service, which is used mainly for UK employment screening

Neither of these is the same as an FBI Identity History Summary, and they are never interchangeable. The FBI report only covers records in the United States, while ACRO and DBS only cover records in the UK.

If you have lived in the US at any point and are now settled in London, you might be asked for records from both countries, not just one. This is common for visa applications, citizenship processes, and adoption cases, where authorities want a complete picture of your history in every country you have lived in for a certain period, usually six months or more.

In such cases, submitting only your ACRO certificate or only your FBI background check is not enough. You would need both documents, prepared and often legalised separately, to meet the full requirement.

FBI Identity History Summary vs ACRO Police Certificate vs DBS Check

No, the US Embassy in London, located at 33 Nine Elms Lane, London, SW11 7US, does not offer fingerprinting services for FBI background checks.

The embassy's consular section deals with services like passports, visas, notarial acts, and citizenship documentation for American citizens. Fingerprinting for FBI or other background check purposes is not part of what they offer. This applies across the board, so the US Consulate General in Edinburgh also does not provide this service.

If you search for fingerprinting help on the embassy's own website, you will find that they point people toward private providers and police stations in the UK, rather than offering the service in house.

Since the embassy is not an option, there are four main options for people in London to get fingerprinting services for an FBI background check. Each one works a little differently, so it helps to know what to expect from each.

Option 1: Metropolitan Police

The Metropolitan Police does take fingerprints for overseas background checks, but only by appointment. You cannot walk in without booking first, and this needs to be arranged through their official website in advance.

Check the details below:

Metropolitan Police

Option 2: Private Fingerprinting Providers

Several private companies in London specialise in taking ink and digital fingerprints for FBI background checks. These providers usually understand the specific card formats required, such as the FD-258 or FD-1164.

They can guide you through common mistakes that lead to rejections. Some can also provide additional services, such as submission to the FBI and further authentication services, to make your document valid for use in countries abroad.

Most of these providers have offices concentrated around central London, particularly near major transport hubs. You will also find similar providers around the City of London and Victoria, areas that see high demand due to the concentration of professionals and expats nearby.

Option 3: Mobile Fingerprinting Services

Mobile services send a trained technician directly to your home, office, or another location of your choice anywhere in London. This has become one of the more popular choices because it removes the need to travel, book police appointments, or work around limited walk-in slots.

Option 4: Independent Certified Fingerprint Technicians

Outside central London, independent trained associates also offer fingerprinting for background checks, often working solo or through small specialised practices. This is especially useful for people based outside the capital, such as in Edinburgh or other parts of the UK, where police stations or large private firms may not be easily accessible.

Check Out How to Prepare for Your UK Fingerprint Appointment

Why More People Are Choosing Mobile Fingerprinting Services in London

London runs at a fast pace, and most people do not have the time to sit through a commute to the city and wait for a fingerprinting appointment during work hours.

Getting into central London by car is also not simple. High congestion charges and very limited parking mean most Londoners rely on the underground or rail network to get around. If a fingerprinting facility is not close to a major TfL station, whether near the City, Victoria, or Canary Wharf, it becomes an extra hassle that many people would rather avoid.

On top of this, UK police forces like the Metropolitan Police do not offer walk-in ink fingerprinting for international background checks. Everything runs through appointments, and those appointments come with real waiting time. Sometimes stretching to days or weeks depending on demand.

Mobile fingerprinting solves most of these problems directly. A technician comes to your home, office, or a location that suits you, at a time that works with your schedule. There is no commute and uncertainty about appointment availability. This convenience is a major reason more people are choosing mobile services over the traditional police or office based route.

Check Mobile Fingerprinting Services in London: FBI, RCMP, and FINRA

Once your fingerprints are taken, they still need to reach the FBI's CJIS Division for processing. Their official mailing address is:

FBI CJIS Division - Summary Request

There are three official ways to get your fingerprints there.

Route 1: Mail Directly to the FBI CJIS Division

This is the most traditional method. You fill out the FBI Identity History Summary request form, attach your completed fingerprint card, include the processing fee, and courier the entire package directly to the FBI's address in Clarksburg, West Virginia.

Route 2: FBI's Online eDO

The FBI's Electronic Departmental Order, known as eDO, is a semi digital option. You start your request online at the FBI's official eDO portal, pay the fee, and then submit your physical fingerprint cards via mail.

Route 3: Use an Authorized Third Party Provider

Many private and mobile fingerprinting providers are present in London who can take your fingerprints locally. Once your prints are captured, these providers coordinate with their teams or offices based in the USA to send your fingerprint cards to the FBI on your behalf.

The full process involves a few separate stages, and each one adds to the total timeline:

Once you receive your FBI Identity History Summary, the document usually needs further authentication before it can be used abroad. This normally means getting it apostilled or legalised, depending on the country you plan to submit it to. You need to factor in a few more days, and in some cases a few more weeks, to complete this final step before your document is fully ready for use.

The first time you search for FBI fingerprinting in London, you will probably come across quite a few options. All of them with their own processes, requirements, and instructions to follow. If you have the time for it, you should look into each one and pick whatever suits you best.

But if you do not want to go through all that, Globeia is here for you. We offer quick and convenient fingerprinting, right at your doorstep, along with help getting your prints to the FBI too. So you can just get this done and move on with the rest of your plans.