How to Get a US Criminal Record Check from Outside the United States in 2026

A US criminal record check is one of the most commonly required documents for international visa applications, overseas employment, permanent residency, professional licensing, and legal proceedings abroad. For applicants currently living outside the United States, the process is more specific than most expect- fingerprints must be taken in person on official ink fingerprint cards, submitted through the correct process to the FBI, and in most cases apostilled through the US Department of State before foreign authorities will accept them.

This guide explains exactly how to get a US criminal record check from outside the United States and what the document is, who needs it, what forms are required, how fingerprinting works for international applicants, what processing times to expect, and when an apostille is needed.

A US criminal record check is the FBI Identity History Summary- an official federal document issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It searches the FBI's national criminal database for any arrests, prosecutions, or dispositions associated with your fingerprints and identifying information.

This is not a state-level background check. A state background check covers only records within a single state. The FBI Identity History Summary covers the entire United States, that is all fifty states, federal crimes, and interstate offences which is why foreign immigration authorities, employers, and licensing bodies specifically require it rather than a state police check.

The document is issued by the FBI. No fingerprinting service, coordination company, or third party issues the FBI Identity History Summary. Globeia's role is to collect your ink fingerprints accurately, coordinate submission through Globeia Inc. in the USA, and manage apostille requests with the US Department of State where required. The FBI independently processes all submissions and issues all results.

A US criminal record check is required in a wide range of situations. The most common include:

Immigration and visa applications: Countries including Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Australia and many more require an FBI Identity History Summary as part of long-stay visa, Digital Nomad Visa, Non-Lucrative Visa, or permanent residency applications. If you have lived in the United States for six months or more at any point, most immigration authorities will require this document.

Overseas employment: Employers in regulated industries including healthcare, education, finance, government contracting, and security require FBI criminal record checks before hiring, particularly for roles involving sensitive information, vulnerable populations, or US-linked responsibilities.

Professional licensing abroad: Doctors, nurses, lawyers, engineers, teachers, and financial professionals applying for licenses or registrations in another country are commonly required to provide a US criminal record check as part of their application.

Permanent residency and naturalisation: Immigration authorities in multiple countries require FBI criminal record checks to verify an applicant's US criminal history before granting long-term status or citizenship.

International adoption: Adoption agencies and foreign courts require FBI criminal record checks as part of eligibility verification for prospective adoptive parents.

FINRA and financial regulatory registration: Finance professionals registering with US broker-dealers or regulatory bodies must submit fingerprints for FBI background verification regardless of where they are physically located.

Education and academic programs: International students applying for North American university placements, Fulbright scholarships, clinical research positions, or competitive internship programs in the US are frequently required to provide an FBI criminal record check.

This is one of the most common points of confusion for international applicants and getting it wrong means obtaining the wrong document, which causes delays and requires starting over.

There are three distinct types of criminal record checks that applicants encounter, and they are not interchangeable:

FBI Identity History Summary - US Federal Criminal Record Check

The FBI Identity History Summary is issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It searches the FBI's national criminal database which is one of the largest criminal records repositories in the United States that covers all USA states, federal crimes, and interstate offences. It is fingerprint-based, meaning identity is verified through biometric data rather than name alone, which eliminates false matches caused by similar names or shared dates of birth.

This is the document most foreign immigration authorities, employers, licensing bodies, and courts require when they ask for a "US criminal record check" or "US background check." It is the only document that provides a complete, federally authenticated picture of an individual's US criminal history.

State Criminal Background Check - US State-Level Record

A state criminal background check is issued by an individual US state's law enforcement or justice agency. For example, the New York Division of Criminal Justice Services or the California Department of Justice. It covers only criminal records within that specific state's jurisdiction. It does not capture crimes committed in other states or at the federal level.

A state background check may be sufficient for local employment or state-level professional licensing within the United States. For international use, foreign authorities almost universally require the FBI Identity History Summary rather than a state check because it covers the full national picture and carries federal authentication. A state check alone is not accepted for visa, immigration, or overseas employment applications.

Local Criminal Record Check - Country-Specific Criminal Record

A local Criminal Record Check, also called a criminal record check, good conduct certificate, or police certificate depending on the country, is issued by the police authority of the country where you currently live or have lived. It covers your criminal history in that specific country only. It has no connection to US federal records and cannot be used as a substitute for an FBI Identity History Summary.

Each country has its own process, issuing authority, and format. An Indian Criminal Record Check covers India. A UK ACRO Police Certificate covers the UK. A Canadian RCMP Criminal Record Check covers Canada. None of these cover US criminal history.

FD-258 or FD-1164 fingerprint card: The primary requirement for an FBI Identity History Summary is your fingerprints on an official FD-258 or FD-1164 ink fingerprint card. These are the only accepted formats. For applicants outside the United States, only ink fingerprints on these physical cards are accepted, electronic fingerprint submission through the FBI's eDO portal is available to US-based applicants only.

Personal information: Your full legal name exactly as it appears on your government-issued identification, all previous names including maiden names and aliases, date and place of birth, current address, and Social Security number if applicable.

Government-issued identification: A copy of one valid government-issued photo ID is required. A valid passport is the most universally accepted. Two valid government-issued IDs are required if you are completing fingerprinting through a professional service like Globeia, with at least one showing your full name, date of birth, photograph, and signature. Photocopies of both IDs are required for submission purposes.

Payment: The FBI charges a processing fee per Identity History Summary request. For mail-in submissions, payment must be by money order, certified check, or cashier's check payable to the Treasury of the United States, not the FBI. For online eDO submissions by US-based applicants, credit cards are accepted. Fees are subject to change- always verify the current fee at fbi.gov before submitting.

This is the step that causes the most confusion for applicants outside the United States.

Electronic fingerprint submission is not available from outside the United States: While international applicants can use the FBI's eDO portal to create a request, pay online, and receive results electronically, fingerprints taken outside the U.S. are submitted on an FD-258 or FD-1164 fingerprint card and mailed to the FBI or the appropriate processing provider in the United States. 

Ink fingerprinting on official cards is required: Applicants outside the United States must have ink fingerprints taken on an official FD-258 or FD-1164 card. This requires the traditional ink-and-roll method where your fingers are pressed onto an ink pad and rolled onto the card in designated boxes for all ten fingers.

Local police stations are not reliable for this: Police stations outside the United States generally do not stock official FBI fingerprint cards and are not familiar with FBI submission formatting requirements. Using the wrong card format, incorrect ink, or poor rolling technique results in rejection and requires the entire process to be restarted.

What to look for in a fingerprinting service: A trained technician should collect your fingerprints using official fingerprinting cards, review each impression on the spot for ridge clarity and completeness, and retake any unclear prints immediately before the card is sealed. Identity should be verified at the appointment using your government-issued documents.

How Globeia handles this: Globeia's trained associates collect ink fingerprints at your home, office, or preferred location in your country on official FD-258 or FD-1164 cards. Each impression is reviewed on the spot and retaken if required before the card is sealed. Completed cards are mailed to Globeia Inc. in the USA, where they are processed and submitted to the FBI on your behalf. Globeia is not an FBI-accredited channeler. The FBI independently verifies all submissions and issues all results.

A Letter of Identity Verification is issued by Globeia following every fingerprinting appointment, confirming that ink fingerprints were collected by a trained associate following Globeia's identity verification procedures. This letter is issued by Globeia and is not issued by, endorsed by, or affiliated with the FBI or any government authority.

There are three ways to submit:

Option 1:  Online through FBI eDO (US applicants only)

Applicants can use the FBI’s eDO portal to create a request, pay online, and receive results electronically. If you are in the United States, you may submit fingerprints electronically through participating U.S.-based providers. If you are outside the United States, you can still use eDO, but your fingerprints are submitted on an FD-258 or FD-1164 card by mail. 

Option 2: Mail-in directly to the FBI (all applicants including international)

Complete your application, have your fingerprints taken on an official FD-258 or FD-1164 card, and mail everything to:

FBI CJIS Division - Summary Request

Include your completed fingerprint card, a copy of your government-issued ID, and payment by money order, certified check, or cashier’s check payable to the Treasury of the United States. Use a tracked mail or courier service to confirm delivery.

Option 3: Through a professional coordination service

Professional services such as Globeia can coordinate fingerprint collection, submission to the FBI through Globeia Inc. in the USA, and, where required, apostille requests with the U.S. Department of State through a single point of contact.

Globeia does not issue apostilles directly. Apostille and authentication requests are submitted to the designated government authority on behalf of the applicant.

Processing times are determined entirely by the FBI and vary based on application volume, fingerprint quality, and whether additional record verification is required.

With Globeia, most U.S. citizens receive their FBI Identity History Summary within 1-3 business days, while non-U.S. citizens receive results within 2-3 weeks after submission. These timelines are not guaranteed and may vary by case.

International applicants should also allow additional time for courier delivery to and from the United States. If an apostille is required, processing by the U.S. Department of State will extend the overall timeline further.

For visa, immigration, employment, or licensing applications, it is advisable to start the process well in advance of your deadline, particularly if apostille authentication will also be required.

For most international uses including visa applications, permanent residency, employment, and licensing in Hague Convention countries- yes.

An apostille is an official authentication certificate that makes your FBI Identity History Summary legally recognised in the 125 countries that participate in the Hague Apostille Convention. This includes Spain, Italy, Germany, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, France, Portugal and many more.

The US Department of State charges $20 per document for apostille authentication. Payment must be made by check or money order payable to the US Department of State. Always verify the current fee at travel.state.gov before submitting as fees are subject to change.

Who issues the apostille: Because the FBI is a federal agency, the FBI Identity History Summary can only be apostilled by the US Department of State in Washington DC. State Secretaries of State cannot apostille federal documents. Sending your FBI result to a state office for apostille is one of the most common and costly mistakes, it results in the document being returned and requires starting the apostille process again from the correct federal channel.

The correct apostille process: Once you receive your FBI Identity History Summary, complete Form DS-4194 and then mail your original document along with the applicable fee to: 

Office of Authentications

Note: Mail submissions go to Sterling, Virginia and not Washington DC. Walk-in service is available in Washington DC but mail-in submissions must be sent to the Sterling address. 

Apostille processing time: Processing times are determined entirely by the US Department of State and vary based on submission method and workload. Always check current processing times at travel.state.gov before submitting.

If your destination country is not a Hague member: Countries that are not members of the Hague Convention, do not accept apostilles. For these countries, embassy legalisation is required instead, which involves authentication by the US Department of State followed by legalisation at the destination country's embassy in the US.

Understanding these before you start saves weeks:

• Poor fingerprint quality: Smudged, faint, or incomplete impressions are the single most common reason applications are returned. The FBI cannot process fingerprints it cannot read. Getting quality impressions at the collection stage is the most controllable part of the process.
• Mismatched personal information: Any inconsistency between the name, date of birth, or other details on your fingerprint card and your identification documents triggers additional verification or causes the application to be returned.
• Wrong fingerprint card format: Using a card that does not meet FBI specifications results in rejection. Only official FD-258 or FD-1164 cards are accepted.
• Wrong payment: The FBI requires the exact current fee in an accepted payment format payable to the Treasury of the United States. Wrong amount, wrong format, or wrong payee results in the application being returned unprocessed.
• Missing apostille requirement identified too late: Discovering that your destination country requires an apostille after you have already received your FBI result adds the entire apostille process to your timeline, often an additional several weeks. Confirm apostille requirements before starting fingerprinting.
• Insufficient lead time: International applicants who begin the process close to a visa or immigration deadline often find themselves unable to correct errors without missing the deadline. Start early.