USA Criminal Record Check

Published on December 04, 2024 . Last updated on June 10, 2026

Globeia

Key Steps for Securing a USA Criminal Record Check While in Peru

Applying for a USA criminal record check from Peru means coordinating the bureaucratic requirements of two countries and three government agencies. The U.S. Embassy in Lima cannot take your fingerprints. A state-level criminal record check from your hometown will be rejected. And the FBI report you eventually receive is useless in Peru without a federal apostille and a certified Spanish translation.

All of this may sound confusing without proper context. In this blog, we will take you through the details of getting a USA criminal record check from Peru.

About the USA Criminal Record Check

A USA criminal record check, officially known as an FBI Identity History Summary Check, is the only document that satisfies the requirement for federal-level criminal records checks. It is derived from a nationwide search of the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) database, using your fingerprints.

This document details any federal arrests, charges, and convictions in the United States. You may be asked to submit this for various reasons:

Immigration or visa applications.
Securing employment with positions requiring a criminal record check.
Facilitating international adoption.
Meeting the requirements of residency or citizenship applications.

Specifically for immigration and residency applications in Peru, a simple state-level Criminal Record Check is not enough. Peruvian authorities require this federal, nationwide search to ensure it covers your entire time in the U.S.

Ways to Secure Your USA Criminal Record Check in Peru

Let’s understand the different ways and steps to apply for the FBI Identity History Summary Check.

1. Applying by Mail

This is the traditional, direct-to-FBI method. It places all responsibility for document and payment accuracy on you.

Obtain a Fingerprint Card in Peru

You must use the FBI’s official FD-258 or FD-1164 fingerprint card, printed on heavy, white cardstock.
Do not use standard printer paper, as it will be rejected by FBI scanners.

Complete the FBI Application Form

Download and complete the official FBI Applicant Information Form.
Ensure your full name, date of birth, and mailing address match your valid identification exactly.

Make the Payment

The current fee is $18 USD.
The most common methods from Peru are the FBI Credit Card Payment Form (using a U.S. or international credit card) or a certified U.S. bank money order.
Never send cash or a personal check, as these will cause immediate rejection.

Mail Your Application:

Ship your completed fingerprint card, application form, and payment securely using an international courier like DHL or FedEx.
Standard mail from Peru is not trackable and unreliable.

FBI CJIS Division – Summary Request

1000 Custer Hollow Road

Clarksburg, WV 26306, USA

2. Applying Online via the eDO System

The FBI’s Electronic Departmental Order (eDO) portal allows for a partially digital submission, making payment much easier.

Visit the Official Website: Go to www.edo.cjis.gov and create a secure account.
Fill Out the Application & Pay: Enter all personal details into the online form and complete the $18 fee payment directly through the portal using a credit card or PayPal.
Print Your Confirmation: Immediately after payment, download and print the official confirmation email, which contains your unique application PIN.
Submit Fingerprints: You must still obtain physical ink fingerprints on an FD-258 card in Peru. Place this card and the printed confirmation email page into an envelope and courier it to the FBI CJIS address provided in the portal. Your results will be posted as a downloadable PDF to your eDO account.

3. Applying Via a Third-Party Platform

Using a fingerprinting provider like Globeia can help reduce the stress and rejection risk associated with self-handling.

Visit the Platform: Our FBI Identity History Summary Check service starts with our SmartForm.
Complete the Application & Pay: Fill in your personal details and pay the service fees online via a secure dashboard.
Send the Original Fingerprint Card: Courier the original card to Globeia Inc. in the USA. If you do not already have a completed fingerprint card, Globeia can help arrange your fingerprinting.
Receive Results: For U.S. citizens with a clear record, the official FBI report is usually delivered as a secure PDF to your profile within 1-3 business days for US citizens and up to 2–3 weeks for non-US citizens, though timelines may vary based on application volume and individual circumstances.

Where to Get Fingerprinted in Peru

You have two main options in Peru:

1. Peruvian National Police Labs

You can visit the specialized police identification division (División de Identificación Criminal) at a major regional headquarters or the Jefatura de Policía de Identificación Nacional in Lima.

You must bring your own unrolled, blank FD-258 cardstock forms with you, as Peruvian police stations do not stock American federal templates.

2. Mobile & Private Fingerprinting Services

To avoid navigating local police administrative lines, you can work with private legal fingerprinting specialists in major hubs like Lima, Cusco, or Arequipa.

If you do not have blank FD-258 cardstock or prefer to avoid visiting a local station, Globeia provides fully mobile fingerprinting services in Lima and surrounding districts.

Our trained associates travel directly to your location with official cards and professional ink pads to ensure accurate ink fingerprint capture on official forms to help meet FBI submission standards. We can also handle the expedited dispatch to our US office for further coordination.

Choosing Your Application Method

The best method for your specific situation depends on your timeline, budget, and comfort with managing the process. Here is a comparison to help you decide.

Method	Speed	Cost	Risk Level
Direct Mail-In	Slowest	$18 base fee + International courier fees	High; self-managed
FBI eDO Portal	Moderate	$18 base fee + courier fees	Medium; easier process but self-managed
Third-Party Provider	Fastest	Service fee + $18 base fee + courier fees	Low; handled by trained associates

Preparing for a USA Criminal Record Check

Adequate preparation is essential for the smooth processing of your FBI criminal record check application. Follow this checklist to gather, execute, and verify your files before submitting them from Peru.

Core Identification Requirements

Valid Passport: Must match the exact name spelling used on your FBI paperwork.
Zero Abbreviations: Avoid nicknames. Suffixes (Jr., III) must be identical across all forms.
Biographical Alignment: Discrepancies between your identity forms and background check results lead to an automatic system rejection.

Fingerprint Card Standards

To avoid federal rejection due to unreadable prints, follow these exact formatting rules:

Requirement	Approved Standard	Mistakes to Avoid
Card Type	Official FD-258 or FD-1164 cardstock forms.	Standard copy paper (crumples under scanners and is discarded).
Ink Choice	Black professional ink only. Blue, red, purple, or faded ink will be rejected by FBI scanners.	Red, purple, or faded desktop ink stamps.
Capture Type	Complete rolled prints taken nail-to-nail by a trained technician.	Flat, smudged, or cut-off ridge patterns.

Tip: Visit a specialized Policía Nacional del Perú (PNP) hub or a professional fingerprinting provider in Lima, Cusco, or Arequipa. Always request two identical backup print cards to ship in the same courier package just in case.

Understanding the Fee Structure

FBI Baseline: $18 USD fixed government cost per request.
International Logistics: Budget at least $40 to $70 USD for private, tracked courier services (DHL/FedEx) to ship physical cards.
Expedition Add-ons: Budget for service cost if you’re going through a third-party provider for better coordination and handling.

Important: FBI fees, payment methods, and processing requirements can change without notice. Always verify the latest information directly through the FBI's official Identity History Summary website before submitting your application. Any courier, translation, apostille, or third-party service fees are separate from the FBI's government fee.

Note: Courier costs vary by provider, destination, package weight, and service level. Confirm current rates with your chosen courier before shipping your documents.

Beyond the Report: Legal Validation for Peru

An FBI report cannot be presented directly to Peruvian authorities. It must pass through two final local legal validation steps:

1. Digital/Physical FBI Report ➔ 2. U.S. Department of State Federal Apostille ➔ 3. Peruvian Sworn Legal Translation

The Federal Apostille

Because Peru and the U.S. are active member states of the Hague Apostille Convention, you do not need to follow complex legalization procedures. Send the document directly to the U.S. Department of State's Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C. Globeia can coordinate this step to make the process more convenient.

The Peruvian Legal Translation

Once your federal background check has received its Washington, D.C. apostille stamp, the entire combined packet, including the apostille certificate itself, must be translated into Spanish.

To satisfy the strict compliance guidelines of Peru's National Superintendency of Migration (Migraciones), this cannot be performed by standard digital translation tools or uncertified agencies.

It must be executed, signed, and sealed by a registered Traductor Público Juramentado (Sworn Public Translator) inside Peru.

Common Mistakes That Delay FBI Background Checks in Peru

Even when applicants successfully obtain their FBI Identity History Summary, many encounter avoidable delays later in the process.

Here are some of the most common issues to watch out for:

Waiting Too Long to Begin the Apostille Process: Since apostille processing times can fluctuate, delaying this step may affect immigration, employment, or residency timelines.
Using a Translator Who Is Not Recognized in Peru: Using the wrong translator can lead to document rejection.
Underestimating International Shipping Times: Courier delays, customs processing, and delivery issues can significantly impact overall turnaround times.
Failing to Verify Agency-Specific Requirements: Not all Peruvian authorities follow identical document requirements. Always verify the latest requirements with the receiving authority before submitting your application.
Waiting Until a Deadline Is Approaching: Last-minute applications create unnecessary risk. Starting the process early provides additional time for fingerprint resubmissions, apostille processing, translation requirements, or unexpected administrative delays.

Conclusion

Getting your USA criminal record check from Peru is not complicated because the steps are difficult; it is complicated because the process includes two legal systems that were not designed to work together. A single misstep can cost you weeks you may not have.

Know where to get fingerprinted in Lima. Use the correct cardstock. Ship with tracking. And do not submit your document to Peruvian authorities until it has passed through the federal apostille and sworn translation stages in the correct order.

If you want to skip the guesswork, Globeia handles the process from fingerprint capture in Peru to FBI submission and federal apostille coordination from Globeia Inc. in the USA.

Start your FBI Identity History Summary Check.

FAQs

My FBI report is clean. Why do I still need an apostille and translation?

Yes. Peruvian authorities require every foreign official document to be apostilled and translated into Spanish, regardless of its content. A blank report with no criminal history will be considered invalid without these certifications.

Can I get my fingerprints taken at a Peruvian notary public?

No. Peruvian notaries verify signatures, not forensic fingerprints. You need a trained associate at a PNP forensic lab or a private provider familiar with the FBI's standard.

What if my name on my Peruvian residency application doesn't match my U.S. passport exactly?

Resolve all name inconsistencies before initiating your FBI request. For legal name changes, obtain certified copies of the relevant court order or marriage certificate for your Peruvian file.

How far in advance should I start the FBI background check before my visa appointment?

Allow 10 to 12 weeks. This covers fingerprint capture, international courier transit, FBI processing, the federal apostille, and sworn translation with Peruvian certification. Starting late is the most avoidable cause of missed deadlines.

Will Peruvian immigration accept an FBI background check I obtained before moving to Peru?

Only if it was issued recently enough. Most Peruvian agencies require the report to be dated within a set period of submission. An old report will likely be rejected, even if properly apostilled and translated.

What if my FBI report contains an error in my personal information?

You cannot edit it. If the error is yours, you must reapply and pay again. If the error is in the CJIS database, you must follow the FBI's formal challenge process. Neither path is fast. Double-check every field before submission.

Written by :

We are a background screening and document verification agency in Toronto. While we cover the Greater Toronto Area for in-person appointments, the bulk of our clientele uses our online services from different countries of the world. Globeia makes it simple and cost-effective for companies and individuals to navigate governmental red tape without breaking the bank.

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