Steps to Apply for an FBI Criminal Record Check in Australia

Most residents who need an FBI criminal record check in Australia start with two wrong assumptions: that the US Embassy handles fingerprinting, and that the process works like a standard Australian background check. Neither is true.

The FBI requires specific fingerprint cards and an international submission process. Mistakes with any of these steps can result in delays or the application being returned without processing. This guide covers each stage in simple terms, so you know exactly what to do and what to avoid before you begin.

An FBI criminal record check in Australia is used to verify your US criminal history if you have previously lived, worked, or studied in the United States. Australian authorities may request this document to confirm your background before approving a visa, employment, professional licence, or other official application.

You may need an FBI criminal record check in Australia for:

• Australian visa and immigration applications that require overseas police certificates.
• Employment where employers need to verify your US criminal history.
• Professional registration or licensing, such as healthcare, education, finance, or other regulated industries.
• University admissions or placements that require police clearance.
• Security clearance or government-related positions.
• Legal or official document verification where proof of your US criminal record status is required.

An FBI criminal record check provides an official record issued by the FBI, helping Australian organisations and government authorities verify your background and assess your eligibility for their requirements.

FBI Criminal Record Check vs Australian National Police Check

These are two separate documents covering two different countries.

If you have lived in both the United States and Australia, most Australian authorities will request both documents. One cannot replace the other.

Before booking a fingerprinting appointment or downloading any forms, confirm these two things with the authority that requested your document.

Confirm whether an apostille is required

Australia is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. For most Australian visa and immigration submissions, the FBI criminal record check must carry an apostille from the US Department of State before it will be accepted. If your document needs an apostille, the total process takes 12 to 16 weeks. If it does not, the total is closer to 5 to 8 weeks. Knowing this before you start means you can plan the correct timeline.

Confirm the validity window

Australian immigration authorities in most cases accept FBI criminal record checks issued within 6 to 12 months of your visa lodgement date, but this varies by visa subclass. If you already have an FBI criminal record check issued more than 12 months ago, it will not be accepted, and you need to apply for a new one before starting the apostille process.

Applying for an FBI criminal record check in Australia is straightforward when you follow the correct process. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you complete your application without unnecessary delays.

Step 1: Confirm Your Requirements

Before applying, check exactly what the organisation requesting your FBI criminal record check needs. This helps you avoid submitting the wrong documents or missing additional requirements. Confirm:

• Whether you need an FBI criminal record check only or an FBI apostille as well.
• Whether a printed or digital copy is accepted.
• Any document validity requirements or submission deadlines.

Step 2: Complete the FBI Application Form

Download and complete the FBI Identity History Summary Request Form from the FBI website. Make sure you:

• Complete every section accurately.
• Use your legal name exactly as it appears on your passport.
• Provide your return address and contact details.
• Arrange payment of the FBI processing fee (USD $18 for direct FBI applications).

Step 3: Get Your Fingerprints Taken on an Approved Card

Fingerprinting is the stage where most FBI criminal record check applications from Australia go wrong. The FBI rejects thousands of fingerprint cards every year because of smudged prints, incorrect rolling technique, or prints captured on the wrong card type.

You need your fingerprints taken on an official FBI-approved fingerprint card. The accepted types are:

• FD-258: The standard FBI fingerprint card, most commonly used
• FD-1164: Also accepted

No other card format is accepted. Cards printed at home, old cards, or copies of existing fingerprints are all rejected. Want to know more about fingerprinting? Read Globeia’s Guide to fingerprinting in Australia.

Where to get fingerprinted in Australia:

• Australian police stations: State and federal police services across Australia offer fingerprinting for international background check purposes. Book in advance and confirm whether the station has FBI-approved cards available or whether you need to bring your own.
• Private fingerprinting providers: Private agencies operating in major cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide specialise in FBI applications. They use the correct cards, correct ink, and the correct rolling technique. Experienced providers check quality before you leave, which significantly reduces rejection risk.
• Globeia mobile fingerprinting: Globeia sends a trained fingerprinting specialist to your home, workplace, or another location anywhere in Australia. The specialist brings FBI-approved cards and equipment, uses the correct technique, and reviews the quality of each print before the appointment ends. This option works for applicants outside major cities and those who cannot travel to an office or police station.

For more information on Globeia’s fingerprinting services, read the guide: “Mobile Fingerprinting in Australia”. 

Step 4: Prepare Your Submission Package

Before sealing your package, assemble every required item:

• Completed FBI Identity History Summary Request Form.
• Fingerprint card (FD-258 or FD-1164), undamaged and unaltered.
• Payment of USD $18 in the required format.
• Return address for delivery of results.

Do not fold the fingerprint card. Send documents flat in a rigid envelope. A damaged fingerprint card will be returned unprocessed.

Step 5: Choose Your Submission Method

Method 1: Direct submission to the FBI by mail

Send your complete package to:

FBI CJIS Division Attn:

Use a tracked international courier service and keep your tracking number. Standard international mail from Australia to the US adds 5 to 10 business days to the timeline each way.

Method 2: Submit through Globeia

Globeia accepts your fingerprint cards through its Australian service and submits them electronically through its US office. This removes the need to mail physical cards internationally and streamlines the process for Australian residents.

The Globeia process works as follows:

1. Apply through Globeia's SmartPortal and complete your details.
2. Get fingerprinted through Globeia's Australian service.
3. Fingerprint cards are quality-checked and submitted to the FBI through Globeia's US office.
4. Track every stage through Globeia's SmartPortal.
5. If an apostille is required, Globeia coordinates this with the US Department of State as part of the same application.
6. Your completed FBI criminal record check is delivered to your Australian address.

Step 6: Track Your Application

• Direct submissions: Contact the FBI CJIS Division at identity@ic.fbi.gov or +1-304-625-5590 to follow up on your application status. The FBI does not provide automatic status updates for direct mail submissions.
• Globeia applications: Track every stage in real time through Globeia's SmartPortal. Updates are provided at each stage automatically without needing to contact any US government office.

Step 7: Receive Your FBI Criminal Record Check

The FBI issues results either as a hard copy by post or as a digital PDF depending on the submission method. If you are using Globeia or any FBI-approved channeler for your FBI Check the timeline will be:

These times cover FBI processing only. International postage, fingerprinting appointment time, and any apostille requirement all add to the total.

In most cases, no. If you're using your FBI criminal record check in Australia, you usually only need the original FBI-issued document.

However, some Australian government authorities, employers, licensing bodies, universities, or other organisations may specifically request an apostilled FBI criminal record check. The requirement depends on who is asking for the document, not on the FBI itself.

Before you apply, confirm exactly what the receiving authority requires:

• Do they accept the original FBI criminal record check?
• Do they specifically require an FBI apostille?
• Do they need the document to be issued within a certain timeframe?

If an apostille is required, it must be issued by the US Department of State, Office of Authentications. Because an FBI criminal record check is a US federal document, it cannot be apostilled by an Australian authority or a US state authority.

Applying for an apostille adds an extra step and additional processing time, so it's best to confirm the requirement before submitting your FBI application. If you need both services, providers such as Globeia can coordinate the FBI criminal record check and the US Department of State apostille together, saving you from managing two separate applications.

Start the process at least three to four months before your visa appointment, submission deadline, or employment start date. If an apostille is required, four months is the minimum recommended lead time using a standard mail route.

1. Using the wrong fingerprint card 

Only the FD-258 and FD-1164 are accepted. No other format will be processed.

2. Smudged or poor-quality prints 

The FBI returns thousands of cards every year for this reason. One smudged print sends the entire application back. Use a provider who checks quality at the appointment.

3. Not confirming apostille requirements before starting 

Discovering you need an apostille after the FBI document arrives adds 6 to 8 weeks to a process that was already running close to a deadline. Confirm before you begin.

4. Using standard mail without tracking 

Lost packages mean starting again from fingerprinting. Always use a tracked, insured international courier.

5. Leaving fields blank on the application form 

Any blank field causes the application to be returned without processing. Write N/A for fields that do not apply.

6. Folding or damaging the fingerprint card 

A damaged card is rejected. Send documents flat in a rigid envelope.

Globeia manages the full FBI criminal record check process for Australian residents through one application. Here is what makes the service different from managing the process independently.

• No fingerprinting travel: A trained specialist comes to your home or workplace anywhere in Australia. You do not visit a police station or private office.

• Quality-checked before submission: Every print is reviewed at the appointment. A smudged or incorrectly rolled print is the most common reason FBI applications are returned from Australia. Globeia catches this before your card reaches the FBI.

• No international mail risk: Your fingerprint cards go to Globeia's US office directly and are submitted to the FBI electronically. Documents do not travel by standard international post from Australia to West Virginia.

• One application covers everything: If needed provide apostille coordination through Globeia's Washington DC office, certified translation if required, and delivery to your Australian address are all part of the same workflow. You do not manage two US government agencies from Australia.

• Real-time tracking: The SmartPortal shows you where your application is at every stage without needing to contact the FBI by phone or email.

Australia accepts FBI criminal record checks issued within 6 to 12 months of visa lodgement. That is one of the most generous validity windows of any country that requests this document. It also means you have time to do this properly rather than rushing.

Use that time. Confirm your apostille requirement now. Book your fingerprinting with Globeia Australia before your deadline is visible on the calendar. Apply through Globeia's SmartPortal today!