A U.S. Criminal Record Check isn't just for people with a complicated immigration history or a prior criminal record. It's a routine document required across a wide range of personal, professional, and legal situations. Knowing whether you need one and which type, is the essential first step before starting any application.

Immigration is one of the most common reasons people are asked to provide a U.S. Criminal Record Check. Many foreign governments require applicants to submit police certificates as part of visa or residency processes to verify their criminal history.

For U.S. immigrant visa applications processed through embassies or consulates abroad, applicants are required to provide police certificates from every country where they have lived for six months or more after the age of 16. If that includes time spent in the United States, the required document is an FBI Identity History Summary.

For non-immigrant visas, requirements vary by country and visa type. Some long-term work, study, or residency programs may request a U.S. Criminal Record Check, even if the stay is temporary, but this is not universal.

Applicants applying for a green card from within the United States (known as adjustment of status) are subject to FBI background checks conducted directly by USCIS. In most cases, applicants do not need to submit an FBI Identity History Summary themselves, although they may choose to obtain one separately for personal records or specific requests.

USCIS runs independent background checks during adjudication using its own access to FBI and DHS systems. The self-requested FBI Identity History Summary is a separate document that you obtain yourself to satisfy a requirement from a foreign government or employer- it is not a copy of the USCIS background check result. 

Many countries require foreign workers, especially in regulated industries to provide Criminal Record Checks from their home country or any country where they have previously lived. The exact requirements vary by country, employer, and role, but an FBI Identity History Summary is commonly requested where the applicant has lived or worked in the United States.

• Healthcare and nursing: Many countries like UAE, Saudi Arabia, the U.K. and Canada require background checks as part of licensing and work permit processes. U.S.-trained professionals are often asked to provide an FBI clearance, sometimes alongside state-level checks.
• Education: Teachers applying to international schools or roles abroad are frequently required to submit a Criminal Record Check, particularly for positions involving children.
• Finance and banking: Regulatory bodies in several countries require proof of a clean criminal record for individuals seeking financial licenses or senior roles in regulated institutions.
• Government contracting and advisory roles: Foreign governments and international organizations engaging U.S. nationals in advisory or consulting roles may request a federal clearance as part of due diligence.
• Childcare and social services: Roles involving children or vulnerable populations commonly require Criminal Record Checks from every country of residence, including the United States.

Anyone applying for permanent residency, long-term visas, or citizenship in another country will need to provide police certificates from countries where they have previously lived. If you have spent a qualifying period in the United States, this includes an FBI Identity History Summary, regardless of your nationality or immigration status during your stay.

Examples of country requirements:

• Australia: The Department of Home Affairs requires police certificates from each country where an applicant has lived for 12 months or more, in the past 10 years. For time spent in the U.S., this means an FBI Identity History Summary. Australia does not routinely require an apostille on the FBI clearance.
• Canada: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) requires police certificates from all countries where the applicant has lived for 6 months or more since the age of 18.
• United Kingdom: The Home Office may require police certificates for certain visa categories, particularly long-stay, work, or settlement applications. An FBI Identity History Summary is required for qualifying periods in the United States. Requirements vary by visa type- confirm with UK Visas and Immigration before applying.
• New Zealand: Immigration New Zealand requires police certificates for applicants who have lived in another country for 12 months or more since the age of 17. An FBI Identity History Summary covers the U.S. period. Apostille is not routinely required but confirm with Immigration New Zealand for your specific visa category.
• Switzerland: The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) requires police certificates from all countries where the applicant has resided for more than 12 months within the past 10 years. Switzerland is a Hague Apostille Convention member and an apostille on the FBI Identity History Summary is required.
• Germany: The Federal Foreign Office requires police certificates from countries of prior residence for long-stay visa and residency applications, generally for stays of 12 months or more. Germany is a Hague Apostille Convention member and an apostille is required. Confirm with the specific German consulate handling your application as requirements can vary.
• Portugal: The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) requires police certificates from countries of prior residence for residency applications including D-series visas. Portugal is also a Hague Apostille Convention member. A certified Portuguese translation may also be required depending on the visa category.
• Spain: The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs requires police certificates from countries of prior residence for long-stay visa and residency applications. Spain can also require an apostille on the FBI Identity History Summary. A certified Spanish translation is also required.
• France: The French Ministry of the Interior requires police certificates from countries of prior residence for long-stay visa and residency applications. An apostille is also required, and a certified French translation may also be needed depending on the application.
• United Arab Emirates (UAE): The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) requires Criminal Record Checks from all countries of prior residence as part of residency and employment visa processes. For U.S. periods, an FBI Identity History Summary is required. The UAE is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention- the document must go through the U.S. Department of State authentication followed by UAE embassy legalization. The document is required to have been issued within 3 months of submission.
• Other EU countries: Most EU member states require police certificates from countries of prior residence for long-stay visas and residency applications. The majority are members of the Hague Apostille Convention, meaning an apostille on the FBI Identity History Summary is required. Confirm specific thresholds and requirements directly with the relevant embassy or consulate before applying.

Intercountry adoption is one of the most documentation intensive processes involving a U.S. Criminal Record Check. Both U.S. citizens adopting children from abroad and foreign nationals adopting from the United States may be required to submit criminal background checks as part of the approval process.

Under the Hague Adoption Convention process, overseen by the U.S. Department of State and USCIS- prospective adoptive parents must undergo a comprehensive background check that includes FBI fingerprint-based screening. This applies to all adults living in the household, not just the primary applicants.

Foreign countries receiving children adopted from the United States will often require FBI clearances for the adoptive parents as part of their own approval procedures. U.S. families adopting internationally may similarly need to present U.S. Criminal Record Checks to foreign central authorities or courts overseeing the adoption.

U.S. citizens relocating abroad, whether for work, retirement, or long-term residence, are required to provide a U.S. Criminal Record Check as part of visa or residency applications in their destination country. This requirement applies regardless of whether the individual has any criminal history.

In most cases, the required document is the FBI Identity History Summary. Applicants living outside the United States can obtain it either by submitting fingerprint cards directly to the FBI or, by using an FBI-approved channeler/company that supports international applicants.

Foreign nationals who lived, studied, or worked in the United States even on a temporary visa may be required by their home country or a third country to produce a U.S. Criminal Record Check as part of an immigration or employment application. The United States is treated as a country of previous residence, and most immigration systems require clearances from all countries of residence based on minimum stay and age thresholds.

Example- A student who attended university in the U.S. for four years, or a worker who held an H-1B visa for three years, may need to obtain an FBI clearance years after leaving, even if they had no legal issues while they were there.

Many international licensing and regulatory bodies require applicants to provide criminal background checks as part of professional licensing or registration processes. Depending on the country and profession, this may include Criminal Record Checks from countries of prior residence.

• Legal professionals seeking admission to a foreign bar association or law society.
• Engineers and architects applying for licensure through regulated professional bodies abroad.
• Security and law enforcement professionals applying for licenses in foreign jurisdictions.
• Real estate agents and brokers in countries with regulated licensing frameworks.
• Financial advisors and insurance professionals subject to “fit and proper” regulatory requirements.

In some countries, foreign nationals are required to provide official documentation before registering a marriage to confirm legal capacity to marry. Such as proof of single status, divorce, or widowhood rather than to verify criminal history.

Countries known to have this requirement for U.S. citizens include Italy, the Philippines, Thailand, and Egypt, among others. Requirements vary, and applicants should confirm what's needed directly with the relevant civil registry or embassy.