Apply by Mail

1. To Apply for an FBI Background Check, the applicant has to approach the Federal Bureau Of Investigation United States Department Of Justice link
2. The applicant has to download the identity history summary check application form from the following link
3. The applicant has to enter all the details in the application form.
4. Make sure that the applicant has to attach all the necessary documents that are mentioned in the “Required Documents” section of this page.
5. The applicant has to attach the photocopies of the required documents along with the application form while submitting.
6. Also download and complete the fingerprint form from the following link
7. Obtain a payment of money order or cashier’s check for $18 U.S. dollars to the Treasury of the United States.
8. For more detail information about the payment is mentioned in the “Fees” section of this page.
9. Submit all the necessary documents along with the completed form to the FBI CJIS Division Mailing address.
10. The mailing address is mentioned in the “Office Locations & Contacts” section of this page.
11. After receiving the application, the concerned authority will check the submitted application and document set. If all are in place, the application will be accepted.
12. The document copy will be sent to the Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
13. Both the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) and FBI will verify the submitted documents.
14. Once the process gets completed, the applicant gets the Check record through mail.
15. The processing time for obtaining a certificate takes up to 8 weeks.

• Application form link Finger print form link
• Social security card
• Agency card
• Previously processed finger prints original card

Federal Bureau of Investigation United States Department of Justice
Mailing address:
FBI CJIS Division – Summary Request
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, West Virginia 26306

Physical address:
FBI Headquarters
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20535-0001
(202) 324-3000
Contact link AND link
Field office link

• Any local, state, federal, and international law enforcement agencies, the private sector, academia, and other government agencies who intends to Apply for an FBI Background Check is eligible to make this application.

• The fee for FBI Background Check is $18.

NOTE:

• Cash, personal checks, or business checks will not be accepted.
• Payment must be for the exact amount.
• If the request is for a couple, family, etc., include $18 for each person.
• If the request is for multiple copies per person, include $18 for each copy requested.

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

• Application form link Finger print form link

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

• The processing time for obtaining a certificate takes up to 8 weeks.

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications.
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver,
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

• Applicant must complete the application form before submitting. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
• Applicant must provide genuine information while applying for this procedure.

• Name
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident
• Country of residence
• Country of citizenship
• Prisoner number
• Last four digits of social security number
• Race
• Sex
• Certified check
• Date
• Signature

• An FBI background check is a means through which individuals, employers, and government officials can access criminal records and arrest data on United States citizens and residents. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) keeps detailed files that document arrests, crimes, and suspicious behaviour collected by almost every law enforcement entity, local or national.
• If any individual wants to get an FBI background check, which is needed for a visa application must send a request to the responsible authority to obtain it.

• For more information link
  

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

Link