A U.S. Criminal History Check for individuals, obtainable from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), covers all charges and convictions of which the FBI has been notified by state or local law enforcement officials, or which involve federal charges or convictions. Information regarding the FBI Criminal History check, including the required application forms can be obtained from the FBI’s website.
Applicants requiring a U.S. Criminal History Check are required to apply to the FBI directly. U.S. Embassies and Consulates are unable to provide this service. All applicants must complete a request for the Criminal History check, which includes the applicant’s full name, aliases, sex, date and place of birth, and the purpose for which the nationwide police clearance is needed (e.g. permanent residence in Jamaica).
All applicants are also required to forward a set of ink-rolled fingerprint impressions, placed upon Form FD-258. The fingerprint impressions can be obtained from local police stations, with all information from the recording officer in English, and must include the applicant’s full name and date of birth on the fingerprint cards/forms.
Completed applications for a U.S. Criminal History Check should be forwarded to the FBI for processing at:
FBI CJIS Division – Records Request
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, West Virginia 26306
United States of America
The processing time for a Police Clearance is approximately 16-18 weeks upon receipt or a complete application by the FBI. For further information consult the FBI website.
The FBI charges a fee for this service, payable by bank check to the “Treasury of the United States”. (Personal checks will not be accepted). For current fees, please refer to the FBI’s website.