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FBI Identity History Summary

Your federal background check, obtained and delivered for you.

An FBI background check — officially an Identity History Summary — is the federal record of your own history on file with the FBI. This page explains what it is, why people request one, and when you’ll need it.

01What is a federal background check?

A federal background check is your FBI Identity History Summary (sometimes called an “identity history summary check” or simply your “FBI record”). Compiled by the FBI from fingerprint submissions, it lists information that has been tied to your fingerprints over time — such as arrests, federal employment, naturalization, or military service.

Because it is drawn from the FBI’s national fingerprint database, it is the most authoritative, federal-level record of an individual’s history — which is exactly why governments and institutions abroad ask for it rather than a state or county check. Any adult may request a copy of their own summary, a process the FBI calls a personal review.

02Why people request one

Most people who order a federal background check aren’t being investigated — they need an official copy of their own record to hand to an authority that requires it. Common reasons include:

  • Moving abroad — visa, residency, or work-permit applications in another country.
  • Working overseas — teaching, healthcare, and many regulated jobs abroad require a clean federal record.
  • Immigration & citizenship — dual citizenship, naturalization, and long-term residency filings.
  • Adoption — international adoption agencies and foreign courts routinely require it.
  • Licensing & employment — roles that call for federal-level clearance or a personal records review.

03When you need one

You typically need a federal background check whenever a foreign government or institution asks for proof of your criminal history at the national level — a state or local check won’t satisfy the request. This is most common when you are applying to live, work, study, or marry abroad.

In nearly every one of these cases the receiving country won’t accept the document on its own. Before it’s valid overseas, your FBI background check usually has to be apostilled — an internationally recognized certification that authenticates the document for use in another country.

Need it apostilled for use abroad?

If your federal background check is for a visa, residency, work permit, or any legal process in another country, it almost certainly needs an apostille first. Our sister service handles exactly that — authenticating your FBI background check through the U.S. Department of State so it’s accepted overseas.

Apostille your FBI background check→