For applicants outside the United States
Police Clearance Certificate from the United States
The United States does not issue a document called a police clearance certificate. The federal equivalent is the Identity History Summary, issued by the FBI. We obtain it for you, apostilled and ready to file abroad.
175 SW 7th ST, Suite 1905. A real address, a direct phone line and a named case handler.
You never travel to a US fingerprinting site and never deal with Washington yourself.
Electronic submission to the FBI, not the postal route to Virginia.
US Department of State seal, plus certified translation into the language your authority requires.
The document
What a US police clearance certificate actually is
A police clearance certificate is the general name for an official statement of your criminal record. Most countries issue one under that exact title. The United States does not.
Instead, the FBI issues the Identity History Summary. It is the nationwide federal record, compiled from fingerprint submissions across every US state and territory. Embassies, consulates and immigration authorities accept it as the American police clearance.
If a form asks you for a police clearance certificate, a police record certificate, a criminal record certificate or a criminal conviction certificate, and you lived in the United States, the document you need is the FBI Identity History Summary. Read the official description on fbi.gov.
| What the form asks for | What the US actually issues | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Police clearance certificate | FBI Identity History Summary | All 50 states, federal |
| Police record certificate | FBI Identity History Summary | All 50 states, federal |
| Criminal record certificate | FBI Identity History Summary | All 50 states, federal |
| Criminal conviction certificate | FBI Identity History Summary | All 50 states, federal |
| Local police letter | County or city police record | One jurisdiction only |
The problem
Why applications get rejected
Applicants rarely fail because of their record. They fail because they filed the wrong document, or filed the right one without the right seals.
- A local police letter instead of the federal record. A city or county letter proves nothing outside that jurisdiction. Consulates want national coverage.
- No apostille. The FBI issues the report unsealed. Foreign authorities need an apostille from the US Department of State.
- No certified translation. Many countries require an official translation. An informal one gets returned.
- An expired report. Most authorities only accept a report issued within the last three to six months.
- No way to submit fingerprints from abroad. You cannot get fingerprinted at a US facility if you already left the country.
Each of these sends the file back to the start. Meanwhile the visa deadline keeps moving.
The solution
One service, from fingerprints to apostille
We handle the full chain. You never travel to a US fingerprinting site and you never deal with Washington yourself.
What is included
- Fingerprint capture at our Miami office, or an FD-258 fingerprint kit shipped to your address abroad
- Electronic submission to the FBI through an approved channel
- Identity History Summary issued in official FBI format
- Apostille from the US Department of State, valid under the Hague Apostille Convention
- Deadline tracking so the report reaches you inside its validity window
How we work
How it works
- Free assessment. Tell us which country will receive the document and what the form calls it. We confirm which record satisfies that authority.
- Fingerprints. Come to our Miami office, or receive the FD-258 kit at home with printed instructions.
- Federal submission. We file with the FBI through an approved channel and track the request until the report is issued.
- Apostille. We take the report to the US Department of State and obtain the seal.
- Delivery. You receive the apostilled certificate, ready to file.
Rates
Pricing
| Option | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Fingerprints + FBI check (Miami) | $110 USD | LiveScan capture at our Miami office and federal submission |
| Fingerprints + FD-258 card (LATAM office) | $188 USD | Capture abroad and an official card ready to file |
| Full remote package | $390 USD | Fingerprints, FBI filing and complete certified processing |
We confirm the final figure before starting. No charges appear later.
Trust
Why Compliance Officers
- We know what each authority accepts. We work with consulates and immigration authorities across Latin America and Europe every week.
- One point of contact. Fingerprints, FBI filing, apostille and translation come from one provider.
- Genuinely remote. Clients in more than a dozen countries have completed the process without boarding a plane.
- We manage the clock. We schedule each stage so the report never expires while you gather the rest of the file.
- A real company. A real office in Miami, a direct phone line and a named case handler.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Does the United States issue a police clearance certificate?
Not under that name. The closest official equivalent is the FBI Identity History Summary, sometimes called an FBI background check or rap sheet. It is the nationwide federal record and it is what embassies and immigration authorities accept when they ask for a US police clearance certificate.
Is a local police letter enough?
Usually not. A city or county police letter only covers that jurisdiction. If you lived in more than one state, or if the receiving authority asks for national coverage, only the FBI record qualifies. Some consulates accept a state-level record as a supplement, never as a replacement.
Do I need an apostille on my FBI report?
Yes, in almost every case. The FBI issues the report without any legalisation. Countries that signed the Hague Apostille Convention require an apostille from the US Department of State. Countries outside the Convention require consular legalisation instead. We handle both.
How long is the certificate valid?
The FBI does not print an expiry date. The receiving authority sets the limit, and most accept a report issued within the last three to six months. Colombia, for instance, requires supporting documents issued no more than three months before the application is registered.
Can I do this from outside the United States?
Yes. That is the most common situation among our clients. We ship an FD-258 fingerprint card kit to your address, or capture your prints at our office. From there we file with the FBI, obtain the apostille in Washington and send the finished document to you.
How long does the whole process take?
The FBI portion typically runs three to five weeks once fingerprints are submitted correctly. The apostille adds further processing time at the Department of State. Rejected or unreadable fingerprints are the single biggest cause of delay, which is why we validate every card before filing.
Next step
Start before your deadline moves
Tell us which country needs the document and what the form calls it. We will confirm the right record, the exact cost and the realistic timeline.
Compliance Officers LLC · 175 SW 7th ST, Suite 1905, Miami, FL 33130 · +1.305.647.3000 · info@complianceofficers.org