FBI background check in Colombia

Informational guide · Always confirm details through official channels

An FBI background check —officially the Identity History Summary Check (IdHSC)— is a U.S. federal document that shows whether a person has a criminal record on file at the national level. Anyone who has lived in the United States may be asked for one. In Colombia the most common case is a foreign resident — frequently a U.S. citizen — who needs the check for a Colombian visa or residency; it also applies to Colombians who spent time in the U.S. and are now applying for a visa to another country.

Key point: the check is issued only by the U.S. FBI. The Colombian consulate does not issue it or apostille it. Wherever you'll use it, the FBI result is authenticated by the U.S. Department of State, because it is a federal (not a state) document — as an apostille for Hague Convention countries (Colombia and Australia included) or through legalization for countries outside the Convention.

What it is and what it's for

The IdHSC is the result of a nationwide search of FBI records based on your fingerprints. It shows whether or not federal-level criminal records exist. It is sometimes informally called an "FBI record," "rap sheet," or "police clearance." It is different from a state or city background check: it covers the entire country.

Who needs an FBI background check?

Foreign residents in Colombia — frequently U.S. citizens — applying for or renewing a Colombian migrant or resident visa or the cédula de extranjería (foreigner ID card).
Colombians who lived in the United States and are now applying for a visa to another country (Australia, Canada, the U.K., Spain…), which requires a U.S. police certificate from anyone who has lived in the U.S.
Residency, family reunification or marriage processes that require proof of U.S. background.
Certain work or academic procedures that require U.S. background verification.

How to get the FBI background check

Request the IdHSC directly on the FBI portal or through an FBI-approved Channeler, which usually delivers results faster.
Get your fingerprints taken on an FD-258 card or by electronic live scan. This is the hardest step for anyone already in Colombia, because there are no FBI fingerprinting stations there.
Receive the result from the FBI, normally as a PDF or printed copy.
Apostille the result at the U.S. Department of State (Office of Authentications).
Translate the document into Spanish if the Colombian authority requires it.

If you are already in Colombia. The most common obstacle is the fingerprinting: the FBI needs prints on an FD-258 card or by live scan, and there are no official FBI stations in Colombia. That is why many people use specialized fingerprinting and processing services inside Colombia —such as OnCall Colombia, which offers mobile FBI fingerprinting that comes to you— instead of traveling back to the United States just for this step.

Apostille, legalization and use abroad

Once you have the FBI result, it normally must be authenticated before an immigration authority will accept it. Because it is a federal U.S. document, this is always done by the U.S. Department of State (not the California Secretary of State or a consulate). If the country where you'll use it belongs to the Hague Convention — Colombia and Australia included — it receives an apostille; for countries outside the Convention it goes through legalization, which may add a step at that country's consulate. If you also need to apostille Colombian documents in the same process, see our apostille guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is an FBI background check?

It is the FBI Identity History Summary Check (IdHSC): a U.S. federal document that shows whether a person has a criminal record on file at the national level, based on fingerprints.

Which Colombian procedures require it?

It is commonly required for Colombian visas (migrant or resident), for the cédula de extranjería, and for some residency or marriage procedures when the person has lived in the United States.

I'm a Colombian applying for a visa to another country — do I need an FBI check?

If you have lived in the United States, almost certainly yes. Countries such as Australia, Canada, the U.K. and Spain require a U.S. police certificate — the FBI Identity History Summary — from visa applicants who have spent time in the U.S., regardless of their nationality.

How do I apostille the FBI check for use in Colombia?

Because it is a U.S. federal document, it is apostilled by the U.S. Department of State (Office of Authentications), not by a state secretary of state or by the Colombian consulate. An official Spanish translation is often required afterward.

Does the Colombian consulate issue the FBI check?

No. The check is issued only by the U.S. FBI. The Colombian consulate does not issue, process, or apostille this American document.

Official source — FBI

Request the Identity History Summary Check only through the FBI:

fbi.gov — Identity History Summary Checks