Police Clearance Certificate for Immigration: How to Get One (FBI Check and UK Rules)
In this guide
Quick answer: A police clearance certificate for immigration is an official record check from the country (or countries) where you have lived, which a visa authority may ask for. There is no single worldwide process: it varies by country, and you generally apply in the country concerned or via its embassy. For people in the US, the FBI Identity History Summary is the federal record, costs $18 by mail, and can be requested online, by mail or through an FBI-approved channeler.
The document name changes from country to country: police certificate, criminal record certificate, good conduct certificate. The need behind it is the same. Before you pay for translations or book flights, find out exactly which certificate your destination wants, from which countries, and how recent it must be. Here is what the official pages we could verify actually say.
Who asks for a police clearance certificate?
It depends on the visa. GOV.UK guidance on criminal record checks for overseas applicants says the process “varies from country to country”, and that you apply in that country or to its embassy in the UK. The guidance we reviewed says that Tier 2 (General) applicants, a route since replaced by the Skilled Worker route, who wanted to work in specified health, education or social care sectors had to provide a certificate from any country other than the UK where they lived for 12 months or more, in total or continuously, in the last 10 years while aged 18 or over. Adult partners were included, and a missing certificate without a satisfactory explanation meant refusal. It did not apply to extensions of stay.
Because visa rules change, check the current instructions for your route, such as our UK Skilled Worker visa guide, and the official page for your own visa.
How does the FBI Identity History Summary work?
The FBI describes an Identity History Summary, often called a criminal history or rap sheet, as a list of certain information from fingerprint submissions it holds. For arrests it can include the submitting agency, arrest date, charge and disposition if known. You can use it to review, correct or update your own record.
The FBI page does not say anything about immigration or visa use. Whether a foreign embassy accepts it is up to that embassy, so confirm with the destination country.
How do you request it?
- Online (the fastest option) through the FBI’s electronic system.
- By mail with a signed applicant information form, a current FD-1164 fingerprint card and payment, sent to the FBI CJIS Division in Clarksburg, WV.
- Through an FBI-approved channeler, a private business that contracts with the FBI. Channelers only process requests for US citizens or lawful permanent residents located in the US or its territories.
What does it cost, and how long does it take?
| Route | Cost (FBI) | Time (FBI) |
|---|---|---|
| By mail | $18 per person; no extra payment for faster service | Up to 15 days, plus mail delivery time |
| Online | Possible extra fees if a Post Office does the fingerprinting | Within 48 hours of visiting a Post Office for electronic fingerprints, or about 10 days after the FBI receives a mailed fingerprint card |
| Channeler | Channelers may charge additional fees | Not stated |
Mail payments accept credit card, money order or certified check. Cash and personal or business checks are not accepted. A fee waiver is available with proof of indigence. Each person in a couple or family must complete and sign their own form.
The FBI also says the summary is not to be used for employment or licensing: those checks go through the State Identification Bureau.
A practical plan to avoid delays
- Read the exact instructions for your visa. Note which countries and which years they cover.
- List every country you have lived in for the required period.
- Find each country’s process on its official police or embassy site.
- Check whether translation or an apostille is needed.
- Apply early, because some countries take weeks.
- Keep digital and paper copies. See our documents checklist.
Common mistakes
- Ordering the wrong kind of record. The FBI summary is a federal record, which may not be what your destination asks for.
- Using unofficial “fast” agents. Read how to avoid visa and job offer scams first.
- Leaving it until the end, when the certificate can be the slowest document.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a certificate from every country I have lived in?
It depends on the visa. In the older UK guidance we reviewed it was any country other than the UK where you had lived 12 months or more in the last 10 years while aged 18 or over, for the specified sectors.
Can I use the FBI summary for any visa?
The FBI page does not say. Check with the destination country.
Is there a fee waiver?
The FBI page says a fee waiver is available with proof of indigence.
Key takeaways
- Process and name vary by country, so follow your visa’s instructions.
- The FBI summary costs $18 by mail and can take up to 15 days plus delivery.
- Start early and keep copies.
Related guides
- Moving abroad checklist
- Documents needed to move abroad
- UK Skilled Worker visa guide
- Avoid visa and job offer scams
This page is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Requirements change, so confirm with the official source for your visa. Last updated: October 2026.
Sources
- Federal Bureau of Investigation: Identity History Summary Checks
- GOV.UK: Criminal record checks for overseas applicants