Have you been to or lived in the United States and had some encounter with police officers, Border Patrol or ICE officers? Are you unsure if the government has a record of this encounter? Below are the steps you can take to obtain a copy of your arrest history from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). If you don’t have a record you will receive a document stating that one does not exist.
Complete the Application Form
Fill out the form as completely as possible.
If you are concerned about the government having your address, use the address of a trusted family member or friend. It is recommended that you use a U.S. address. The FBI likely will not send the record if you list a foreign address.
Get Your Fingerprints Taken
Your original fingerprints should be taken on this card in black ink. Photocopies of fingerprints are not acceptable. In the U.S., you can often find a local fingerprinting service by Googling “immigration fingerprints [name of city].” In Mexico, you may try offices of your local government to see if they can provide this service.
Make sure to completely fill out the fingerprint card, but it is especially important that your name and birthdate are clear.
Make a Payment of $18. You can make a payment via credit card by completing this form or by submitting a money order for $18 USD payable to the Treasury of the United States. Make sure to sign and fill out any information required by the money order.
Mail all the required documents to:
FBI CJIS Division- Summary Request
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, WV 26306
Once you have mailed out your request you will receive via mail either a detailed report of the record that the FBI found when they ran your fingerprints or a letter notifying you that they did not find a record for you. Please keep in mind that, as of December 2017, the processing time to receive an FBI record is between 14-16 weeks plus time for mail delivery.
Questions? Full instructions on requesting your FBI record can be found here.