Fingerprinting & FBI records · Washington DC · Arlington VA

Your FBI background check, same business day.

The official FBI Identity History Summary, captured on live scan in our office and submitted electronically through an FBI-approved channeler. Most results come back within a few hours — not the weeks a mailed application takes.

Serving DC, Maryland & Virginia since 2016 · A+ BBB rating
identity-history-summary.pdf
Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Justice Information Services Division
Identity History Summary
SubmittedToday, 9:12 AM
ChannelApproved channeler · electronic
ReturnedToday, 1:47 PM
Search result
No arrest record on file
Same day
Delivered as a signed PDF by secure email. Hard copy printed at either office on request.

A real turnaround, not a promise: fingerprinted in the morning, report in hand after lunch.

15 min
In-office capture
Same day
Usual turnaround
All 50 states
And use abroad
2016
Serving DC since
What you receive

One federal document — and the consulate knows exactly which one.

Your FBI Identity History Summary is the official federal record of any arrests, federal employment, naturalization or military service tied to your fingerprints. If the FBI holds nothing on you, you receive an official “no record” response — which is exactly what a visa or residency file needs.

It arrives as a signed PDF by secure email, usually the same business day, and we will print a hard copy at either office if your consulate wants paper.

The same document, other names
FBI background check FBI clearance letter Police clearance certificate Federal criminal record check FBI rap sheet

A state-level background check is not a substitute — most foreign consulates reject them outright.

Who needs one

Four reasons people walk into our office.

Visa & residency

Nearly every country asks for a federal police clearance on long-stay visas, residency and citizenship files.

Teaching or working abroad

A standard requirement on teaching contracts and work permits across Asia, Europe and the Gulf.

Adoption & immigration

Required in international adoption dossiers and in a long list of immigration filings.

Your own record

Check what the federal file says before a licensing application, or confirm an expungement actually went through.

How it works

Three steps, one morning.

The reason this is hours instead of weeks is the middle step: an FBI-approved channeler submits electronically, where a mailed fingerprint card sits in a queue.

1
Book your appointment

15 minutes, no ink

Reserve a slot at either office and bring valid government photo ID. We capture your prints digitally on a live scan device — no ink, no smudged cards, no rejected submissions.

2
Electronic submission

Straight to CJIS

Your prints go to the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division through an FBI-approved channeler. This is the step that makes same-business-day turnaround possible.

3
Receive your report

PDF by lunchtime

Most reports return the same business day, often within a few hours. You get the official PDF by secure email, and a printed copy at either office if you want one.

Using it abroad? It needs a federal apostille next.

An FBI report presented in another country almost always needs an apostille from the U.S. Department of State. We handle both steps under one roof — get fingerprinted in the morning and have the apostille moving the same day. Our office sits minutes from the Department of State, and we hand-deliver every business day.

See FBI apostille service Not sure? Find your route Expedited federal apostille runs 9 business days.
Before you come in

Four things worth knowing first.

Two of these are federal law, not our policy. Better to read them now than at the counter.

You can only request your own record

Under U.S. Department of Justice Order 556-73 an Identity History Summary may only be requested by the person it belongs to. We cannot run this on an employee, a tenant or a relative.

U.S. citizens and green card holders only

If you are neither, the request has to go directly to the FBI. Call us anyway — we will walk you through that route at no charge.

Bring valid photo ID

Driver's license, state ID, passport or permanent resident card. Expired documents cannot be accepted, and there is no way around it.

A small number take longer

If the FBI flags a submission for manual review — most often where there is prior arrest history — it runs past same day. We tell you the moment we know and keep you posted.

Where to come

Two offices, by appointment.

Fingerprinting is by appointment at both locations so a technician and a live scan device are held for you — and so your submission goes out immediately after capture.

Washington, DC

2001 L Street NW

Suite 545
Washington, DC 20036

Minutes from the U.S. Department of State

Arlington, VA

5315 Langston Boulevard

Suite B
Arlington, VA 22207

Free parking on site

Need FD-258 cards, ATF or FDLE prints instead? That is a different capture — see live scan & fingerprinting services.

Common questions

Answered before you call.

How is this faster than applying to the FBI directly?

Applying through the FBI's own portal usually takes several business days, and mailing paper fingerprint cards takes considerably longer. Submitting through an FBI-approved channeler returns the result electronically, normally within hours.

Is this the document my consulate asked for?

If they asked for an FBI background check, FBI clearance or federal police certificate — yes. If they specifically asked for a state police clearance, that is a different document. Call us and we will confirm which one you need before you pay for anything.

How long is the report valid?

The FBI sets no expiry date, but most consulates and agencies accept a report issued within the last three to six months. Check the requirement before you apply, because a stale report is the most common reason a file gets bounced.

Can you screen a job applicant or a tenant for me?

Not through this service. An Identity History Summary can only be requested by the person it belongs to. Employment and tenant screening runs under a separate legal framework — call us and we will point you in the right direction.

Do I need an appointment?

Yes. Fingerprinting is by appointment at both offices so that a technician and a live scan device are reserved for you. Booking ahead is also what lets your submission go out immediately after capture, which is what makes same-business-day delivery possible.

Get your FBI report today

Fingerprinted this morning. Report this afternoon.

Not sure whether you need an FBI check, an apostille, or both? Send us the requirement and a real person reads it within 24 hours — free, no account, no card.