How to Get No Criminal Record Certificate in the USA?

U.S. citizens often require a “certificate of good conduct” stating they do not have a criminal record. You might be thinking about how to get no criminal record certificate in the USA. In this blog, we will guide you on how to obtain a No Criminal Record certificate 
 

Under several circumstances, you may require obtaining proof from State or Federal authorities validating you do not have a criminal record. This includes but is not limited to: 

• You are seeking employment in the USA or another country, 
• Applying for a long-term visa or immigration purposes, 
• Seeking residence status in the US. 
   

Here is a quick rundown of how you can get a certificate of good conduct in the USA.

Go for a Local Police Check 
Visit your nearest police department and submit a request to them to conduct a local or state background check search. Make sure they provide a document that validates you have no history of any type of crime or detention. Note that this alone may not suffice if you require a no record certificate when applying for immigration to other countries.

Get an FBI Records Check 
The Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) oversees the FBI Criminal Record Check. The FBI check is generally required by immigration authorities and holds more value since it is conducted at the federal level. So, if you are pondering over how to get no criminal record certificate in the USA, there are two ways you can submit your request with the Federal Bureau of Investigation:

• Via Mail: You can complete an online application with the FBI requesting the Identity History Summary Check. Along with this, you need to submit rolled-inked fingerprints taken on the FBI-approved fingerprint cards such as the FD-258 or FD-1164, which you can obtain from your local police department or a fingerprinting agency. These documents must be mailed to the FBI in order to obtain the criminal record check report. The processing time could take a few weeks depending on the selections made during the application.
• Via an FBI-approved location: Not sure of submitting a request on your own? There is a more hassle-free way of obtaining a No Criminal Record Certificate! If you are located in the USA, simply visit an authorized location to complete the fingerprints and electronic submission to the FBI. The process is generally faster and you can expect to receive the results in a few business days from the FBI.

Authentication of Local Police or FBI Background Check Certificates 
If required, these background check certificates may require an apostille in the USA in order for them to be considered valid and authentic overseas. It is best to check the requirements in advance as the apostille process can be time-consuming based on the authority issuing the apostille.