Fingerprints and criminal records

@priscilawolff

You can call the FBI   They have a number specifically for this service  You pay a small fee for the background investigation and they send you the report online ;  however, you need to get your fingerprints done and submItted to them before they  will send the investigation  Make sure you get the website info from them for the State Department as the report must be apostilled by them before it will  be accepted by the Policia Federal. It took me about weeks though the State Department will tell you it can take up to 12 weeks . Ask the FBI about finger prints as this is step one after you pay the fee. The US Post Offices generally do this, again for a fee. If not most police offices can do it but it takes longer. Not sure if they would accept Braziliian police doing it for you . Ask them. I found them surprisingly helpful and very responsive. Hope this helps. Find the phone number online. Use voip if you have it.

@priscilawolff I don't know about the American system.  However, I was able to do it through an approved agency licensed by the RCMP. I had my finger prints done by the federal police here in brazil.

Your consulate should be able to provide you with the information and forms needed.

Thank you so my understanding is i can get my fingerprints done by the federal police here in brazil then they send them off?

03/04/24 @priscilawolff.  Congratulations on your marriage.  The contact number for the FBI appears at the bottom of this page:

https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you … ary-checks

Expats in different cities have had different luck with local police being willing to fingerprint them, but it's worth a try.  As @ezpzliving23 states, you will need an apostille from the US Department of State on the completed Background Check before the Brazilian Polícia Federal (PF) will accept it.  The document and the apostille will also have to be translated into Portuguese by a Sworn Translator in Brazil.

Do you have the other documents that you'll need to apply for residency?  That list appears here:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1058676

You may find that a quick trip back to the US is necessary to gather all of you documents.  If it seems that you won't be able to make your application and have it accepted by the PF before your visitor visa expires, you should consider consulting an attorney for help.  If you go into overstay status while you're waiting for documents, this can seriously complicate the process for you.

@priscilawolff

No when I did my finger prints in sao paulo at the police station they did them and the officer signatures and stamped them and all that and then they hand them back to you.

You will have to send them off.

To send things off in brazil, ups, FedEx and so on. You will need your CPF. At the time I didn't have one, but you can use your spouses information.

@Canforbra oh ok . thank you for answering . may i ask u if u went to some specific police station like the federal police or anyone can do it? im completely lost .

@abthree thank you very much for your help . really appreciated

@priscilawolff

I went to the federal police at Lapa in

Sao Paulo.

They handle, visa and immigration issues.

@Canforbra thank you very very much .

Jumping on this, we have to have our print taken for our Portuguese residency biometric cards do these count for the criminal record and is fingerprinting a Brazilan requirement or the country you are getting the criminal record from?

@ltoby955

You still need a criminal record check done by your home country.

Make sure the criminal records check has your picture and prints on it as well

   03/08/24 @ltoby955
You still need a criminal record check done by your home country.
Make sure the criminal records check has your picture and prints on it as well
   

    -@Canforbra

US FBI Criminal Background Checks don't contain either photos or fingerprints.  The fingerprints must be submitted to the FBI in order to obtain one.

@abthree

Yes in the canadian system you supply your finger prints and a photo.

The paper work from the RCMP comes back with the information about the check, your picture and prints are on the paper with the results of the check.

What I was meaning is, in canada they have a number of different backgrounds checks. Make sure you get the indepth one the required finger prints and a picture.

@abthree can i just clarify that it;s your country of residence unless under 5 years for a criminal record of less than five years it has to be your last two places of residence. e i have lived in portugal for 8 yeaes so it;s just from portugal?

@ltoby955

The background check will only be accepted in brazil, if it was performed within 3 months of being issued.

I think you will need one done from portugal and possibly from your home country as well. However, I am not to sure on that part myself.

@priscilawolff

The FBI is a domestic USA agency and the fingerprinting serivdce has to be done on American soil. I and several other expats have flown to the USA (Miami, R.I.) for this service. I use A/B in connection with the FBI. The actual fingerprinting was done at a UPS Store Kiosk. The results were then sent to USA Apostille, Inc.1101 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 300Washington, DC 200041-202-894-6554 where it will be returned in 4-6 weeks.

It is less common for someone to find a way around the regulations and have it done in Brazil.

Roddie in Retirement

Thank u . im really lost as my husband overstayed and already paid the fine but didnt leave