Criminal Records for U.S. Citizens Abroad
U.S. citizens abroad may be asked to present a “background check” or “certificate of a criminal record” (Certificado de Antecedentes Penales) for a variety of reasons for use locally including residence, visas, adoption, employment, etc. U.S. law enforcement authorities may not be familiar with such a procedure since it is not commonly requested in the United States.
There are a variety of options available to U.S. citizens seeking to obtain proof of their lack of a criminal record. You should check with the requesting entity to determine what type of record they are seeking. For example, if a state criminal record check is requested, you can contact the state’s law enforcement agency. If the entity requests a national criminal record check, you will need to contact the FBI.
For additional information regarding criminal record checks, please refer to the State Department website.