Does the I-485 require an FBI criminal background check?

When filing the I-485, you do not need to submit an FBI criminal background check report on your own. The verification happens automatically using your biometric data, not through a document you provide.

Here is how it works: USCIS schedules the applicant for a biometrics appointment, where fingerprints and a photograph are collected. Using that data, the government runs background checks, including queries against FBI databases. This is a standard procedure applied to nearly all applicants as part of the security review.

If anything comes up during that check, USCIS will request additional information and notify the applicant. In other words, your responsibility is to attend the biometrics appointment and keep the information in your application accurate and consistent, not to obtain an FBI report.

• The background check is automated through biometrics.
• You do not submit an FBI report on your own.
• If any issue arises, USCIS will request additional information.

If you have any particular circumstances in your history, it is worth following USCIS guidance and seeking specialized legal advice to handle the application with confidence.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.