FBI Background Check
How to obtain your FBI criminal record check for an Ecuador visa application.
Every Ecuador visa applicant over 18 must submit a criminal background check from their country of origin and any country where they resided in the last five years. For US applicants, the FBI background check is the national-level requirement.
How to Get It (Electronically — Faster)
The slowest way is to mail fingerprint cards to the FBI and wait for a paper result. The fastest way is to use a channeling company — an FBI-approved third party that handles submission and delivery electronically.
- Find an FBI-approved channeling company (many are available online, often used for teaching abroad, immigration, or employment background checks).
- Submit your fingerprints — most channelers offer electronic fingerprinting at a local UPS or partner location, or provide a fingerprint card you mail to them.
- Receive the results electronically within 24–72 hours, instead of weeks by mail.
Channeling companies can also expedite the apostille step — many offer a service where they submit the electronic result directly to the US Department of State for apostille, saving you the separate mailing step.
After You Receive It
The FBI background check must be:
- Apostilled at the federal level — FBI background checks must go through the US Department of State in Washington, D.C. for apostille. Unlike state-level background checks, the FBI check cannot use the state secretary of state workaround — it must be federal because the FBI is a federal agency.
- Certified translated into Spanish by a translator licensed by Ecuador's judiciary (e.g., EcuadorTranslations.com).
- Notarized translation — the translation itself must be notarized by an Ecuadorian notary.
Validity
The background check is valid for 180 days from the date of issuance. Plan your application timeline so the background check does not expire before submission.
If There Is a Record
If your FBI background check shows any record — even a dropped or dismissed charge — you will need a court disposition explaining the outcome. See the Court Dispositions guide for details.