Rhode Island Background Check from Abroad
State criminal history check
Rhode Island Background Check from Abroad
Yes. Notarise the form, enclose photo identification, the fee and a return envelope.
- Fee
- $5.00
- Processing
- About seven business days
- From abroad
- Possible
What to send, and where
| Agency | Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General, Bureau of Criminal Identification |
|---|---|
| Form | Background Check Request Form |
| Fee | $5.00 |
| Payment | Cheque or money order payable to BCI. Cards and cash are not accepted by post. |
| Processing | About seven business days |
| Post to | Office of the Attorney General, Attn: BCI Department, 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903 |
Specific to Rhode Island
- At $5.00 this is the cheapest state check in the United States, and one of the quickest.
- The form must be notarised and accompanied by a copy of government photo identification.
Getting fingerprinted where you are
Local police, a private fingerprinting service, a U.S. post if it still offers it, or ink at home. Take more than one card. Use the FD-258 unless Rhode Island specifies its own form above, in which case order that form first and allow for it reaching you overseas.
After it arrives
A Rhode Island criminal history check is a state document, so it is authenticated by Rhode Island, not by the U.S. Department of State. Most states require the response to be notarised or certified before the authenticating authority will touch it, and several sell a notarised version for exactly this purpose. Buy it at the time rather than discovering later that you have to start again.
We handle the apostille
Once your Rhode Island check exists we can authenticate it, legalise it for a non-Convention country, and have it translated. Tell us the destination and the deadline.
Questions people actually ask
Can I request my Rhode Island record from outside the United States?
Yes. Notarise the form, enclose photo identification, the fee and a return envelope.
What does it cost?
$5.00 Cheque or money order payable to BCI. Cards and cash are not accepted by post.
How long does it take?
About seven business days. Add international postage in both directions on top of that.
Do I need the Rhode Island check as well as the FBI one?
Only if the authority asking has said so. The FBI record already includes arrests that Rhode Island reported federally. Ask before paying for both.
Will it need an apostille?
If it is going to a foreign authority, yes. A Rhode Island check is a state document, so it is authenticated by Rhode Island rather than by the U.S. Department of State, and it usually has to be notarised or certified first.
This guide is published by a private document processing service. It is not legal advice and we are not a government agency. Requirements change without notice, so confirm anything critical with the mission before you post documents.
