FBI Background Check in Lisbon: Fingerprints, Apostille and What Portugal May Ask For
Moving to Lisbon often brings a request for a criminal record from home. For Americans, that means an FBI Identity History Summary. Here is how the process works from Lisbon, where fingerprinting fits in, and the apostille, legalisation, and translation steps Portuguese authorities may ask for.
Lisbon is home to a large international community, and many newcomers discover the same thing: a residence, nationality, employment, or professional application asks for a criminal record from their home country. For Americans, that usually means an FBI Identity History Summary, often called an FBI background check.
This guide explains how the process works from Lisbon, where fingerprinting fits in, and which follow-up steps Portuguese authorities may ask for.
The Short Answer
- The FBI check starts with fingerprints. Prints are taken on a current fingerprint card, then submitted to the FBI
- Mobile fingerprinting is available at your doorstep in Lisbon. A professional comes to your home, workplace, or another agreed location. Fingerprinting starts from €79, with a travel charge added for mobile visits
- The paperwork does not end at the FBI. Depending on the receiving authority, you may also need an apostille and a certified translation
Step 1: Decide Which Check You Actually Need
Before anything is booked, confirm three things with the authority asking for the record:
- Which country's record they want. An American applicant typically needs the FBI Identity History Summary. A Canadian applicant needs an RCMP check. A UK applicant may need an ACRO Police Certificate
- Whether it must be apostilled or legalised. Some requests accept a plain copy, others do not
- Whether it must be translated. Documents in English are commonly submitted with a certified Portuguese translation, depending on the institution and purpose
Asking these questions first prevents the most common problem we see: a document that is correct in itself, but not in the form the receiving office wanted.
Step 2: Get Your Fingerprints Taken in Lisbon
You have several realistic routes:
| Option | Where | Best for | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile fingerprinting | At your doorstep: your home, workplace, or another agreed location in Lisbon | Busy schedules, families applying together, anyone who prefers not to travel | Confirm the card and submission route your application needs before the appointment |
| Cooperative at the U.S. Embassy in Lisbon | Fixed location | U.S. FBI submissions where an embassy visit suits you | Booked through the cooperative's own website; confirm current availability, fees, and booking details directly |
| Local police | Local station | Occasional cases where a station agrees to help | Policies on foreign fingerprint requests are not standardised; call ahead |
| Other private providers | Varies | Applicants comparing providers | Confirm experience with the specific card your system requires |
| Self-taken prints | At home | Applicants comfortable following the FBI's guidance | Poor-quality impressions can lead to rejection |
What the U.S. Embassy says
The U.S. Embassy's own criminal background check guidance for Portugal describes the COOP of Lisbon, a cooperative association located at the embassy, as the service that collects fingerprints on the FBI FD-258 form, with appointments booked through the cooperative's own website. The same guidance notes that Portuguese authorities may require legalisation and translation of the FBI record. Embassy pages are not always current, so confirm details directly before planning around them.
Why many Lisbon applicants choose mobile fingerprinting
- No travel across the city for a short appointment
- Couples and families can be done in one visit at one address
- Flexible timing around work and school runs
- A professional takes the prints, which reduces the risk of a rejected set
Which Card: FD-1164 or FD-258?
Sources name different cards, which confuses many applicants. The FBI's own Identity History Summary Checks FAQ confirms it accepts the FD-1164, while the embassy guidance and many providers refer to the FD-258. What matters is a current card with clear, complete impressions, so confirm which one your chosen submission route expects. Our FD-258 guide explains the difference.
Step 3: Submit to the FBI
Once the prints are taken, the card is submitted to the FBI together with your request, by mail or through an available electronic route.
Step 4: Authentication, Apostille and Translation
This is the stage people most often underestimate.
- FBI authentication. According to the FBI, it authenticates fingerprint search results with an FBI watermark and a division official's signature at the time of submission
- Apostille. If the document is needed officially abroad, the requestor may send the FBI-authenticated document to the U.S. Department of State to obtain an apostille, where required
- Legalisation and translation in Portugal. Portuguese authorities may require legalisation and a certified translation, depending on the purpose and institution
Order of operations matters. An apostille is attached to the document in its final form, so confirm the receiving authority's requirements before paying for extra steps. Our guide to apostille vs attestation vs legalisation explains the differences, and our FBI apostille timeline and cost guide walks through the full sequence.
Not an American? The Process Differs
- RCMP (Canada). Submissions commonly use the C-216/C-216C fingerprint form. For applicants outside Canada, paper fingerprints must be submitted through an RCMP-accredited fingerprint company in Canada, and applicants should not mail fingerprints or applications directly to CCRTIS. Our RCMP guide includes a side-by-side FBI vs RCMP comparison
- ACRO (United Kingdom). A standard ACRO Police Certificate does not require fingerprints. See our ACRO Police Certificate guide
- Just outside the city? See our guide to mobile fingerprinting in Cascais
Common Mistakes to Avoid
What Does It Cost? Fingerprinting From €79
Getting an FBI background check done in Lisbon doesn't have to be expensive. Fingerprinting with Printwise Global starts from €79, with a professional, high-quality service, transparent pricing, and a smooth process from first message to completed card. You get a clear quote before you commit, with our service fee shown separately from government and third-party costs, so you know exactly what you are paying for.
| Cost | What to know |
|---|---|
| Fingerprinting | From €79. A mobile visit to your home or workplace adds a travel charge, and the total can vary with the number of people at the same address. Couples and families at one address often find one visit the most economical way to do it |
| Government fees | The FBI and the U.S. Department of State set their own fees for the Identity History Summary and the apostille. These are outside our control and can change, so check the official sites for current amounts |
| Delivery and translation | Courier costs and any certified Portuguese translation are separate |
Ways to keep the cost down: confirm the card and route before booking so nothing is repeated, check whether the receiving authority really requires an apostille and translation before ordering them, and allow enough time so you don't need to pay for rushed delivery. Current prices are shown on our Lisbon fingerprinting page.
How Printwise Global Helps
Printwise Global helps people in Lisbon work out which check applies, brings professional mobile fingerprinting to your doorstep, and guides you through submission, apostille, and translation steps where they apply.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Printwise Global's mobile fingerprinting service comes to your doorstep in Lisbon, at your home, workplace, or another agreed location.
Fingerprinting with Printwise Global starts from €79, and a mobile visit to your home or workplace adds a travel charge. The final cost depends on your location and the number of people, and we provide a clear quote that separates our fee from government and third-party costs.
The embassy's own guidance describes the COOP of Lisbon, a cooperative located at the embassy, as collecting fingerprints on the FBI FD-258 form, with appointments booked through the cooperative's website. Confirm current availability, fees, and booking details directly.
It depends on the receiving authority and purpose. If the record must be used officially in Portugal, you may need authentication and/or an apostille from the U.S. Department of State, and Portuguese authorities may also require legalisation or translation. Confirm before ordering extra steps.
The FBI authenticates the results. The U.S. Department of State issues the apostille where one is required.
Portuguese authorities may ask for a certified translation, depending on the institution and purpose. Check with the office requesting the document.
No. A standard ACRO Police Certificate does not require fingerprints.
A rejected set generally means fresh prints must be taken. The FBI recommends using a fingerprinting technician if prints are repeatedly rejected, so confirm the card and format before your appointment.
The Printwise Team
Identity Verification Specialists
Printwise Global is an international identity-verification company providing certified fingerprinting, FBI and RCMP background checks, apostille, and certified translation. Our specialists manage cross-border document requirements end to end for clients across the USA, Canada, the UK, India, and beyond.
