• To make sure your FBI record is complete, accurate, and up-to-date
• To review or to request a correction or update
• To challenge information on your record
• To satisfy certain legal requirements, such as a requirement for adopting a child
• To satisfy a requirement to live, work, study or teach abroad
• To satisfy a requirement to travel, now required by several countries
• Other court related matters

A rap sheet (Identity History Summary report) is a criminal record on file with the FBI, based on fingerprint submissions received and retained by the FBI. An FBI rap sheet may also contain disposition data which is not fingerprint-based, if reported to the FBI and the FBI maintains the associated arrest record(s) supported by fingerprints.

The rap sheet one receives from the FBI may include information reported to the FBI from any source including local, state and federal agencies who submit fingerprint-based transactions to the FBI for retention.

The rap sheet is only a snapshot in time, containing retained information at the time of a “Departmental Order” fingerprint-based inquiry. A rap sheet will include reported arrests, dispositions and correctional transactions supported by fingerprints. The FBI rap sheet may also contain “wanted” or “warrant” information reported from other law enforcement entities, when reported.

• Someone with the same name as a job seeker has committed a crime.
• A minor or old criminal matter that the job seeker thought was judicially set aside or was too old to matter still pops up.
• A past employer or school does not have the job seeker's record under the proper name so that a background check may be inaccurate.
• A school may have a job seeker under a different name, or may not have given the job seeker the degree due to not paying a final bill and the school did not officially give the degree.
• A driving record check may reveal an old ticker that the job seeker thought was taken care of but went to a warrant for failure to appear.
• A job seeker was the victim of identity theft.

For more, check out this article by Lester Rosen

As designated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Channelers can process Departmental Orders for US Citizens and Non-US Citizens who have permanent resident status. Non-US Citizens without permanent residence status must make the Departmental Order request directly to the FBI.

Inquiries for Departmental Orders must be made by the individual applicant and the FBI response must be sent to the applicant or the applicant’s attorney. If the FBI Rap Sheet is sent to an attorney, a release statement must be signed by both the applicant and attorney on the attorney's letterhead. An example of the format and information required is available for download by clicking here.

The FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division maintains the criminal history records related Identity History Summary (IdHS) information for the country and does not have the authority to modify any IdHS information unless they receive an updated record from the agency that “owns” the information.

Most states require that requests to change your IdHS record information be made through their respective State Identification Bureau (SIB). You may contact the respective SIB for assistance, and if applicable, request that they provide the FBI with updates to your Identity History Summary.

To find contact information for your State Identification Bureau, follow this link: https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks/state-identification-bureau-listing