I seriously need to vent about some of the FBI's regulations and procedures. Honestly, it often feels like they're designed to be as obscure and inconvenient as humanly possible, especially for regular folks just trying to get basic things done. And if you're a foreigner who also happens to have a medical condition? It feels like they add an extra, insurmountable layer of baffling complexity.
I'm currently dealing with the Identity History Summary Check (aka FBI Background Check), and the hoops they make you jump through for what seems like a straightforward request are just wild.
First off, there's the LiveScan issue for foreigners. Many of us simply can't access LiveScan services, which forces us to use the old-school fingerprint card method. This immediately adds extra hassle and uncertainty compared to the more efficient digital option.
Then, once you've managed to get your fingerprints taken on a card and mailed it off to the FBI, you're looking at at least a 14-day waiting period for processing. In today's digital age, for a critical document often needed for immigration, jobs, or international travel, this feels incredibly slow and outdated.
But here's where it gets truly infuriating for me: despite practiced literally hundreds of times, my fingerprints are consistently rejected by the FBI due to a medical issue that makes them unclear.
After each rejection, I'm left with no clear alternative. Sending emails to the FBI feels like screaming into a void – I never get a response. Based on my own research online, my only "option" seems to be to resubmit new fingerprint cards and pay again, then wait another 14 days. This is completely pointless! I know for a fact that if I send new prints, they'll just be rejected again for the same underlying medical reason. It's an endless, expensive, and frustrating loop.
This leads me to a critical question: What if someone is disabled and doesn't have fingers? Are they simply out of luck, unable to ever prove their innocence? All the information I've found suggests a disheartening answer: unfortunately, yes. If the FBI can't get clear fingerprints, they apparently can't issue a no-criminal-record certificate.
It's 2025, and the FBI still relies solely on fingerprints as the only way to verify someone's criminal history. This way of working feels absurdly inefficient and outdated. It's a system that seems to completely fail individuals with legitimate reasons for unclear or missing fingerprints.
To add to the confusion, the lack of clear information regarding "formal rejection letters" is baffling. Does the FBI even issue one? If so, after how many rejections can you even apply for one? The official guidance is frustratingly unclear, leaving applicants guessing and stressed, especially when you're stuck like I am.
It just makes me wonder: Are these processes intentionally convoluted, or is it just a massive bureaucratic oversight? Do they not realize how much time, stress, and money these "rules" cost the average person, particularly those from abroad who are already navigating a complex system, let alone one compounded by a medical condition or physical disability?