FBI-Approved Channeler
Also called channeler · approved channeler · FBI channeler · expedited · expedited FBI background check · fast FBI background check
Definition
A private company approved by the FBI to submit an individual's fingerprints and request on their behalf and to receive the resulting Identity History Summary for delivery to them.
Context
A Channeler is an intermediary, not an alternative issuer — the FBI still performs the search and produces the document. Channeler access is restricted to United States citizens and lawful permanent residents, and at least one national immigration authority does not accept Channeler-delivered summaries.
Government sources
Where this term comes from.
- List of FBI-Approved Channelers
Federal Bureau of Investigation · reviewed 2026-08-01
fbi.gov rejects automated retrieval; reviewed manually in a browser.
- Police certificates — United States
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · reviewed 2026-07-31
Related terms
- Identity History Summary CheckThe process by which an individual requests a copy of their own Identity History Summary from the FBI.
- Lawful permanent residentA non-citizen authorized to live permanently in the United States.
- Direct submissionRequesting an Identity History Summary from the FBI without an intermediary, either electronically or by mail.
Where this term is used
- FBI-Approved Channelers, ExplainedA Channeler is a private company the FBI has approved to submit noncriminal-justice fingerprint requests and return results. This article sets out what a Channeler does, who may use one, and the documented cases where a Channeler-delivered summary is not accepted.
- How to Request Your Identity History SummaryThree channels exist: direct electronic submission to the FBI, direct submission by mail, and submission through an FBI-approved Channeler. They differ in eligibility, cost, delivery, and — critically — in whether particular foreign authorities will accept the result.