How do you get an FBI background check to teach English abroad?

Channeler vs. direct FBI submission

An FBI-approved channeler collects your fingerprints electronically and submits them to the FBI on your behalf, usually returning a result in a matter of business days. Submitting directly to the FBI by mailed fingerprint card is typically slower and less predictable, sometimes taking several weeks.

For teach-abroad purposes, most people use a channeler specifically because of the speed, especially when a school has given a start date that doesn't leave months of runway.

Why the apostille step catches people out

The FBI identity history summary on its own often isn't accepted by foreign governments — it usually needs an apostille from the US Department of State to be recognised internationally. This is a separate step, done after you receive the FBI document, and it has its own processing queue that moves independently of the FBI's.

Missing this step is one of the most common reasons teach-abroad candidates get stuck at the visa stage with an otherwise-complete document set.

Timing it against your TEFL and job search

Because the FBI report often needs to be recent — commonly under six months old by the time you apply for the visa — it's worth sequencing this after you've committed to a country and rough timeline, not months in advance 'just in case'. Pair it with your accredited TEFL course, which has no expiry pressure, and your degree documents, which do need separate authentication for some countries.