Federal Bureau of Investigation

What Visitors Should Know

Learn how the Federal Bureau of Investigation works, what public-facing services, records, or data it provides, and where visitors can verify official source links.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigates federal crimes and national-security threats, supports law-enforcement partners, collects crime data, manages tips, publishes wanted information, and provides public safety resources. This profile explains the agency in practical terms: what it is responsible for, how people may encounter it, and which public-facing records or services matter most.

Visitors may use FBI sources to submit tips, find field offices, search wanted notices, review crime data, learn about scams or terrorism threats, and understand federal investigative responsibilities. Use FBI.gov, tips.fbi.gov, Crime Data Explorer, field-office pages, official press releases, and DOJ records to verify reporting routes, case information, warnings, and public data. When legal precision, benefits, applications, deadlines, or compliance rules matter, use those official sources before relying on a summary.

What Federal Bureau of Investigation Does

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigates federal crimes and national-security threats, supports law-enforcement partners, collects crime data, manages tips, publishes wanted information, and provides public safety resources. Visitors may use FBI sources to submit tips, find field offices, search wanted notices, review crime data, learn about scams or terrorism threats, and understand federal investigative responsibilities. Use official source links for current forms, deadlines, eligibility rules, data, legal notices, public records, and contact channels.

Public ServicesSubmit a tip through the official FBI reporting portal.

Public SafetyFind FBI field offices, wanted notices, scams, and public safety alerts.

Data and RecordsUse Crime Data Explorer and official statistics.

Data and RecordsReview press releases, records, and component information through official sources.

How It Fits In Government

Operating ComponentFederal Bureau of Investigation sits inside Department of Justice. Parent departments usually shape budgets, leadership, policy direction, and official source trails for their bureaus and operating components.

Public AccountabilityIts work may appear through official notices, regulations, reports, data systems, service portals, hearings, inspections, grants, enforcement actions, or public contact channels.

Where To VerifyUse the official agency website first for current forms, deadlines, leadership, program rules, contact information, and legal notices.

Public Service Guide

How visitors may use Federal Bureau of Investigation

This profile is designed to help visitors find practical government services, not just describe the agency in the abstract. Start with the official sources below, then use related public service links when a specific form, record, benefit, complaint, data tool, or office is needed.

Public Services Visitors May Need

Submit a tipOpen official source Crime Data ExplorerOpen official source FBI field officesOpen official source Wanted by the FBIOpen official source FBI.govOpen official source How We Can Help YouOpen official source Federal Register documentsOpen official source Regulations.gov searchOpen official source USAspending searchOpen official source FOIA.gov agency searchOpen official source

Budget, Records, and Public Accountability

Agency work can also show up in official records: rules, notices, spending data, public comments, reports, grants, enforcement actions, or Act, the federal law that lets the public request many agency records.">FOIA/public-record systems. Use these sources to move from a plain-English profile to the official record trail.

Federal Register documentsSearch official notices, rules, proposed rules, and presidential or agency documents.Regulations.gov docketsFind rulemaking dockets, supporting materials, and public comment opportunities.USAspending searchSearch federal awards, grants, contracts, loans, and spending records.FOIA.gov agency searchFind public-record request routes and FOIA contact information.

Learn More

Official records and updatesLook for current announcements, notices, rulemaking, public data, forms, and contact information directly from official sources.

Related servicesMany agency services connect to benefits, taxes, passports, safety, records, grants, complaints, inspections, research, or public information requests.

When to use this profileUse this page to understand what the agency does, then follow official links for applications, deadlines, eligibility rules, data, and legal text.