Palau Digital Residency ID - To Request Your Pennsylvania Background Check? (Field Report #15)

By Parviz Malakouti-Fitzgerald, Esq.

The Pennsylvania Criminal History Background Check is a state government generated background check

This article is part of our series exploring what exactly the Palau digital residency ID can be used for.

I made my fifteenth attempt to use the Palau digital residency ID (“the ID”) on the week of January 15th, 2024. 

I tried to use the Palau ID to request my Pennsylvania Criminal History Background Check. 

Result: successful. 

Explanation: I requested my own Pennsylvania criminal history background check (SP 4-170). Part of the process requires you to submit a copy of  GOVERNMENT ISSUED PHOTO ID FOR SUBJECT” along with the mail-in request. 

Screenshot from SP 4-170

I mailed in the background check application package (along with the $20 required payment) to the Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository.

Approximately two weeks later, I received my Pennsylvania background check - a single page document. This attempted use of the Palau ID was a success. 

I’ll continue trying to use the ID, and report the results here on Malakouti Law.