Fingerprinting in Colombia: What You Need to Know

If an authority has asked for your fingerprints in Colombia, you will soon realize you can’t just walk into a local shop in Medellín or Bogotá and get it done. You need the right materials and someone who actually knows how to roll a finger to get the perfect prints without smudges and smears.

There are several ways to obtain fingerprints, but not every provider or method will suffice for every purpose. This blog is for those who want to learn about their options for fingerprinting in Colombia and follow a smooth process for their application.

One reason fingerprinting requests increased in Colombia was that the country updated its visa rules in 2022. As per the new rules, the Colombian government requires a criminal background check for many visas, including the Digital Nomad, Retiree, and Marriage visas. For US and Canadian applicants, that usually means an FBI Identity History Summary or an RCMP criminal record check.

Because federal databases run on a biometric system, these agencies can only verify your identity and pull your record using a physical set of fingerprints rolled onto a specific card. This means you cannot get the background check without the fingerprints. It also means a name-based check won't work.

Names can be shared, misspelled, or changed. Fingerprints can't. They connect you to your record, which is why immigration authorities, employers, and visa officers across multiple countries trust them over any other form of identification. For anyone applying from Colombia, getting fingerprints is the starting point of the entire background check process, and if it's not captured correctly, nothing else moves forward.

No. Taking your own fingerprints is not forbidden by law, but it is not recommended for many reasons. Rolling a fingerprint looks easy, but it’s a highly technical skill, especially when it is a part of a national or international application. For example, to pass the FBI’s automated forensic scanners, the ink has to be perfectly even.

Trying to DIY your fingerprinting while sitting in Colombia is usually a way to a rejected application and a lot of unnecessary stress. It’s always best to find a professional fingerprinting provider who has experience in these procedures. 

1. Digital Live Scan 

Many Colombian government offices, notaries, and police stations use digital scanners. You place your fingers on a glass plate, and the system captures the image electronically.

Limitation for international use: Live Scan systems in Colombia are not connected to foreign databases. For most international applications, you still need ink prints on paper.

2. Ink Fingerprinting

This is the traditional method. Ink is applied to each finger, and the print is rolled onto a paper card. For international submissions, this is still the most widely accepted format.

The problem in Colombia: Many local providers are not used to the ink method. A provider who does this regularly for international applicants knows the difference.

3. Mobile Fingerprinting

A trained fingerprinting associate comes to your home, office, or hotel anywhere in Colombia. They bring the correct cards, the right ink, and the experience to capture prints that meet foreign standards. This can be the best way if your schedule does not allow a visit to a fixed location.

Globeia offers mobile fingerprinting in Colombia. Our trained associate travels to you and captures your prints on the correct card for your specific application. Identity is verified against your passport before the session begins.

Read: How to Prepare for Your Mobile Fingerprinting Appointment?

Your fingerprinting options depend on where you live. In larger Colombian cities, availability of services is significantly different than coastal or rural areas.

Fingerprinting in Bogotá

As the capital, Bogotá has the most options. Private fingerprinting agencies operate in the north of the city, particularly around Usaquén, Chapinero, and the Zona Rosa. Some notaries (notarías) in Bogotá also offer fingerprinting, but check before visiting if they can print onto foreign cards, not just Colombian government forms.

Fingerprinting in Medellín

Medellín has a growing number of fingerprinting providers. Most services are concentrated in El Poblado, Laureles, and Envigado neighborhoods with a strong foreign presence. Some private agencies in these areas are familiar with international fingerprinting cards, but availability can be limited during peak visa and immigration seasons.

Barranquilla, Cartagena, and the Caribbean Coast

On the coast, the availability of specialized fingerprinting drops significantly. Notaries and police stations handle domestic prints, but requests for international cards are rare. Mobile fingerprinting is often the only reliable way to get FBI, RCMP, or other foreign-compliant prints without flying to Bogotá.

Smaller Cities and Rural Areas

In smaller cities like Pereira, Bucaramanga, Manizales, Santa Marta, or Cúcuta, finding a provider who knows international standards is genuinely difficult. In rural areas, options are almost nonexistent. A mobile service that covers all of Colombia becomes the practical solution.

Globeia’s mobile service model covers Bogotá, Medellín, and smaller cities across Colombia. You can expect the same level of service whether you're in Chapinero or a town in the Coffee Region.

Once you know where to get fingerprinted, the next thing to check is what the receiving country wants. Each international authority has its own specific requirements and a different process.

For the United States (FBI Background Check)

The FBI requires rolled-ink prints on an FD-258 or FD-1164 card. Digital Live Scan is not accepted for applications submitted by mail from outside the United States.

Your fingerprints must be captured by a provider familiar with FBI recording standards. Once the card is complete, it is mailed to the FBI's CJIS Division in Clarksburg, West Virginia.

For Canada (RCMP Criminal Record Check)

Canada requires ink fingerprints on a C-216C card or equivalent. The RCMP's Canadian Criminal Real-Time Identification Services (CCRTIS) processes the submission.

Fingerprints are converted to digital format upon arrival in Canada. The quality of the original ink impression matters, as faint or smudged prints mostly lead to rejections.

For the United Kingdom (DBS or ACRO Check)

UK background checks have specific forms and channels depending on whether you are inside or outside the UK. For applicants in Colombia, ink prints are generally required. Some UK providers accept digital submissions through approved partners, but most still require a physical card.

For Australia (AFP Check)

The Australian Federal Police require fingerprints on their own form. The card is specific to the AFP, and the recording standards are strict. Confirm your provider has experience with the AFP form specifically before booking an appointment.

Private fingerprinting services in Colombia largely operate from fixed offices, that too in major city centers. This setup is only convenient as long as you're nearby and available during business hours. But if you're outside the main metro areas, or don’t have time to make a trip across the city, that becomes problematic.

Globeia takes a different approach. Instead of asking you to come to an office, a trained associate comes to you in Bogotá, Medellín, and other areas.

The method we use is called the traditional ink-and-roll technique. This is not out of choice. For most international background checks, this is the only accepted format. Globeia handles fingerprinting for a range of international applications, including:

• FBI Identity History Summary Check (United States)
• RCMP criminal record check (Canada)
• And other country-specific requests

Globeia can also coordinate the next steps through our established international network. We have offices in countries like the USA, Canada, and the UK. This means once your prints are captured in Colombia, we mail them to the right office whether in Canada or USA for submission to the relevant agency - the FBI or RCMP. 

If you work remotely for a US financial firm from Colombia, as a broker, analyst, or advisor, your employer may require more than a standard FBI check. FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) requires fingerprint-based background screening for registered professionals, and the prints must meet specific compliance standards.

Globeia provides professional rolled ink fingerprinting in Colombia using FINRA-compliant fingerprint cards. A trained associate captures your prints at your location in Colombia. The completed cards are handed to you or your firm's compliance team for submission through your sponsoring FINRA member firm's approved workflow.

Read: What is FINRA screening?

Not every fingerprinting request is for one person. Sometimes it's a family applying for visas together. Sometimes it's a company with remote employees who all need compliance checks for the same deadline.

Most local providers in Colombia are set up for individual appointments. Coordinating multiple people through a fixed office, especially if they live in different parts of the city or on different schedules, gets difficult.

Globeia handles group fingerprinting in a single visit. A trained associate comes to one location and takes fingerprints for everyone in sequence. Each person gets their own card, their own identity verification, and their own quality check before the session ends.

This works for:

• Families applying for visas or residency together.
• Couples who both need background checks.
• Corporate teams with compliance requirements.
• Small groups of remote workers based in the same city.

For corporate groups, we recommend reaching out in advance so we can coordinate the right cards and materials for everyone's specific applications.

When trying to get fingerprinted in Colombia for international applications, it’s easy to get it wrong. The small details make the difference between a smooth process and a rejected application.

If you're in Bogotá, Medellín, or a smaller town, the options aren't the same everywhere. What's available in Chapinero might not exist on the coast or in the Coffee Region. Knowing what your specific application requires before you walk into an appointment saves you time, money, and the frustration of starting over.

Book your mobile fingerprinting appointment in Colombia with Globeia and save your trip to a local office.