How to Get FINRA Fingerprinting Done in Bern, Switzerland

If you've been asked to complete FINRA fingerprinting and you're based in Bern, you probably have two questions: why does a US regulator need your fingerprints, and how are you supposed to get them taken in Switzerland?

Both are reasonable things to wonder about. FINRA fingerprinting is a US requirement that follows certain finance professionals wherever they happen to work, including those based far from America. That means people in Bern regularly have to deal with a very American process from thousands of miles away.

This blog answers both questions in plain terms. It covers what's behind the requirement and walks through the practical side of getting your FINRA fingerprinting in Bern done, so you know exactly what to do and what to expect.

The requirement of fingerprints doesn't actually originate with FINRA itself; it is a federal law. Under Section 17(f)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and SEC Rule 17f-2, the US government mandates that partners, directors, officers, and employees of registered broker-dealers must be fingerprinted.

After FINRA receives the fingerprints, they are securely forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The FBI compares them against its national criminal records database to check for:

• Felony convictions, particularly those within the last 10 years (statutory disqualification period under the Exchange Act.)
• Misdemeanor offences involving fraud, theft, financial crimes, counterfeiting, or breach of trust.
• Certain regulatory actions, court orders, or disciplinary injunctions.

The standard background checks that rely only on names, social security numbers, or dates of birth can be easily bypassed using a different name, a stolen identity, or false documents. Fingerprints provide biometric verification, linking an individual's background definitively to their unique physical identity. This makes the FINRA screening process much more accurate and helps financial regulators maintain the integrity of the industry.

FINRA vs FINMA: What's the Difference?  

If you are a financial professional working in Bern, you have likely encountered two acronyms that sound identical when spoken aloud: FINRA and FINMA.

They are completely separate regulatory entities operating on different sides of the Atlantic. Confusing the two is common, but when it comes to getting your fingerprints done, understanding the distinction is important.

For FINRA compliance, you can't take your own fingerprints. They have to be taken by an official who can certify that they verified your identity and rolled your prints properly. In Bern, you have two ways to do this: visit the Bern cantonal police station (Kantonspolizei Bern) or use a private fingerprinting service.

Option 1: Kantonspolizei Bern

You can get your prints taken at the local police station. To do this, you'll need to bring your own fingerprint cards, either the ones your company provides or cards you've sourced yourself locally. The officers will help roll your prints onto the cards for you.

This is the address listed on the official US Embassy in Switzerland website:

Kantonspolizei Bern

Kriminaltechnischer Dienst/Erkennungsdienstliche Behandlung

Genfergasse 22

3001 Bern

Keep in mind that you'll need to book a prior appointment, travel to the station, and make sure you have the right cards with you beforehand, since they won't supply FINRA-compliant cards.

Option 2: Third-Party Fingerprinting Service Providers (Recommended)

The easier option is to use a private provider like Globeia Bern. This is the recommended route for a few reasons:

• No need to source your own cards. They provide and keep a stock of FINRA-compliant fingerprint cards, so you don't have to track them down yourself.
• No need to travel anywhere. They offer mobile, doorstep fingerprinting, coming directly to you or your firm at a time that works for you.

This makes the whole process simpler and saves you the hassle of finding cards and getting to a station.

Read About Fingerprinting Services in Bern 

This is the step-by-step workflow of how FINRA fingerprinting works when you are based in Bern: 

Step 1: Form U4 Trigger

The clock starts when a hiring firm files a Form U4 or an initial registration document via FINRA’s Central Registration Depository (CRD) system. Once the Form U4 is submitted, the firm has exactly 30 calendar days to get your fingerprints to FINRA.

For professionals based in Bern, this timeline requires early planning. Unlike applicants in the United States who may have easier access to FINRA-compliant fingerprinting services, individuals in Switzerland must arrange ink fingerprint collection, complete the required fingerprint card accurately, and allow sufficient time for international courier delivery to the USA.

Step 2: Capturing the Fingerprints

Since you’re located outside the USA, you cannot use an electronic fingerprinting vendor. You must have your prints rolled physically using ink onto an official, FINRA-specific hardcopy card. These must be done by a trained official (like local police or an authorized provider) and physically mailed to FINRA.

Step 3: Submission to FINRA

Once the fingerprints are captured in Bern, you or your firm will courier the physical fingerprint cards to FINRA in Maryland for inspection and processing, from where they'll be sent to First Advantage Biometrics (earlier known as Sterling Identity) for further processing. Validated prints are then securely routed to the FBI's CJIS division. This is a specific protocol for international submissions and is different from how US-based cards are handled.

Step 4: Final Results

The FBI runs the prints against its national database. Once the check is complete, it sends the results back to FINRA, which automatically updates the CRD Gateway for your firm to view. Your employer can then see whether your fingerprints were successfully processed, rejected because the prints were unclear, found to be ineligible, or matched to a criminal record that requires further review.

Also Check FINRA Fingerprinting in Switzerland

To ensure your fingerprint cards and background check goes through smoothly on the first attempt, avoid these common mistakes:

• Mailing Cards Before the Form U4 is Filed: When FINRA receives your card and forwards it to First Advantage Biometrics, they charge a fee, which is automatically deducted from your firm’s Flex-Funding account. If your firm hasn't set up your profile or filed your Form U4 in their system yet, FINRA won’t be able to bill the firm and the card won’t be processed. It will either sit in a holding queue, get rejected, or get lost entirely.
• Missing or Incomplete Text Fields: The card must have your employer’s official FINRA Organization ID number written on it. If this is blank or incorrect, FINRA will have no idea which company to link the background check to, and it will be destroyed or rejected.
• Poor Print Quality: The number one reason FINRA submissions fail is illegible prints. This could be caused by multiple reasons, such as sliding or shifting your fingers on the paper, applying too much ink, or having skin that is too dry or too sweaty. Make sure whoever takes your prints is a trained professional and uses the rolling technique without letting your finger slip.
• Missing the 30-Day Deadline: Once your firm files the Form U4, the clock starts and your fingerprints have to reach FINRA within 30 calendar days. Applicants in Bern tend to forget that this window includes the time it takes to physically mail the card to Maryland, which can take up to a week or more on its own. People wait too long to get printed, assuming they have the full month, and then the card arrives late. Get your prints done in the first few days after the U4 is filed, not the last, so the mailing time doesn't push you past the deadline.
• Sending Double Submissions At Once: Sometimes when applicants are nervous about a print being blurry, they roll two separate cards and mail both in the same envelope hoping the FBI will just pick the best one. FINRA’s processing system explicitly states that duplicate fingerprints sent simultaneously will not be processed.

A large number of fingerprint cards get rejected by FINRA before they ever reach the FBI, usually for the small reasons listed above. This is why it helps to rely on Globeia Bern, an experienced fingerprinting service, that knows exactly what FINRA looks for, so your card clears on the first attempt and your registration isn't delayed.

Mobile Services Across Bern and Beyond

Globeia provides doorstep fingerprinting across all areas of Bern, including Köniz, Ostermundigen, Muri, and Bümpliz. We also travel to surrounding regions outside the city, so you don't have to look for a printing location or arrange travel yourself. Our team comes to you.

Immediate Quality Check and Reviews

Every card is checked for print clarity and completeness on the spot. We confirm the prints are legible and that all required fields are filled in correctly. Only after this review is the card finalized and handed over to your firm for submission to FINRA, which means rejections caused by poor quality or missing details are caught and corrected right away.

Letter of Identity Verification

Each person we print receives an exclusive Letter of Identity Verification. This letter serves as proof to the receiving authorities that the prints were collected by a professional and that the individual's identity was properly checked beforehand. It adds an extra layer of trust to the submission and confirms the process was handled the right way.

Bulk Solutions for Corporate Teams

Firms in Bern frequently need fingerprinting for many employees at once. Globeia handles teams of 10 to 1000 people, bringing all the FINRA-compliant cards and equipment directly to your office campus. Your staff get printed on-site in one organized session, with the same quality checks applied to every single card.

Book your FINRA Fingerprinting in Bern Appointment with Globeia here!

One thing that makes FINRA fingerprinting feel awkward in Bern is that the whole process is built for an American audience. The cards, the instructions, and the forms are all in English, and every step is designed around US rules and US offices. If you live and work in a German-speaking canton, you're essentially handling a US compliance task from the other side of the world.

This creates small points of friction that add up. You might be reading English instructions you want to double-check or explaining an unfamiliar American requirement to a local police officer who has never seen a FINRA card. None of it is hard on its own, but together it makes the process slower and more confusing than it needs to be.

This is where working with a local provider, like Globeia, who already knows the FINRA process helps. You get someone in Bern who understands both sides, can walk you through the English paperwork, and handles the US-specific details for you, so you're not piecing it together alone.