What Is the Difference Between Ink and Digital Fingerprinting?

Many applicants think that digital fingerprinting is an obvious choice because it is faster to capture, easier to review, and does not require ink or a physical card. However, for international applications, the fastest fingerprinting method is not necessarily the one your receiving authority accepts.

Applicants completing FBI, RCMP, FINRA, immigration, licensing, or other international background checks may be asked to provide fingerprints in a specific format and on a specific fingerprint card. In some cases, ink fingerprints collected in one country are later digitized and submitted electronically in another.

Understanding how ink fingerprinting and digital Live Scan differ or taking professional assistance, like Globeia fingerprinting services, can help you choose the correct method, avoid unnecessary rework, and prepare your fingerprints according to the requirements of the authority processing your application.

Ink fingerprinting is the traditional method of capturing your fingerprint impressions where a trained associate applies ink to each finger and rolls it across a designated block on an official fingerprint card to capture the full ridge detail from one side of the finger to the other.

How ink fingerprinting works:

• Each finger is individually inked and rolled from nail edge to nail edge. This is called a rolled impression.
• All fingers are then pressed flat onto the card simultaneously and these impressions are called flat or plain impressions.
• The card is reviewed for clarity, completeness, and correct placement before it leaves the appointment.

What makes ink fingerprinting distinct:

• It produces a physical fingerprint card that can be mailed or couriered to the receiving authority in the destination country.
• Ink fingerprints are required by most international background check authorities, including FBI, RCMP, FINRA, for applicants submitting from outside the country.
• The official card format (FD-258 for FBI, C-216C for RCMP, FINRA-designated card) is prescribed by the receiving authority and is not interchangeable.

When ink fingerprinting is required:

• RCMP Criminal Record Check for applicants outside Canada.
• FBI Identity History Summary for applicants submitting by mail or through an FBI-approved channeller.
• FINRA registration for financial industry professionals.
• UK ACRO International Criminal Records Certificate
• Australian Federal Police National Police Check for overseas applicants
• Most international immigration and visa-related background checks

Digital fingerprinting, commonly known as live scan, captures fingerprint images electronically using an optical or capacitive scanner. The applicant places each finger on a glass platen, and the scanner captures a high-resolution digital image without any ink.

How digital fingerprinting works:

• Each finger is placed on the scanner platen individually for rolled capture, then all fingers are pressed flat for plain impressions.
• The digital images are reviewed on-screen in real time.
• Fingerprint data is transmitted electronically to the receiving database. In digital fingerprinting, no physical card is produced or mailed to the receiving authority. 

What makes digital fingerprinting distinct:

• Digital fingerprinting is Inkless, clean, and does not require any physical card.
• Transmission from one authority to another is near-instant, and no courier or international shipping required.
• Primarily used domestically within the US, Canada, UK, and Australia for in-country applicants.
• Requires the applicant to attend an authorised live scan terminal connected to the receiving authority's system.

When digital live scan is used:

• Domestic US background checks processed through authorised live scan terminals
• In-Canada RCMP submissions where applicants have access to an approved live scan provider
• In-country law enforcement and licensing checks in the US, UK, and Australia
• Some employer-specific background checks where the employer's platform accepts digital submissions

The key differences become clearer when you compare how each method captures, stores, and submits your fingerprints:

Yes. Ink fingerprints can be digitized when the receiving authority's process permits it. For example, applicants outside Canada can have their fingerprints captured in ink on a C-216C card, which is then processed by an RCMP-accredited company in Canada for electronic submission to the RCMP.

This means fingerprint collection and fingerprint submission are separate steps: fingerprints may be collected using ink but ultimately submitted electronically.

International applicants cannot always choose between ink and digital fingerprinting. The required method depends on the receiving authority, application type, country of submission, and available submission route.

For applicants outside the United States or Canada, ink fingerprinting is commonly used when the receiving authority requires a physical fingerprint card or does not provide an accessible live-scan option in the applicant's country.

Here are a few international applications you should know about: 

FBI Identity History Summary

Applicants outside the United States can have their fingerprints captured on an accepted FBI fingerprint card, such as the FD-258 or FD-1164, and submit the completed card through the applicable FBI submission route. Applicants should verify the FBI's current submission requirements before completing their fingerprints.

Because the FBI's in-person electronic fingerprinting options (such as participating U.S. Post Offices) are strictly domestic, international applicants should verify current fingerprint card and submission requirements before completing their impressions. Verify current submission requirements at fbi.gov.

RCMP Criminal Record Check (Canada)

For applicants outside Canada, fingerprints are usually captured in ink on the official C-216C fingerprint form. The completed card is then mailed to an RCMP-accredited Canadian fingerprinting company, such as Globeia Incorporated, where the fingerprints are digitized and submitted electronically to the RCMP's Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS).

This creates a two stage process for people applying from outside Canada: Use ink fingerprinting for local fingerprinting collection, sending the printed card to an RCMP-accredited company in Canada that completes the submission to the RCMP electronically within Canada.

FINRA Fingerprinting

FINRA has specific requirements for fingerprint submissions collected outside the United States. In applicable cases, fingerprints must be captured on a FINRA-approved hardcopy fingerprint card and submitted through the process specified by FINRA. Applicants should follow their sponsoring firm's instructions and verify the current FINRA fingerprint requirements before booking an appointment.

Before booking your appointment, confirm the following details:

• Requesting authority: Who requires the fingerprints?
• Fingerprint method: Is ink, digital, or either method accepted by the authority?
• Official fingerprint card: Which form is required, such as FD-1164, FD-258, C-216C, or a FINRA-designated card?
• Submission method: Where and how must the completed fingerprints be submitted?
• Supporting requirements: Are any signatures, identification documents, photographs, or additional forms required?
• Original card requirement: Does the authority require the original fingerprint card rather than a scan or photocopy?

Confirming these details before fingerprint collection will help ensure that your fingerprints are captured on the correct card and in the required format.

Yes. Both ink and digital fingerprinting require clear, complete ridge detail, but each method presents different quality-control considerations.

Ink Fingerprinting Quality

With ink fingerprinting, the quality of the final impression depends heavily on the capture technique and condition of the fingerprint card. Common issues include:

• Smudged, incomplete, or uneven rolled impressions.
• Dry, wet, cracked, or worn skin often affects the visibility of ridges.
• Incorrect finger positioning or rolling pressure results in unclear impressions.
• Damage or contamination of the card after collection can affect the usability of the recorded impressions.
• In ink fingerprinting methods, the impressions are directly captured onto a physical card. The card should therefore be checked before the appointment is completed.

Digital Fingerprinting Quality

Live Scan provides a different quality-control process because the fingerprint images can be viewed electronically as they are captured. This allows the operator to:

• Identify poor-quality impressions immediately.
• Retake an impression before the applicant leaves.
• Check whether the required fingers and impressions have been captured correctly.
• Avoid physical card damage affecting the captured image.

However, digital fingerprinting is not automatically accepted for every application. A high-quality digital impression is useful only when the receiving authority accepts that capture and submission method.

Why Fingerprint Quality Matters for International Applications

Fingerprint quality is particularly important for international applicants when the process involves a physical fingerprint card that must be sent to another country. An unclear or incomplete impression may require the fingerprints to be collected again, adding another appointment and potentially delaying the overall submission.

For this reason, applicants using ink fingerprinting should have the completed card reviewed for clarity, completeness, correct placement, and required information before it leaves the appointment. Good quality control at the collection stage can help prevent avoidable problems later in the submission process.

Globeia provides professional fingerprint collection services for international applications, including FBI Identity History Summary Checks, RCMP Criminal Record Checks, FINRA fingerprinting, and other authority-specific fingerprint requirements. Globeia's trained associates can collect fingerprints at the applicant's location, using the official fingerprint card or format required for the application.

Here Is What Globeia’s Fingerprinting Services Offer

• Authority-specific fingerprint cards: Globeia supports fingerprint collection on official forms such as FD-258 and FD-1164 for FBI applications, C-216C for RCMP applications, and FINRA-designated cards, depending on the application requirements.
• Professional ink fingerprinting: For applicants using Globeia India, fingerprints are collected using the ink-and-roll method on the appropriate official form. Globeia India does not collect digital fingerprints.
• On-site quality review: Fingerprints are reviewed during the appointment for clarity and correct placement so that unclear impressions can be retaken immediately before the card is finalized.
• Globeia’s Mobile fingerprinting: Where available, Globeia's trained associates can travel to your home, office, or other preferred location that eliminates the need to travel to a fingerprinting centre. Service availability depends on location.
• Existing fingerprint-card review: If you have already had your fingerprints taken elsewhere for an FBI application, Globeia can review the existing card for common formatting, completeness, and fingerprint-quality issues before submission.
• Application-specific guidance: Globeia helps applicants understand the fingerprinting requirements applicable to their particular authority and application rather than treating every international fingerprinting request the same way.

Globeia’s Fingerprinting and Submission Coordination

Globeia’s role in your application submission depends on the authority and the service your select:

For an RCMP Criminal Record Check

Applicants outside Canada can have their fingerprints collected locally on the official C-216C. The original completed form is then sent to the RCMP-accredited company in Canada - Globeia Incorporated.

Once the form is received by Globeia Incorporated in Canada, the fingerprints are quality-checked, digitized, and electronically submitted to the RCMP's Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS).

For an FBI Identity History Summary Check:

Globeia supports applicants worldwide with fingerprint collection on approved FD-258 or FD-1164 cards. Completed fingerprint cards can be couriered to Globeia Inc. in the United States, where the application proceeds through the applicable FBI submission process.

Note: Globeia is not an FBI-accredited channeler; the FBI independently processes applications and issues the Identity History Summary.

For FINRA fingerprinting:

Globeia provides FINRA-compliant ink fingerprint collection and prepares the completed fingerprint card for the applicable submission process. For applicants and corporate teams, Globeia also provides mobile and bulk fingerprinting services in locations where the service is offered.

Mobile Fingerprinting for International Applicants

Mobile fingerprinting can be particularly useful when your application requires a specific fingerprint card and professional ink-and-roll capture. Instead of travelling to a fingerprinting centre, you can arrange an appointment at an available home, office, or your preferred location, depending on Globeia's coverage in your area.

Understanding the difference between ink and digital fingerprinting can play an important role in the success of your application. The right method depends on the authority requesting your fingerprints, the required fingerprint card, and how your application must be submitted.

If you are unsure which fingerprinting method you need, Globeia can help you collect your fingerprints on the appropriate card and provide support based on your application requirements. Explore Globeia's fingerprinting services to get started.