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The FD-258 fingerprint card is the official fingerprint card created by the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) division. It is used for civil and applicant fingerprinting, not criminal arrests, and is required for employment background checks, professional licensing, immigration and citizenship applications, firearms and ATF applications, and adoption applications. It records all ten fingerprints along with personal details and can be filled out using ink or digital live-scan printing.
A properly expunged criminal record does not appear on a standard fingerprint-based background check. But, some records may still be visible under specific cases involving high-level government positions, law enforcement, or sensitive security contexts.
There is no official limit on how many times you can submit fingerprints to the FBI. If your fingerprints get rejected, you can keep resubmitting new sets until one is accepted, and most people succeed within one or two tries. If your prints genuinely can't be read after repeated attempts, the FBI can issue a letter confirming this, which many employers and agencies accept as valid proof.
NZ Police stations no longer provide civilian fingerprinting for overseas background checks, meaning applicants need to use an alternative fingerprinting provider. If you need fingerprinting in New Zealand for an international application, private services such as Globeia can help. Our mobile fingerprinting service brings the appointment to your preferred location, helping you meet overseas requirements without disrupting your routine.
If you previously lived in Canada and need an RCMP Criminal Record Check while in Thailand, your ink fingerprints must be taken locally at a Thai police station or a private/mobile provider like Globeia on a C-216C card, then couriered to an RCMP-accredited agency in Canada for digitization and submission.
Applying for an FBI background check from Laos requires physical ink fingerprints on standard FD-258/FD-1164 cards. Applicants can apply independently via the FBI eDO portal or mail, or utilize a coordination service like Globeia to manage fingerprint collection, review, shipping, and legalization. Because Laos non-Hague status requires consular legalization, full authentication is needed.
The actual fingerprinting process only takes about 10 to 15 minutes. But your total time at the appointment can be longer, usually 15 to 45 minutes, once you add check-in, waiting, and any retakes. Digital scanning is faster than the manual ink-and-pad method. Getting your results back takes longer, usually a few days to a few weeks, depending on where you're sending them.
Most countries ask for fingerprints as part of a police clearance certificate because fingerprints confirm identity in a way that names and birth dates cannot. A name can be spelled differently or mixed up, but a fingerprint always belongs to one person only. Some countries, like the USA and Canada, require fingerprints from every applicant. Others, like the UK and Australia, only ask for fingerprints if identity cannot be confirmed another way. Fingerprints for these checks must be taken on a specific card or form set by that country, since each country runs its own database. Fingerprints can be taken at a police station or through a private fingerprinting provider, and it is not recommended to take your own fingerprints at home.
Fingerprints provide a trusted way to confirm a person’s identity through the unique ridge patterns on their fingers. This guide covers the fingerprinting process, from collection and quality checks to analysis and real-world uses in background checks, visas, employment, and security screening.
Fingerprinting is the process of recording a person's unique finger ridge patterns, or, more broadly, using a distinct set of characteristics to identify a person, device, or substance.
Getting an FBI police clearance from Australia is simple when you understand the process. However, many applicants face delays because of incorrect fingerprint cards, poor-quality fingerprints, incomplete applications, or misunderstanding the FBI's requirements. This guide explains the most common challenges and how to avoid them so your application can be completed correctly the first time.
Sitting in the UK, going through some paperwork for a visa, a job, or maybe an immigration application. And somewhere in the list of requirements, you spot a line asking for a criminal record check from every country you've lived in.
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