FD-258 fingerprint cards, taken in Germany.

FD-258 fingerprint cards are required for background checks abroad — for instance when starting a job in the USA, Canada, Australia or South Africa. The purpose is not limited to employment: we prepare cards for any purpose that calls for a fingerprint card, including visa applications, naturalisation, adoption or a firearms licence.

A valid identity document — either a national identity card or a passport, one of the two is enough. If the authority has already sent you a form, or you hold a partly completed card, please bring that along as well.

Preparing both cards takes around 60 minutes. You can take the cards with you straight afterwards.

Two finished cards are included in the price. The second is a spare in case of a query. Some authorities ask for three or four cards — that happens and is no problem: each card beyond the two included costs EUR 120 including VAT.

Yes. Besides the FD-258 we work with the Canadian RCMP form C-216C and with South African forms, among others, and we have prepared cards for English-speaking countries in Asia. Within the USA, individual states also use their own forms. Just bring yours along — or better still, email it to us in advance so we can prepare the appointment properly.

Yes, and it is welcome. If you have already completed an original or a copy of the card, we take the impressions directly on it.

We complete the “Reason Fingerprinted” entry for you. We do not fill in the ORI number: that is the identifier of the agency that forwards or processes your card, and you receive it from the body requesting the check. On pre-filled cards it is usually already there.

No. You take both cards with you after the appointment and submit them yourself. Which route applies — sending them in directly or using an approved provider — is set by the authority requesting the check.

In more than twenty years and over 400 cards, that has happened exactly once, for a medically foreseeable reason. Should a card be objected to, we prepare a replacement free of charge.

A forensic fingerprint examiner. He learned the discipline in state service and worked for over twenty years as a fingerprint expert for the authorities. Since 2002 he has been preparing cards for background checks abroad through Fingerabdruck-Karten.de.

Yes, the impressions can only be taken on site. Places that competently complete fingerprint cards for foreign authorities are rare in Germany — our clients travel here from all over the country. Allow about 60 minutes for the appointment.

With a special fingerprinting ink from a US manufacturer, of the kind prescribed for taking fingerprint cards. The form itself we print — either the one supplied by the FBI or the card you bring along.

Payment is made on site on the day of the appointment — in cash, by debit card or by credit card.

Appointments take place by arrangement at our office at Agnesstraße 40, 44791 Bochum, Germany. You can arrange one through the contact form or by phone on +49 234 9507537.