Which fingerprint card do I need?
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The form you need is set by the authority requesting the background check, not by the country where you have the impressions taken. For the USA that is usually the FBI’s FD-258; for Canada, the RCMP form C-216C. We work with all the common cards.
What is the FD-258 and who asks for it?
The FD-258 is the FBI’s fingerprint form. It is the standard card for background checks in the USA and the FBI publishes it as a printable PDF. The card records impressions of all ten fingers along with your name, date of birth and further personal details.
If a body in the USA requires a background check from you — an employer, an authority, a professional board — the FD-258 is as a rule the form you submit.
Which card do I need for Canada?
Canada uses form C-216C of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). It is laid out differently from the FD-258 but likewise records impressions of all ten fingers. We prepare these cards exactly as we do the American ones.
Which forms exist outside the USA and Canada?
South Africa uses a form of its own. We have also prepared cards for English-speaking countries in Asia. Australia and New Zealand require fingerprints for certain checks as well.
The forms differ in layout and fields; our procedure stays the same. If you are unsure which form applies to you, the requesting body knows, and in many cases sends it to you.
Is the FD-258 always enough for the USA?
Not in every case. Alongside the federal FD-258, individual US states use their own fingerprint forms, for instance for state-level professional licensing. Which form applies is stated in the request you received. Bring it to the appointment and we will work with it directly.
What do ORI and “Reason Fingerprinted” mean?
We complete the “Reason Fingerprinted” entry — the reason the impressions are being taken — for you. We do not fill in the ORI number: that is the identifier of the agency that later forwards or processes your card, and it comes from the body requesting the background check.
On cards an authority has already sent you pre-filled, the ORI number is usually present already.
Can I bring my own form?
Yes, and that is the best case. If you have already completed an original or a copy of the card, we take the impressions directly on it. This happens regularly and saves everyone work. Best of all, email us the form in advance so we can prepare the appointment properly.
If you do not have a form, we print the one supplied by the FBI.
In brief
How do I know which form I need?
From the request issued by the body asking for the background check. It names the form and usually the ORI number and the reason as well. Email it to us in advance and bring it to the appointment.
Do you prepare cards other than the FD-258?
Yes. Among others: RCMP C-216C for Canada, South African forms, forms used by individual US states, and cards for English-speaking countries in Asia.
Does a form other than the FD-258 cost more?
No. The price depends on lead time, not on the form: EUR 349 incl. VAT for a planned appointment, EUR 399 within 14 days.