10 Mistakes to Avoid While Doing Fingerprinting

Fingerprinting is a vital step for immigration, police clearance, licensing, employment, and other official processes. However, even a seemingly “clean” fingerprint card can be rejected by agencies like the FBI or RCMP due to technical errors or form issues. Understanding common mistakes can save you time, money, and frustration. 

Here are 10 mistakes you must avoid during fingerprinting, based on the most frequent reasons for rejection. 

Light or faint fingerprints are a leading cause of rejection by agencies like the FBI and RCMP. Even if the prints look clean to you, scanners may not detect the ridge patterns if the ink coverage is too light.

Why it happens:

• Insufficient ink on the finger
• Dry or smooth skin
• Using old or low-quality ink pads

How to avoid it:

• Use fingerprint-grade black ink -  no regular stamps or pens
• Roll your finger evenly and firmly on the ink pad until fully coated
• Roll each finger nail-edge to nail-edge with steady pressure
• Test a sample print before filling the actual form

Smudged or blurry fingerprints cause rejection because the ridge details get distorted or overlap, making it impossible for FBI or RCMP systems to match the prints.

Common causes:

• Sweaty or oily fingers
• Pressing too hard
• Dragging or sliding the finger during rolling
• Lifting the finger halfway through
• Touching the print before the ink dries

How to avoid it:

• Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before printing
• Keep fingers dry - use wipes or talcum powder if needed
• Roll your finger smoothly from nail edge to nail edge with gentle, even pressure
• Avoid lifting, twisting, or shifting your finger mid-roll
• Let the ink dry completely before touching or handling the fingerprint card

It might seem like darker prints are better, but too much ink can ruin your fingerprints. Excess ink fills the tiny valleys between ridges, turning your print into a solid black blob with no clear detail.

Why this matters:

Signs you’ve used too much ink:

• Thick, blurry ridges
• Entire finger looks like a black smudge
• Ink bleeding outside the print area
• Multiple fingers look nearly identical

How to avoid over-inking:

• Use high-quality fingerprint ink pads , avoid old or watery ink
• Lightly tap your finger on the ink pad, don’t dip or hold down
• Roll your finger slowly and evenly, using light pressure
• Test on scrap paper first - if the print looks solid black, wipe off and try again lighter
• Wipe your finger between prints to remove excess ink

Fingerprinting isn’t just about clear prints - the order and orientation matter too. Both the FBI and RCMP require fingerprints to be rolled in a specific sequence. If the order is wrong, your prints will be rejected, even if they’re otherwise perfect.

Why does orientation matter?

The RCMP accepts various forms, but Globeia requires the same strict sequence as the FBI. Some countries, Australia, for example, use a reversed order starting from the pinky finger, which can cause confusion.

• Submitting prints in the wrong sequence or on a form with reversed finger order causes:
• Automatic rejection by RCMP or FBI
• Delays in your background check
• Need to reprint and resubmit

How to avoid orientation mistakes:

• Always use the correct form for your check (FD-258 for FBI, C-216C-compatible for RCMP)
• Follow the finger order: Right Thumb to Right Little, then Left Thumb to Left Little
• Double-check that each finger matches the labeled box (Right Thumb means your right thumb!)
• Roll fingers in the correct direction (right hand: left to right; left hand: right to left)
• Avoid mixing form instructions from different countries
• Practice dry runs (no ink) to get familiar before printing

Pro Tip: Have someone assist or verify your finger placement to avoid confusion.

When submitting fingerprints, the form you use is just as important as the print quality. Using the wrong fingerprint card leads to automatic rejection and delays, sometimes by weeks.

FBI Requirements: Use Only FD-258 or FD-1164

• FD-258 (most common)
• FD-1164 (less common)

Why?

• RCMP forms
• Australian police forms
• Generic embassy or local forms

...will get your prints rejected, even if the prints themselves are perfect.

How to get it right:

• Download the FD-258 or FD-1164 directly from the FBI website or get them pre-filled from Globeia
• Print the form on US Letter or A4 without resizing or distortion
• Fill in all required fields clearly (name, DOB, ORI code, reason for fingerprinting, etc.)
• Submit only original, properly completed forms

RCMP Requirements: Use C-216C or Compatible Police Cards

The RCMP is more flexible but still requires:

• Proper layout and sequence of fingerprints
• All 10 rolled and flat impressions correctly labeled
• Mandatory personal info filled out
• Fingerprints taken by authorized third parties (police, RCMP-accredited agencies like Globeia, or licensed technicians) with official verification (signature, agency stamp)

Accepted forms:

• C-216C (RCMP’s official card, preferred)
• FD-258 (accepted if layout and third-party verification are correct)
• Other professional police cards may be accepted if they meet RCMP standards

Rejected:

• Self-taken fingerprints or home kits
• Cropped, resized, or altered forms
• Generic or unofficial forms without proper layout and data

How Globeia Helps You Avoid These Mistakes

• We provide the correct forms (FD-258 for FBI; C-216C or FD-258 for RCMP)
• Our technicians are trained and authorized to capture and verify prints
• Globeia Smartforms to avoid errors.
• We review all submissions for compliance before sending
• We guide you step-by-step through the process to ensure a smooth application

Both the FBI and RCMP require fingerprint cards to be completed with accurate personal information and official third-party validation. Missing or incorrect data, even if fingerprint impressions are perfect, will cause delays or outright rejection.

Common Mistakes (FBI & RCMP)

• Leaving key fields blank (name, DOB, reason for fingerprinting, address)
• Using incorrect date formats (FBI: MM/DD/YYYY; RCMP: MM/DD/YYYY) or unclear handwriting
• Signing the form before the fingerprint appointment instead of in front of the technician
• Using colored ink, pencil, or light ink (only black ink accepted)
• Missing technician’s signature, agency stamp, or seal
• Attempting self-fingerprinting (not allowed for RCMP; FBI requires official capture)
• Using incorrect or outdated forms

How to Avoid Rejection

1. Use the correct, official form: FBI uses FD-258/FD-1164; RCMP uses C-216C or equivalent.
2. Complete all fields carefully in black ink before submission. Don’t leave blanks unless optional.
3. Sign your form during the appointment in front of the technician.
4. Have your fingerprints taken by an authorized third party: police station, certified agency, embassy, or consulate.
5. Confirm technician completes all official sections: signature, agency name/address, and official stamp/seal.
6. Double-check all info for accuracy and legibility before submission.

Final Reminder

• Globeia reviews all forms prior to submission to help catch errors, but the FBI and RCMP ultimately decide acceptance.
• Incomplete or incorrect forms will be rejected regardless of fingerprint quality.

Why It’s Rejected

How to Avoid This Mistake

• Always use a dedicated black fingerprint ink pad made for biometric use.
• Test the ink first on scrap paper to ensure ridges are crisp and dark.
• Ask your technician to confirm the pad is black ink before starting.
• Never rely on appearance alone - some “blue-black” inks look dark but still fail scans.

Why It’s Rejected

How to Avoid This Mistake

• Scan at 600 DPI or higher using a flatbed scanner (never a phone).
• Save in TIFF (preferred) or JPEG format - no PDFs.
• Check that ridge lines are sharp, boxes are fully visible, and no glare or shadows appear.
• Don’t crop, compress, or resize the scan unnecessarily.

Why It’s Rejected

FBI and RCMP systems need clear ridge patterns to identify fingerprints. If ridges are faint, broken, or missing - common in seniors, healthcare workers, manual labourers, or those with skin conditions, the system may fail to match the prints, leading to rejection.

How to Avoid This Mistake

• Moisturize fingertips for 2–3 days before your appointment to soften skin.
• Hydrate before printing by lightly warming and moistening fingertips.
• Use light rolling pressure to avoid flattening ridges.
• Submit multiple fingerprint cards to improve acceptance chances.

Pro Tip: Globeia’s technicians use special rolling techniques and high-quality ink to get the clearest possible prints from worn ridges.

Why It’s Rejected

Both the FBI and RCMP require rolled fingerprints for all ten fingers - not just flat impressions. Rolled prints capture full ridge patterns from nail edge to nail edge, which flat prints often miss. Without them, your card will almost certainly be rejected.

Common mistakes:

• Pressing fingers straight down instead of rolling
• Skipping the rolled section entirely
• Confusing “slap” boxes for rolled boxes
• Submitting prints from immigration/visa centers that only use flats

How to Avoid This Mistake

• Roll every finger slowly, from one nail edge to the other, with steady pressure
• Include both rolled and flat prints in the correct sections of FBI (FD-258) and RCMP forms
• Use the correct official card - FBI-approved FD-258 for FBI checks; RCMP-authorized cards for Canadian checks
• Get prints taken by trained technicians to ensure form accuracy and ridge clarity

Pro Tip: Globeia’s fingerprinting service follows FBI and RCMP standards exactly, using official cards, proper rolling technique, and pre-submission quality checks to prevent avoidable rejections.