This is one of the most commonly requested fingerprinting services in India. Every year, more than 25 lakh Indians migrate or relocate abroad for work, education, permanent residency, or other long-term purposes. Since international criminal record checks are usually required for long-stay applications, fingerprinting becomes an essential part of the process.

What happens is, when you apply for immigration, residency, employment, or citizenship in another country, the authorities want to verify your conduct and criminal history in countries where you have previously lived for a good amount of time, more than 6-12 months. This is why they may ask you to obtain official background checks or police clearance certificates issued by the relevant authorities of those countries.

In many cases, these authorities require fingerprints to conduct a search against their national criminal databases before issuing a clearance certificate or confirming that you have no criminal record.

The table below lists some of the most common countries from which Indians are required to obtain international criminal record checks, along with information on whether fingerprint submission is required.

If you are in India and wondering where to get your fingerprints taken for requesting international background checks, you have three options:

Local Police Stations

You can visit your nearest police station or fingerprint bureau to get your fingerprints taken. But many police stations in India do not keep internationally recognized fingerprint cards in stock. You will usually need to carry your own fingerprint card, such as the FBI FD-258 or FD-1164 form, which can be downloaded from the official websites or the links provided above.

Local police officers can help with rolling your ink fingerprints onto the card, but they may not be familiar with international documentation standards or requirements. If you go this route, arrive with your fingerprint card already printed. 

Private Fingerprint Service Providers

You can easily hire a private third-party fingerprinting service in India. Most of them offer professional fingerprinting services specifically for international background checks and immigration applications. The associates or team working here is usually more familiar with international fingerprinting requirements.

Their services may include:

• Ink fingerprinting
• Live Scan fingerprinting
• Additional support with fingerprint cards and documentation

Some providers may also offer mobile fingerprinting in India, where a technician can come to your location to capture fingerprints.

Agencies Providing Full Background Check Package

There are some private companies or agencies in India that provide complete support for international background checks. They not just provide fingerprinting services, but also help with submission coordination to the issuing authorities, international courier services, real-time document tracking, and additional documentation support such as apostille or legalisation.

Can I Take The Fingerprints Myself?

Yes, you can, but it is highly discouraged and risky for two main reasons. First, while agencies like the FBI may accept self-captured fingerprints, many international background check authorities, such as those in Canada (RCMP), Australia, and South Africa, require fingerprints to be taken by a recognized authority or certified technician. Second, even if you choose to do it yourself, rolling fingerprints correctly is not as easy as it seems. Agencies like the FBI follow strict fingerprint quality standards, and even minor smudges, blurriness, or incomplete impressions, which are very common in self-captured prints, can result in rejection.

Which Fingerprinting Option Should You Choose?

The best fingerprinting option depends on your personal requirements, like how much you want to spend, is it urgent or not, etc.

Check Out Where Do I Get Fingerprinting for FBI Background Check in India?

From wherever you’re getting your fingerprints done in India, the process just depends on the technique used: live-scan digital or ink-based fingerprinting.

Digital Fingerprinting

• You visit the fingerprinting bureau or office.
• Place your fingers on a high-resolution glass scanner.
• The system captures flat and rolled fingerprints and checks for smudge quality in real-time.
• Fingerprints are printed onto a specific card, depending on the destination country. True LiveScan systems where prints are directly uploaded to a country’s international server are not available in India. That is only possible from within the respective country.

Ink-Based Fingerprinting

• You visit the fingerprinting office or a mobile associate comes to your location.
• Your hands are cleaned to remove oils.
• A thin layer of specialized black forensic ink is rolled onto a glass plate or an ink pad.
• The associate manually rolls each finger from one side of the nail to the other onto the prescribed form.
• The fingerprint cards are couriered to the respective international authorities for background check issuance.

Who sends the fingerprint cards to the international authorities?

Check the official website of the country’s embassy, consulate or respective issuing authority. There, you will find the exact fingerprint submission process. In some cases, you can courier the fingerprint cards yourself, while some authorities only accept submissions from accredited agencies.

Regardless of whether you choose the police or a private agency, you must arrive prepared. Most Indian centers will require:

• Two government-issued photo IDs, such as your passport, driver's licence, or Aadhaar card.
• A copy of the official letter from the embassy or immigration department asking for your background check.
• If the agency or police station doesn’t provide fingerprint cards, bring 2-3 copies of the required form printed on high-quality, white paper cardstock.