Fingerprinting technician said my prints were horrible

[epmarshall]

Hi all,

I plan to send off for my FBI check soon, so yesterday I got my fingerprints done at the police station. The policewoman doing my prints said she was letting me know upfront that my prints were awful and hard to identify because my fingers were too smooth and didn't have many impressions. She said to expect for the FBI to ask for a re-do. I don't think getting them done anywhere else will help because she explained that it was an issue with my hands specifically, not anything to do with the process and it seemed like she knew what she was doing and had lots of experience, so it wasn't her fault.

So my question is this. What if they keep asking for re-dos on my prints and they keep ending up horrible?

I also have one semi-related question if someone can help. I am moving in 10 days. Can I put my new anticipated address on the FBI card instead of my current one since I know the FBI takes a lot longer than 10 days? I already filled out the card at the station without thinking because I wasn't sure, so can I use white-out to correct the address or should I include a sheet explaining the situation?

I would greatly appreciate any help or advice. Thanks, everyone!

 

[Ponga]

You might want to call the FBI and see what they suggest for those with similar problems obtaining legible prints. They should have a list of options for you to try, since there's probably no reason to send the prints you have now.

You can use any address you choose. I suggest using white-out and include a note explaining the correction.

 

[epmarshall]

You might want to call the FBI and see what they suggest for those with similar problems obtaining legible prints. They should have a list of options for you to try, since there's probably no reason to send the prints you have now.

You can use any address you choose. I suggest using white-out and include a note explaining the correction.

Thanks for the advice, Ponga! I will call the FBI as you suggested and go from there.

 

[Ponga]

For more information about recording legible fingerprints or to request training, visit our website or contact the Customer Service Group at (304) 625-5590 or via e-mail at identity@ic.fbi.gov.

 

[epmarshall]

For more information about recording legible fingerprints or to request training, visit our website or contact the Customer Service Group at (304) 625-5590 or via e-mail at identity@ic.fbi.gov.

Awesome, thank you again Ponga!

 

[Aquakitty]

I read a few tips on another thread, such as, moisturize your fingertips for a few days before the print. Also if you are in the US you can go try the fingerprint scanner instead.

 

[Ponga]

Digital prints are an option in Canada too, but they would have to be printed onto the card and then mailed to the FBI. Transmitting prints electronically across the border is not allowed by the FBI.

 

[ConfusedCouple]

Hi,

I have had the same problem. I kept asking for advice from the fingerprint technicians about what I could do and they couldn't give me any answer. Anyways after having my fingerprints rejected several times I finally did a Google search and what I did actually helped me!

1. Moisturize with hand lotion (My favorite is Glysomed) for a week.
2. Moisturize like crazy: morning, night, after every hand wash, and even when in doubt.
3. Get several prints done. The reason being is if one print is of bad quality they'll reject it, despite the rest of the fingers being of good quality.
4.

Digital prints are an option in Canada too, but they would have to be printed onto the card and then mailed to the FBI. Transmitting prints electronically across the border is not allowed by the FBI.

You can ask them to do this too, but from my experience they usually don't even entertain this idea because if your prints are already bad, doing it this way won't make it better. And the reason why we can't send our fingerprints electronically to FBI, is FBI would need to allow RCMP into their system.

Note: Your hands might feel sticky/greasy, that's when you know you over did it. However my prints were of good quality even with sticky hands lol.

I hope I helped. Good luck.

 

[epmarshall]

Hi,

I have had the same problem. I kept asking for advice from the fingerprint technicians about what I could do and they couldn't give me any answer. Anyways after having my fingerprints rejected several times I finally did a Google search and what I did actually helped me!

1. Moisturize with hand lotion (My favorite is Glysomed) for a week.
2. Moisturize like crazy: morning, night, after every hand wash, and even when in doubt.
3. Get several prints done. The reason being is if one print is of bad quality they'll reject it, despite the rest of the fingers being of good quality.
4. You can ask them to do this too, but from my experience they usually don't even entertain this idea because if your prints are already bad, doing it this way won't make it better. And the reason why we can't send our fingerprints electronically to FBI, is FBI would need to allow RCMP into their system.

Note: Your hands might feel sticky/greasy, that's when you know you over did it. However my prints were of good quality even with sticky hands lol.

I hope I helped. Good luck.

I read a few tips on another thread, such as, moisturize your fingertips for a few days before the print. Also if you are in the US you can go try the fingerprint scanner instead.

Thanks for the tips, Aquakitty and ConfusedCouple! The bad thing, though, is that I saw those moisturizing tips before and was making sure to apply lotion religiously well in advance. So even with all that lotioning, my results were still terrible. I will keep trying, though.

ConfusedCouple, where did you go to get your prints done? Did you just go to one place all the times you did your prints or try multiple places?

Also, an update on Ponga's advice. I emailed the FBI and this is what they told me :

The FBI needs fingerprints to run the Identity History Summary check. You need to check with the entity requiring the Identity History to see if they have any alternatives for you.

Thank you,

Lori

If you need further assistance please contact:

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division
Biometric Services Section
Customer Service Group
(304) 625-5590
Office Hours Monday-Friday
8:00am-5:00PM EST
identity@ic.fbi.gov


So they're basically telling me that there is nothing they can do and to contact CIC for some reason, unless I misinterpreted.

 

[Aquakitty]

Well after you've gone through everything possible, this is your last choice:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=035&top=4

You should still try at another finger printing place and at least attempt to send a few sets to the FBI so they can properly reject you.

 

[Ponga]

I find it odd that the FBI doesn't require that the prints be taken by a professional...implying that it would be ok for a person to take their own, or worse yet, submit prints from someone else (that has never been arrested).

The fingerprint technician is supposed to verify the identity of the person that they're fingerprinting, which would make it easy for someone to fool the system. Maybe?