This could go into either Factual Questions or MPSIMS, it is rather mundane indeed:
Four years ago in 2018, I had a fingerprint background check done with the FBI for job purposes. This year, I need to get a fresh new background check, but would prefer to not have to go through the tedious fingerprinting process again. Does anyone here who’s done it multiple times before know if the feds can just use your old prints again (saved on file forever), or are old fingerprints considered unreliable beyond a certain time range?
Also, are the feds only looking for convictions alone (which is the most bare-bones thing a background check could look for) or are they going to search/show a much wider range of stuff, such as warrants, arrests, non-criminal things about you? (The more extensive and in-depth the background check, the better it looks when shown as clean to an employer)
I was fingerprinted for my job with the Census in 2009 and 2010. I was printed again when I got an Insurance license in 2014, then reprinted again in 2019 and 2020 for another go-round at the Census. So my experience is that even if they can use old prints, they don’t. YMMV
The last time you were investigated did they take your fingerprints digitally? If not, based on a recent re-investigation by another federal agency, the bad news is that they may want to get new digital prints. The good news is that there’s no mess and it only takes about a minute per hand (and you can do it all by yourself- no grabbing your hands by the investigator)
Did you rub your nose? The investigator told me that if my print didn’t register, to try rubbing the side of my nose. A little oil makes the print contrast better than a dry fingertip.
I’ve had to get a security clearance for work probably half a dozen times in my career. Every time it comes up for renewal, I have to have another set of fingerprints taken. I too have wondered why they always need a fresh set of prints.
On the other hand, getting fingerprinted is nothing compared to the mounds of paperwork I used to have to fill out. At least the federal government got their act together in that regard - now I can just go out to a website and review what they have on file and make updates as needed. So much easier!
If this was Europe, I would have assumed that the “issue” was that a law abiding citizen’s fingerprints aren’t allowed to be stored after the purpose for which they were taken was complete.
Ditto. I’ve gotten fingerprinted at least 6 times. As far as why they need a fresh set, I assume it’s another identity check thing - to prove you’re not a different person using the same name.
At least they no longer use ink, but rather a digital pad. The first time I had it done, they inked up my fingers thoroughly and didn’t even have a place to wash my hands, bleh.
As far as the hassle: depending on where you live, you may have a lot of choices. I had my most recent ones done at a private place (IdentoGo), which was fairly convenient. Otherwise I’d have had to go to a police station somewhere, and that had limited hours and was a pain in the neck to get to.
As far as what they’re looking for: that would, presumably, depend on what sort of clearance is being done. I’ve had numerous levels over the years, and it definitely affects how far back they go. Certainly they’ll look for criminal activities; depending on the job, they might try to find out if you’ve been doing other things that are legal but might indicate support for an attempt to overthrow the government. I’d be surprised if they did NOT pull up info about warrants or arrests (even if you were not convicted); if you were arrested, the form should have a place to disclose that and input an explanation, e.g. “was mis-identified in a robbery, later charges were dropped because they found the right person” or whatever.
And they’ll ask for foreign contacts etc. - my most recent one was fun, that way, as I had to mention all the high school students we’d hosted over the years, along with “don’t know current address, think it was in such and such city, but have not kept in touch”.
For something like a Secret or Top Secret clearance, they might interview your references, or even knock on your neighbors’ doors to ask questions.
Oh - depending on the situation, they MIGHT be able to reuse a very recent clearance. I had redone my security paperwork for one client, then within a year started doing work for another. Because the one was so recent, I did not have to get re-fingerprinted or anything; I did have to redo the same application, in eQip. In this case, both agencies were Federal civilian agencies, and I was not changing jobs, just changing clients.