Electronic fingerprinting, also known as Gemalto, Cogent, Live Scan, biometric scan, Iris, or even Palmprint, is a form of electronically capturing your fingerprints and palm prints in a digitally used format.

Pros:

Gemalto Cogent’s LiveScan software can quickly collect your fingerprint data for criminal history background checks. Users are guided through the process with on-screen prompts and the results can be digitally e-mailed. You also cannot lose or destroy an electronic copy as easily as a hard copy of fingerprints.

Cons:

Electronic software, though modern, can cost much more than ink finger printing depending on the provider. The difference in pricing depends on whether the organization is federal or a private practice. Also, note that optical scanners cannot always distinguish between a picture of a finger and the finger itself, which can lead to fraudulent activity. There are certain states that will not accept digital fingerprints sent across state lines.

To determine whether electronic or ink fingerprinting is best for you, contact your future employer or the organization that is requesting the criminal background check. Many organizations will request at least two copies of ink fingerprinting services be sent in, while other employers may ask specifically for Gemalto or LiveScan options. If they do not specify which to use, then consider that most ink fingerprinting options are more cost effective than Gemalto digital options.

For all ink fingerprinting appointments, we are located in the heart of Atlanta, between Buckhead and Midtown, and our staff is available to call every day in between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM EST. You can reach us at (404) 405-1750 or online at [email protected]. At Atlanta Fingerprinting, we offer fingerprinting on weekdays and weekends by appointment, with the goal of processing your finger prints in 15 minutes.