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1. Why Has FBI Certification Become the Global Standard?

① A Long History in Fingerprint Identification and an Unmatched Database

The FBI operates the Next Generation Identification (NGI) system, one of the world's largest and most comprehensive fingerprint databases. To accurately search and match hundreds of millions of fingerprint records accumulated over decades, the FBI established rigorous image quality requirements and data specifications.

These standards have become the de facto global standard for the biometric industry and are widely recognized for ensuring interoperability and reliable fingerprint image quality.

② Contributing to the Development of International Standards

The FBI's fingerprint image quality requirements have significantly influenced biometric research conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), as well as the development of the ANSI/NIST-ITL data format and the international ISO/IEC 19794 fingerprint standards.

Today, most biometric systems worldwide are developed in accordance with these international standards while maintaining a high level of compatibility with FBI certification requirements.

③ A Trusted Benchmark for Government Projects Worldwide

Government agencies, law enforcement organizations, border control authorities, and international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and INTERPOL often specify FBI PIV or FBI Appendix-F certified products—or products with equivalent performance—as part of their procurement requirements (RFPs), rather than developing their own fingerprint quality specifications.

As a result, FBI certification is no longer regarded as a standard exclusive to the United States. Instead, it has become one of the most widely recognized benchmarks for verifying fingerprint image quality and interoperability in large-scale government identity management and biometric authentication projects around the world.

2. Adoption by Country and Region

Note: In South Korea, public-sector biometric systems—such as those used for criminal investigation, immigration control, and government services—may apply performance evaluations conducted by the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) or other domestic standards. However, for international government projects and systems requiring global interoperability, FBI certification remains the most widely accepted de facto standard.

① North America

Government agencies, federal organizations, border security authorities, and law enforcement agencies widely adopt FBI standards or equivalent specifications, making FBI certification one of the most recognized benchmarks for fingerprint image quality.

② Europe (EU)

European biometric systems—including the Entry/Exit System (EES), electronic passport issuance, and criminal identification systems—primarily follow international ISO standards. Nevertheless, fingerprint scanners capable of meeting FBI Appendix-F image quality requirements are widely used to ensure interoperability and high-performance biometric capture.

③ Middle East & Asia

Government projects involving National ID programs, border control, and digital identity systems frequently require FBI-certified products or devices demonstrating equivalent performance as part of their procurement specifications.

④ Latin America & Africa

FBI-certified fingerprint scanners are widely deployed in large-scale government projects, including national identity systems, voter registration, election management, border control, and national fingerprint database development, where high-quality biometric enrollment and interoperability are essential.