Applicants must wait until DPS sends a notification via email to the applicant to make a Badge Enrollment appointment.

What is Badge Enrollment?

Badge Enrollment is the process of Identity Proofing, Photographing and Fingerprinting for the PIV/PIV-I* Badge. In summary, the purpose of Badge Enrollment is to tie an applicant's biometrics and photograph to their PIV/PIV-I badge.​ 

Applicants who need access to NIH facilities, information systems, and networks will need to complete the Badge Enrollment Process in order to obtain an NIH PIV/PIV-I Badge. As part of the Badge Enrollment process, applicants must make an in-person appointment at one of NIH's PIV Card Issuance Facilities (PCIF) to get officially enrolled and added into our system. You may find PCIFs located at the NIH Main Office Location in Building 31 and at Other DPS Locations (PCIFs).

The directive that governs the requirement to obtain a PIV/PIV-I Badge is Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) - Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors.

* The PIV-I badge is previously known as the Restricted Local Access (RLA) badge.

When will the applicant be notified to complete Badge Enrollment?

Once the applicant's Administrative Officer (AO) completes and sponsors the Badge Request in the NED system, the request will be sent to DPS to begin the Prescreening and Badging Process. DPS will first determine investigation requirements. Once that has been determined, the applicant will receive a notice to schedule their Badge Enrollment appointment from ORSPersonnelSecurity@mail.nih.gov.

What does the applicant need to bring to his/her Badge Enrollment appointment?

Applicants must bring two (2) forms of valid, unexpired, government-issued identification (ID) to their appointment; one of which must contain a photo. The names on the IDs must match exactly, and the IDs must be an original document (photocopies are not accepted). DPS will not enroll any applicant without the correct forms of ID. Please see FIPS 201-3 form for a full list of acceptable forms of ID. Please note:

• It is illegal to use a photograph of any government ID badge. Section 701 of Chapter 33 of Title 18 of the United States Code (USC) covers the unauthorized creation of engravings, photographs, prints, or impressions of official badges, identification cards, and other insignia.
• A mobile ID or a Mobile Driver's License (mDL) is NOT an acceptable form of ID for identity proofing/enrollment purposes under HSPD-12. Mobile IDs/mDLs are companions to the physical driver’s license; therefore, mobile IDs/mDLs are NOT replacements of the physical ID card nor counted as an original version of ID, so it is NOT an acceptable form of ID at DPS appointments.

Some common examples of acceptable identification include:

• REAL ID Driver's License
• Passport
• Military ID
• State ID card
• Social Security card
• Birth Certificate
• Native American tribal document
• Voter's registration card

Where can an applicant go to complete his/her NIH Badge Enrollment?

In accordance with Federal regulation, applicants are required to visit an NIH PIV Card Issuance Facility (PCIF) to complete Badge Enrollment. PCIFs include the NIH Main Office Location in Building 31, or you may see Other DPS Locations (PCIFs). 

Before scheduling a Badge Enrollment appointment, applicants must ensure they have received the email from ORSPersonnelSecurity@mail.nih.gov instructing the applicant to complete their Badge Enrollment. Applicants must also ensure they will have the two (2) forms of ID available, as mentioned above. Please also let applicants know to set aside enough time to travel to the campus and to go through security at the campus entrance. Please also understand the Visitor Access Management Initiative (VAMI) VisitNIH process if this pertains to your applicant.

What if an applicant cannot travel to an NIH PIV Card Issuance Facility (PCIF) soon for his/her Badge Enrollment appointment?

Applicants who cannot travel to an NIH PCIF can at least complete the fingerprinting for their Prescreening at a Fieldprint location until they are able to travel to an NIH PCIF for their Badge Enrollment. Please read the Fieldprint page under our Fingerprint Services for more information. 

For awareness, applicants are still required to eventually go to an NIH PCIF to complete Badge Enrollment and Badge Issuance. Completing fingerprints during Prescreening in advance at a Fieldprint location will allow time to let the FBI fingerprint results come in. As a reminder, the FBI fingerprint check is one of the Prescreening requirements that must be done before DPS can issue any applicant his/her badge. Once the applicant is ready to go to an NIH PCIF and if the FBI fingerprint results are clear, the applicant can complete both Badge Enrollment and Badge Issuance.

What's the difference between 'Badge Enrollment' and 'Fieldprint'?

In summary:

• Badge Enrollment includes the process of Identity Proofing, the capture of a photograph and the collection of fingerprints, which are all tied to the applicant's badge, and can only be done at an NIH PCIF. Fingerprints collected at Badge Enrollment are also used for running an FBI criminal history check required for the applicant's Prescreening process.
• Fieldprint is a third party used to capture fingerprints required for the sole purpose of running an FBI criminal history check before getting cleared for a badge. Applicants located more than 50 miles from an NIH PCIF can utilize Fieldprint to complete fingerprints for their Prescreening process in advance. Fieldprint is NOT Badge Enrollment. Applicants using Fieldprint will still need to complete Badge Enrollment at an NIH PCIF when they are able to travel to one. Applicants located more than 50 miles from an NIH PCIF who have completed ALL their Prescreening requirements ahead of time may qualify for completing both Badge Enrollment and Badge Issuance on the same day on or after their Entry-on-Duty (EOD) date listed in the NED system.