As part of the international adoption process, each adult member of the household must be fingerprinted by the USCIS.  Below is an excerpt from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) website which answers commonly asked questions regarding fingerprinting procedures. 

Questions and answers about Fingerprinting Procedures in the Adoption Application Process

Q: I have adopted my child and brought him/her into the country. Is there any reason for me to be fingerprinted again?

A: No, there is no need for you to be fingerprinted again. Your application for a specific child was approved. If you file another I-600A application to adopt another child, you will need to be fingerprinted at that time.

Q: I filed an I-600A and an I-600 application in your office. The I-600A was approved in December of 2002, and the I-600 was approved in February of 2003. My child will be brought into the U.S. in April of 2003. My fingerprints, taken when I filed my I-600A, expire in March of 2003. Should I be reprinted?

A. No, you do not need to be printed again. You were able to file your I-600A and your I-600, and get approvals on both within the 15 months that your prints were valid.

Q. My I-600A was approved in December of 2002, but I had my fingerprints taken in January of 2002 when I filed my application. That would mean that my prints will expire in April of 2003. I plan to bring my child home in late March of 2003. Should I be printed again, just in case?

A: Yes, if you will be filing an I-600 application within 30 days of your fingerprint expiration, it is recommended that you be printed again.

Q: I brought in my I-600A application in October of 2002, and it was approved in March of 2003. If I don’t know when I will be filing my I-600, should I be re-fingerprinted this summer so that I can be assured that my prints will remain valid for the duration of my approval.

A: No, it is best if you wait until you are certain that your prints will expire before having them taken again. Thirty (30) days before expiration is plenty of time to have prints taken again.

Q: If I do need to be re-fingerprinted, will I need to pay the fee?

A: Yes, if you need to be re-fingerprinted you will need to pay the $50 fingerprinting fee for each adult member of your household being re-fingerprinted. Please note, the fingerprint fee cannot be paid at the Application Support Center (ASC) where your fingerprints are taken. The fingerprint fee must be paid at your local U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office. When you go to the USCIS office to be scheduled for fingerprints, bring your I-171H approval notice with you. You will then be provided with a referral letter/appointment notice to appear at the ASC for fingerprinting.

Q: How will I know that my fingerprint files are about to expire?

A: Your fingerprint clearances files expire 15 months after that the date that the USCIS received a response from the FBI. This is approximately 15 months from the date that you were fingerprinted

Q: I am planning to travel overseas to file my I-600. Can I wait and be fingerprinted at the Embassy or Consulate?

A: Yes, you can. You should be aware that the fingerprint clearance process for persons fingerprinted overseas takes much more time than it does for those who are fingerprinted in the United States. If your fingerprints have expired, or will expire before your date of travel, you should contact your local office to be fingerprinted again so that your fingerprints can be processed sooner.