Automated National DNA Fingerprint Registry (Fnaeg)
Verified 05 June 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
In which cases your DNA fingerprints can they be kept? It is mainly in the context of criminal investigations that the national forensic service can take your fingerprints and register them. They are then centralized and stored in the Fnaeg: titleContent. If your data is entered in this file, you can access it, request that it be rectified and, under certain conditions, request that it be erased. Here is the information you need to know.
The Fnaeg: titleContent is intended to facilitate the search for and identification of people questioning or convicted of certain offenses such as:
- Sexual offenses (e.g. rape, sexual assault)
- Murder
- Acts of torture and barbarism
- Voluntary violence
- Drug trafficking
- Property offenses (e.g. theft, destruction of property, extortion)
- Offenses against the Nation (e.g. act of terrorism).
The Fnaeg also allows to search and identify a deceased person whose identity is unknown, a victim of natural disaster or a missing person.
People who can see their data recorded at Fnaeg
The data recorded at Fnaeg: titleContent concern:
- People indictments or convicted of certain offenses (murder, drug trafficking, theft, terrorism, etc.)
- Persons prosecuted for an offense but not convicted because they have been declared irresponsible criminally
- Deceased persons whose identity could not be established
- Victims of natural disasters
- Minors or protected majors which have disappeared
- People whose disappearance is worrying.
This file also lists the personal data of ascendants , descendants and collateral from missing persons and victims of natural disastersprovided that they have given their consent in writing.
When they give their consent, the ascendants, descendants and collaterals allow the comparison of their genetic fingerprints with those recorded (or which can be recorded) in the Fnaeg.
FYI
One judicial police officer may take the fingerprints of a person solely suspected of having committed certain offenses (rape, drug trafficking, pimpingetc.) in order to compare them with the prints already in the Fnaeg. Nevertheless, the fingerprints will be deleted if the person is not {circumflex over (x)}.
Type of data recorded at Fnaeg
The following data are stored in Fnaeg:
- Genetic fingerprint
- Number of the case in which registration with Fnaeg was requested
- Service that requested registration with Fnaeg
- Date of application for registration with Fnaeg
- Name of the person who performed the genetic analysis
- Infringement for which registration at Fnaeg has taken place
- Date of commission of facts
- Surname, first names, parentagedate and place of birth of the persons whose DNA has been collected.
The following authorities may have access to Fnaeg: titleContent to a greater or lesser extent :
- Staff of national forensic service
- Magistrate in charge of the Fnaeg control
- Judicial police officer and judicial police officer
- Staff assigned to the central biological sample preservation service
- Approved person who has carried out the identification analyses by genetic fingerprints
- Agent of an international cooperation agency concerning the judicial police under the conditions laid down in international treaties
- An officer of a police or judicial service of a foreigner country under the conditions laid down in international treaties.
The retention period of the data at the Fnaeg: titleContent depends on the reason why the registration took place.
Where registration is due to the commission of a offense, the retention period varies in particular according to the age of the person continued or convicted.
Persons concerned | Maximum shelf life adult person | Maximum shelf life Minor person |
|---|---|---|
Person convicted of committing certain infringements Examples: rape, murder, torture, theft, extortion, destruction of property, act of terrorism. | Between 25 and 40 years of age, depending on the seriousness of the incident | From 15 to 25 years depending on the severity of the facts |
Declared person irresponsible criminally for certain offenses | Between 25 and 40 years of age, depending on the seriousness of the incident | From 15 to 25 years depending on the severity of the facts |
Between 15 and 25 years of age, depending on the seriousness of the incident | 10 to 15 years, depending on the seriousness of the incident | |
Unknown person | From 25 to 40 years | |
Unidentified deceased person | Until the identification of the deceased person or for 40 years | |
Missing person | Until the missing person is found or for 40 years | |
Ascendant, descendant or collateral of a missing person or a victim of a natural disaster | Until the missing person is found or for 40 years | |
In general, these periods run from the date of registration of the data with Fnaeg.
However, if the person is found guilty or irresponsible criminally, the time limit begins on the day on which the decision of guilt or irresponsibility becomes definitive.
You can request the communication of your stored data at Fnaeg: titleContent by addressing a postal mail the national forensic service.
Who shall I contact
Your request must state the reasons why you wish to obtain this information.
You must attach a double-sided copy of your identity document (national identity card, passport, etc.).
In the event of refusal or in the absence of a response within 2 months, you can send a request to the Cnil: titleContent :
FYI
If you are unsure if your DNA is listed in the Fnaeg, you can also write to national forensic service. Your application must be accompanied by a copy of your ID on both sides. In case of no response within 2 months, you can make a request to the Council.
If you find that data concerning you are incomplete or inaccurate, you can request a correction of the Fnaeg: titleContent.
Your request must be made in writing.
It must be addressed to public prosecutor the location of the case that led to the registration at Fnaeg.
Who shall I contact
FYI
Your request must be accompanied by all supporting documents proving that the entries on the file are inaccurate or incomplete.
If an error is found, the public prosecutor shall rectify Fnaeg's data as soon as possible.
If your request is rejected, he or she must inform you of the reasons for the refusal.
You can request the erasure of your data from the Fnaeg: titleContent before the end of the shelf life.
The procedure for making this erasure request depends on your situation:
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
You are being prosecuted for an offense
Request for erasure to the public prosecutor
You must apply to the public prosecutor of the jurisdiction where you have been accused or your home.
The request is made by letter RAR: titleContent or by declaration to graft.
You can use a form :
Request for erasure of the National Automated DNA File (Fnaeg) - Public Prosecutor
You must attach the following documents to your application:
- Duplex/back copy of your identity document (national identity card, passport or residence permit)
- Copy of a document concerning the case (summons before the investigation services or before the investigating judge, judgment, decision of filing without follow-up, decision of dismissaletc.).
The public prosecutor must answer you within 3 months according to your request.
He is obligated to have the data entered in the Fnaeg deleted if you have been the subject a dismissal or dismissal of the charges.
In other cases, he may oppose the deletion of these mentions.
Warning
In case of refusal, no new application can be made before a delay of 1 year following the decision of the public prosecutor.
Remedies in case of failure to reply or refusal of the request
In the absence of an answer or if the prosecutor has objected to the erasure, you can make a appeal to the president of the investigation chamber.
This appeal must be made by post RAR: titleContent or by declaration to graft, in the 10 days after the expiry of the 3-month period. It must be sent to the President of the Investigative Chamber of the Court of Appeal, to which the court that issued the decision that led to the registration in Fnaeg depends.
Who shall I contact
Example :
You applied on January 9, 2025. The public prosecutor had until April 9, 2025 to respond to you. If he has not done so or has refused the erasure, you have until April 19, 2025 to file an appeal.
This remedy must be reasoned: you must explain the reasons for your request.
You can use a form :
You must attach the following:
- Duplex/back copy of your identity document (national identity card, passport or residence permit)
- Copy of the ddecision of refusal of erasure of the public prosecutor. If you don't have it, copy of a document concerning the case : summons before the investigative services or before the investigating judge, judgment, decision of filing without follow-upetc.
From the receipt of your appeal, the President of the Examining Chamber shall have a period of 3 months to give you an answer.
His decision is yours notified by post RAR: titleContent.
Please note
If the investigating chamber has not respected certain rules of law, you can appeal in cassation.
You have been found guilty or have been the subject of a decision not to be criminally responsible
Request for erasure to the public prosecutor
You can request the early erasure of your data at the end of the following periods :
- 3 years when the legal retention period of your fingerprints is 15 years
- 7 years when this period is 25 years
- 10 years when this period is 40 years.
You must apply to the public prosecutor the jurisdiction where the proceedings were conducted or your domicile.
The request is made by letter RAR: titleContent or by declaration to graft.
You can use a form :
Request for erasure of the National Automated DNA File (Fnaeg) - Public Prosecutor
You must attach the following documents to your application:
- Duplex/back copy of your identity document (national identity card, passport or residence permit)
- Copy of a document concerning the case : summons before the investigative services or before the investigating judge, judgment of the criminal court, decision of acquittaletc.
The public prosecutor must answer you within 3 months of your request.
If you have been the subject of a decision to release or acquittal became definitive, erasure has obligatory place.
In other cases, the prosecutor may object.
Warning
In case of refusal, no new request can be made before a delay of 1 year following the decision of the public prosecutor.
Remedies in case of failure to reply or refusal of the request
In the absence of an answer or if the prosecutor has objected to the erasure, you can make a appeal to the president of the investigation chamber.
This appeal must be made by post RAR: titleContent or by declaration to graft, in the 10 days after the expiry of the 3-month period. It must be sent to the President of the Investigative Chamber of the Court of Appeal, to which the court that issued the decision that led to the registration in Fnaeg depends.
Who shall I contact
Example :
You applied on January 9, 2025. The public prosecutor had until April 9, 2025 to respond to you. If he has not done so or has refused the erasure, you have until April 19, 2025 to file an appeal.
This remedy must be reasoned: you must explain the reasons for your request.
You can use a form :
You must attach the following:
- Duplex/back copy of your identity document (national identity card, passport or residence permit)
- Copy of the ddecision of refusal of erasure of the public prosecutor. If you don't have it, copy of a document concerning the case : summons before the investigative services or before the investigating judge, judgment, decision of filing without follow-upetc.
From the receipt of your appeal, the President of the Examining Chamber shall have a period of 3 months to give you an answer.
His decision is yours notified by post RAR: titleContent.
Please note
If the investigating chamber has not respected certain rules of law, you can appeal in cassation.
You're a relative of a missing person
Request for erasure to the public prosecutor
You must apply to the public prosecutor the court in which the proceedings giving rise to the registration were conducted or your place of residence.
The request is made by letter RAR: titleContent or by declaration to graft.
You can use a form
Request to delete the National Automated DNA File - Relatives of Missing Persons
You must attach the following documents to your application:
- Duplex/back copy of your identity document (national identity card, passport or residence permit)
- Copy of a document concerning the case : summons before the investigative services or before the investigating judge, judgment, decision of filing without follow-up, decision of dismissaletc.
The public prosecutor must respond to you within 3 months of your request.
If the person has been found, he must obligatorily accept that your data be erased from Fnaeg: titleContent.
In other cases, it may oppose the erasure.
Please note
The erasure of your data at Fnaeg makes it impossible to compare with other fingerprints saved in this file.
Remedies in case of failure to reply or refusal of the request
In the absence of an answer or if the prosecutor has objected to the erasure, you can make a appeal to the president of the investigation chamber.
This appeal must be made by post RAR: titleContent or by declaration to graft, in the 10 days after the expiry of the 3-month period. It must be addressed to the President of the Investigative Chamber of the Court of Appeal, to which the court that issued the decision that led to the registration in Fnaeg depends.
Who shall I contact
Example :
You applied on January 9, 2025. The public prosecutor had until April 9, 2025 to respond to you. If he has not done so or has refused the erasure, you have until April 19, 2025 to file an appeal.
This remedy must be reasoned: you must explain the reasons for your request.
You can use a form :
You must attach the following:
- Duplex/back copy of your identity document (national identity card, passport or residence permit)
- Copy of the ddecision of refusal of erasure of the public prosecutor. If you don't have it, copy of a document concerning the case : summons before the investigative services or before the investigating judge, judgment, decision of filing without follow-upetc.
From the receipt of your appeal, the President of the Examining Chamber shall have a period of 3 months to give you an answer.
His decision is yours notified by post RAR: titleContent.
Please note
If the investigating chamber has not respected certain rules of law, you can appeal in cassation.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
For information on data stored at Fnaeg
National forensic serviceFor help with a data erasure request to Fnaeg
Lawyer
Offenses concerned
Recorded data, retention period, request for erasure of data
Taking fingerprints of deceased persons
Means of data retention addressed to the central service for the preservation of biological samples
Protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data for the purpose of detecting criminal offenses
Service Public
Service Public
Service Public
Service Public
National Commission for Informatics and Liberties (Cnil)
Ministry of the Interior