Criminal Record & Fingerprints in Canada

[Dreamman 1]

Want to confirm that my police check is good for a year ? However on the certificate it says expires 3 months?

Can someone please confirm.

Thank you

[NikLR 13,220]

Montreal accepts them for up to a year from issue. When I got mine done I specifically asked the officer how long it was valid for and he said, as long as the party wanting it says it's valid for.

But mine also didnt have anything about an expiration date. I was able to get another for free for the first three months, but that was my local rcmp office.

Edited December 19, 2013 by NLR

[Krikit 1,163]

Montreal accepts them for up to a year from issue. When I got mine done I specifically asked the officer how long it was valid for and he said, as long as the party wanting it says it's valid for.

But mine also didnt have anything about an expiration date. I was able to get another for free for the first three months, but that was my local rcmp office.

There won't be an expiry date, per se, but the expiry date will be a year from issue.

---

For K-1's t's best to get this as close to the interview date as possible as it will need to be current for the adjustment of status.

[Crumulent 7]

Sometimes people without criminal convictions will still have to submit to fingerprinting. There are a few reasons this can happen, but it's usually because someone else has or had the same name and birthday as you.

A couple years ago my employer had to have security checks done for all employees. Out of around 100 people done, I think 4 or 5 had to be fingerprinted even though they had no convictions.

[Shelbym 2]

There won't be an expiry date, per se, but the expiry date will be a year from issue.

---

For K-1's t's best to get this as close to the interview date as possible as it will need to be current for the adjustment of status.

If it's not current for the AOS (hypothetically), what happens then?

[NikLR 13,220]

You have to get a new one.

[Danseamans 0]

My financee went and got her fingerprints done electronically at one of the listed vendors. She has a minor conviction

Although the websites say 22 weeks for processing, does anyone have any experience validating this time line?

We've recieved our NOA2 and a 22 week wait will be brutal

thanks in advance

d

[Rlelle09 28]

What I have learned through this whole situation is that if you have been arrested for a criminal offense you MUST submit fingerprints to the RCMP even if you have no convictions. This was the case for me. The local police here in toronto refused to give me a clearance letter until submitting my prints to the RCMP. A criminal record doesnt exactly mean that you have been convicted, but that you have a criminal arrest record. The toronto police, and record destruction clarified this for me, because I had always thought crimial record meant convictions.

[Rlelle09 28]

My financee went and got her fingerprints done electronically at one of the listed vendors. She has a minor conviction

Although the websites say 22 weeks for processing, does anyone have any experience validating this time line?

We've recieved our NOA2 and a 22 week wait will be brutal

thanks in advance

d

My fingerprints were submitted July 18th, 2014 and they told me it could take in excess of 120 days. I got my MP involved and my record check was completed and mailed out on the 12th of September, but I have yet to receive it in the mail. Hopefully today.

[scottishlander 5]

Here is the info for what you need in Canada:

Police Records

Inside Canada: Applicants who are physically present in Canada should contact their local police service or Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) office regarding criminal record check procedures. Applicants may obtain a certificate of no conviction issued by any Canadian police service so long as it notes that Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) or the national criminal records repository was searched using the applicant's name and date of birth. Applicants should ensure that the search includes all names that they have previously used, including maiden names, prior married names, or names used before Canadian naturalization. (Note: Because records checks based on name and date of birth only are sometimes less thorough than those based on fingerprints, U.S. diplomatic offices reserve the right to request that certain applicants obtain fingerprint-based searches from the RCMP.)

Applicants who have been convicted of a crime in Canada must contact their local RCMP office to obtain a "Certified Criminal Record Check," which lists an applicant's criminal history, indicating the section of the Canadian Criminal Code under which the applicant was charged, the disposition of the case, and the penalty imposed, if any. Obtaining a Certified Criminal Records Check requires submission of a fingerprint chart; the RCMP could take between two and twelve months to process a request for a Certified Criminal Record Check. (Note: If a namecheck by a police agency reveals a conviction record, that agency may be unwilling to issue a certificate and may refer the applicant to the RCMP for a Certified Criminal Record Check.)

Canadian pardons have no effect under U.S. law. Applicants who have been convicted of a crime in Canada that was subsequently pardoned must contact an RCMP office to obtain both a Certified Criminal Record Check and copies of their pardoned criminal record.

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/fees/reciprocity-by-country/CA.html

[Sweetcheeksss 91]

When I did mine (back in 2009) it was supposed to take 12 weeks but it took like almost 8 months cause they were backed up.

[Rlelle09 28]

Here is the info for what you need in Canada:

Police Records

Inside Canada: Applicants who are physically present in Canada should contact their local police service or Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) office regarding criminal record check procedures. Applicants may obtain a certificate of no conviction issued by any Canadian police service so long as it notes that Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) or the national criminal records repository was searched using the applicant's name and date of birth. Applicants should ensure that the search includes all names that they have previously used, including maiden names, prior married names, or names used before Canadian naturalization. (Note: Because records checks based on name and date of birth only are sometimes less thorough than those based on fingerprints, U.S. diplomatic offices reserve the right to request that certain applicants obtain fingerprint-based searches from the RCMP.)

Applicants who have been convicted of a crime in Canada must contact their local RCMP office to obtain a "Certified Criminal Record Check," which lists an applicant's criminal history, indicating the section of the Canadian Criminal Code under which the applicant was charged, the disposition of the case, and the penalty imposed, if any. Obtaining a Certified Criminal Records Check requires submission of a fingerprint chart; the RCMP could take between two and twelve months to process a request for a Certified Criminal Record Check. (Note: If a namecheck by a police agency reveals a conviction record, that agency may be unwilling to issue a certificate and may refer the applicant to the RCMP for a Certified Criminal Record Check.)

Canadian pardons have no effect under U.S. law. Applicants who have been convicted of a crime in Canada that was subsequently pardoned must contact an RCMP office to obtain both a Certified Criminal Record Check and copies of their pardoned criminal record.

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/fees/reciprocity-by-country/CA.html

I had seen this as well as got information from other VJ members, but my PERSONAL experience was not so. i did finally receive my criminal record check yesterday and it states I have no criminal record, yet i had to go through the RCMP.

[scottishlander 5]

I had seen this as well as got information from other VJ members, but my PERSONAL experience was not so. i did finally receive my criminal record check yesterday and it states I have no criminal record, yet i had to go through the RCMP.

Do you mean that at first your non-RCMP police certificate was rejected by NVC? Rejected by the consulate?

What was the issue?

Thanks!

[Rlelle09 28]

Do you mean that at first your non-RCMP police certificate was rejected by NVC? Rejected by the consulate?

What was the issue?

Thanks!

No, I was denied a name check / clearance letter from the Toronto police even though I have no convictions/criminal record. I do, however, have an arrest record ( anytime the police put handcuffs on you this is kept in their system even if nothing results from the arrest, court apperances, charges etc.). I had to submit my fingerprints to the RCMP, which took 2 1/2 months to get ONLY because I got my MP (member of parliament) involved.

[scottishlander 5]

It says in the directions that if you have a conviction you have to get the fingerprint certificate from the RCMP. An arrest is not a conviction so perhaps they technically should not have required the RCMP certificate with fingerprints.

I assume that if you have no convictions they will not have a problem with a non-fingerprint, non-RCMP certificate from the local police department.

Edited September 25, 2014 by scottishlander