CANADIAN Criminal Records, HELP!!

[BigAussieZee 0]

I just got information back from the US Consulate in Sydney asking me to provide a Criminal Record Check from Canada as I spent more than 6months there since turing 16 years of age. I have recently received my Australian Record Check (by fingerprints) and got the all clear.

I have checked online about getting a certificate from the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police), which has current processing times with a wait in excess of 150days! for one with fingerprints.

I have also checked the Commissionaires in Canada and they said about the same processing time.

In reading other threads I have heard that some people just get a check based on a national name and DOB search (if they dont have criminal records). I have contacted a few police organizations in Canada about this and they have told me that I have to be in Canada to get that done.

Has anyone had any luck getting a Canadian Criminal Record Check done recently (with or without fingerprints) and how did you go about it?

Any help would be great. Thanks.

[gag54611 1]

You can see details of what is required at this web page. It looks like you have to get the fingerprint type done. Hopefully it won't take as long as you have observed.

G

[BigAussieZee 0]

You can see details of what is required at this web page. It looks like you have to get the fingerprint type done. Hopefully it won't take as long as you have observed.

G

Thanks for that, but I have been over that info already. I am sending an application to the RCMP for a fingerprint search, But, I want to see if I can get either another fingerprint based search OR just the name and DOB search ASAP so I can file sooner. The worst thing that will happen in that the US Consulate will ask me to send the fingerprint based search once I have it if they dont accept the name based one.

Any one else have some advice.

Ta.

[zyggy 9]

You can see details of what is required at this web page. It looks like you have to get the fingerprint type done. Hopefully it won't take as long as you have observed.

G

Thanks for that, but I have been over that info already. I am sending an application to the RCMP for a fingerprint search, But, I want to see if I can get either another fingerprint based search OR just the name and DOB search ASAP so I can file sooner. The worst thing that will happen in that the US Consulate will ask me to send the fingerprint based search once I have it if they dont accept the name based one.

Any one else have some advice.

Ta.

You can only get a name based check if you can be physically in Canada. If you can't be physically in Canada, then the fingerprint search is the only way to go...

[griffin 7]

POLICE AND PRISON RECORD

Available. Persons sixteen years of age and older may obtain a police or prison record from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Headquarters in Ottawa. Application should be made through the police department nearest the applicant's present or latest place of residence, or through the appropriate RCMP office where there is no other local police jurisdiction. Applicants should request that their fingerprints be taken in duplicate for visa purposes, and should present a statement that the United States consular officer requires them to obtain a police clearance based on a check of the RCMP records.

The RCMP record is sent directly to the applicant. Part One of the criminal record lists all convictions for indictable offenses supported by fingerprints. Part Two contains non-indictable offenses, acquittals, withdrawals, any cases not supported by fingerprints and foreign records. When Part One does not exist and Part Two contains only one non-indictable offense which has not been repeated, and acquittals and withdrawals where the alleged offenses have not been repeated, the information is withheld and the fingerprint form is stamped "No Record". When there is a record of violation of United States immigration laws, the complete criminal record is forwarded. When fingerprints are searched with negative results, the form is stamped "No Record". In addition, the local police department, through which the applicant has applied for a RCMP check, usually supplies a statement of the results of a check through its own files. When court records are required, they should be sought first through the Clerk of the Court of the judicial district in which the conviction was pronounced. The Provincial Clerk of the Court in Edmonton holds some court records from each of the twelve judicial districts in Alberta.

Former residents of a consular district or applicants residing outside Canada may submit their request (along with their fingerprints taken in duplicate by the police authorities of their place of residence) to:

Commissioner

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Civil Section

P.O. Box 8885

12 Alta Vista Drive

Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 3MB

A fee of 25 Canadian dollars must accompany each request. The fee must be in the form of a certified check or money order, payable to the Receiver General for Canada.

note: requirements differ from different places in Canada.

[JEDI 0]

• 
  Depending on whether "money is no object" to you, and how much of a hurry you are in...
  ...you might be able to save a few months by taking the super-long and expensive flight to Canada so you can get your "name check" done in person. (I did mine a couple of weeks ago, and it took 5 or 10 minutes - after waiting in line for an hour.)
  Of course, this would only be worth it if you DON'T have any arrests on record in Canada. Otherwise, you would be wasting time instead of saving time.
  Also, I don't know what kind of identification would be asked of a non-Canadian citizen or resident. For that, you would have to ask the RCMP directly. No matter what, you should definitely call the RCMP to get answers to all your questions, this being not your everyday case.
  What would be tremendous would be if the Australian police could request the name check on your behalf. Surely there are cases where people are arrested in Australia and the police there request an arrest record from Canada and other countries. I just have my doubts that they would be willing to make such a request for someone asking for their own record (or in this case lack of one) so they could complete a visa application. Still, I don't think it would hurt to try. And think of all the time you would save. So, if you haven't already, I would ask the Australian police if there is any way they can help you. Who knows, maybe there is already something in place for cases like yours. Failing that, perhaps the Canadian embassy could help you, since technically embassies are an extension of "home soil" for each country.
  Sorry I wasn't of more concrete help, but hopefully one of my suggestions might pan out for you.
  Good luck.
  Aussi-Aussie-Aussie - Oy-oy-oy
  

[Flames9_RN 358]

I know the Winnipeg City Police Wil do a criminal background check (canada wide) and mail it to you, but not sure if they will send it out of country. I had one mailed to me from Winnipeg to halifax. Doesnt hurt to contact them and find out. Not sure if the Australian Consulate with accept it though. They search the exact same system as the RCMP, but consulates can be picky.

http://www.winnipeg.ca/police/BPR/info_req...m_record_search

[zyggy 9]

I know the Winnipeg City Police Wil do a criminal background check (canada wide) and mail it to you, but not sure if they will send it out of country. I had one mailed to me from Winnipeg to halifax. Doesnt hurt to contact them and find out. Not sure if the Australian Consulate with accept it though. They search the exact same system as the RCMP, but consulates can be picky.

http://www.winnipeg.ca/police/BPR/info_req...m_record_search

While the Montreal or Vancouver Consulate would probably accept a non-RCMP Police Certificate, I highly doubt the consulate in Sydney would... They don't know what CPIC is and wouldn't be able to discern whether the certificate they were holding is valid or not...

Edited May 19, 2006 by zyggy

[BigAussieZee 0]

I know the Winnipeg City Police Wil do a criminal background check (canada wide) and mail it to you, but not sure if they will send it out of country. I had one mailed to me from Winnipeg to halifax. Doesnt hurt to contact them and find out. Not sure if the Australian Consulate with accept it though. They search the exact same system as the RCMP, but consulates can be picky.

http://www.winnipeg.ca/police/BPR/info_req...m_record_search

While the Montreal or Vancouver Consulate would probably accept a non-RCMP Police Certificate, I highly doubt the consulate in Sydney would... They don't know what CPIC is and wouldn't be able to discern whether the certificate they were holding is valid or not...

Good point. I have contacted SydneyIV and ask if a non-fingerprint based search would be acceptable, just waiting to hear back from them.