Police Certificates

[eveningcocanut 0]

Hiya there. I just mailed in our I-130 today to the US Embassy here in Dublin and I am now trying to prepare all the documents they will be asking for assuming they approve it and send it back to me soon. I see I will need police certificates. Here's the problem: my husband has moved A LOT in his life because of his parents growing up. He was born in England, lived there until he was 6, then moved to Ottawa, CA, then to North Carolina in the US, then back to Montreal, CA, Kingston, CA and finally Toronto, CA. Now he lives here in Dublin with me! What police certs do I need? He has absolutely NO criminal record anywhere. Obviously I need one from here in Ireland and one from Canada. Do I need one from the US? Or England since he only lived there when he was so young? I went to the Canadian Embassy today (very helpful btw, unlike the American one here who won't even let me in the front door) and they gave me a form to mail back with finger prints and everything, but said it will take at least 4 months! I read somewhere in a different forum that I can go through a private agency and just get a Name Check or something...DO we really have to do the finger print thing and wait 4 months!! We got really excited about DCF because it seemed so quick but this Police Cert is really gonna slow us down. HELP please!!!

[payxibka 10,047]

Hiya there. I just mailed in our I-130 today to the US Embassy here in Dublin and I am now trying to prepare all the documents they will be asking for assuming they approve it and send it back to me soon. I see I will need police certificates. Here's the problem: my husband has moved A LOT in his life because of his parents growing up. He was born in England, lived there until he was 6, then moved to Ottawa, CA, then to North Carolina in the US, then back to Montreal, CA, Kingston, CA and finally Toronto, CA. Now he lives here in Dublin with me! What police certs do I need? He has absolutely NO criminal record anywhere. Obviously I need one from here in Ireland and one from Canada. Do I need one from the US? Or England since he only lived there when he was so young? I went to the Canadian Embassy today (very helpful btw, unlike the American one here who won't even let me in the front door) and they gave me a form to mail back with finger prints and everything, but said it will take at least 4 months! I read somewhere in a different forum that I can go through a private agency and just get a Name Check or something...DO we really have to do the finger print thing and wait 4 months!! We got really excited about DCF because it seemed so quick but this Police Cert is really gonna slow us down. HELP please!!!

Police report required for all countries resided since the age of 16.. in addition the US = NO

[trailmix 77]

Hiya there. I just mailed in our I-130 today to the US Embassy here in Dublin and I am now trying to prepare all the documents they will be asking for assuming they approve it and send it back to me soon. I see I will need police certificates. Here's the problem: my husband has moved A LOT in his life because of his parents growing up. He was born in England, lived there until he was 6, then moved to Ottawa, CA, then to North Carolina in the US, then back to Montreal, CA, Kingston, CA and finally Toronto, CA. Now he lives here in Dublin with me! What police certs do I need? He has absolutely NO criminal record anywhere. Obviously I need one from here in Ireland and one from Canada. Do I need one from the US? Or England since he only lived there when he was so young? I went to the Canadian Embassy today (very helpful btw, unlike the American one here who won't even let me in the front door) and they gave me a form to mail back with finger prints and everything, but said it will take at least 4 months! I read somewhere in a different forum that I can go through a private agency and just get a Name Check or something...DO we really have to do the finger print thing and wait 4 months!! We got really excited about DCF because it seemed so quick but this Police Cert is really gonna slow us down. HELP please!!!

As payxibka said.

Just a note, for the Canadian police certificate - you are going to have to request these through the RCMP and he will need to get the full fingerprint version. Normally, if he was still in Canada, he could just get a name check - however since he is not he must do the fingerprints. More info can be found on the RCMP site.

Alternately you might want to try the Commissionaires for the fingerprint version - not sure if they deal with overseas clients - but worth contacting them:

http://www.commissionaires.ca/services/pol...clearances.html

Edited April 28, 2009 by trailmix

[Bobby+Umit 161]

don't they have to reside at least 6 months in a country to be required to provide a police report from that country?

so if you were there for 4 months, no police report is needed? I am not clear on that...

[payxibka 10,047]

don't they have to reside at least 6 months in a country to be required to provide a police report from that country?

so if you were there for 4 months, no police report is needed? I am not clear on that...

that is a consulate dependant situation... some are 6 mos and some are 12 mos...

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Ok - thanks

[trailmix 77]

But generally - it's 12 months - for a country that is not the country of your nationality

The 6 months applies to the country of your nationality.

Edited April 28, 2009 by trailmix

[Bobby+Umit 161]

But generally - it's 12 months - for a country that is not the country of your nationality

The 6 months applies to the country of your nationality.

OK - thanks for the clarification.

[eveningcocanut 0]

This is what I found on the NVC website:

Police certificates

Police certificates are required for each visa applicant aged 16 years or older. The table below shows how many police certificates are required based on where each applicant lives and has lived previously. Present and former residents of the United States should NOT obtain any police certificates covering their residence in the U.S.

IF the applicant is living in their country of nationality at their current residence for more than 6 months

AND is 16 years old or older

THEN the applicant needs a police certificate from the police authorities of that locality.

IF the applicant lived in a different part of their country of nationality for more than 6 months

AND was 16 years or older at that time

THEN the applicant needs a police certificate from the police authorities of that locality.

IF the applicant lived in a different country for more than 12 months

AND was 16 years or older at that time

THEN the applicant needs a police certificate from the police authorities of that locality.

IF the applicant was arrested for any reason, regardless of how long they lived there

AND was any age at that time

THEN the applicant needs a police certificate from the police authorities of that locality.

The police certificate must:

* Cover the entire period of the applicant’s residence in that area, and

* State what the appropriate police authorities records show concerning each applicant, including all arrests, the reason for the arrest(s), and the disposition of each case of which there is a record.

Note : Police certificates from certain countries are unavailable. More specific information is available from NVC or the nearest United States immigrant visa processing post.

Where are you finding that it says they MUST have the fingerprint version?? Also, does this mean we have to go to the local authorities in each city in Canada he lived in? Or can we just get one national name check?

Edited May 3, 2009 by eveningcocanut

[trailmix 77]

Where are you finding that it says they MUST have the fingerprint version?? Also, does this mean we have to go to the local authorities in each city in Canada he lived in? Or can we just get one national name check?

From the same page you were probably looking at, if you read the details:

Contact the appropriate police authorities. Selecting the appropriate country from the Reciprocity by Country page will provide you with additional information on how to obtain a police certificate.

You will want to check the Reciprocity table, for Canada, to ensure you order the correct documents to submit (including birth certificates etc). You only need one check for Canada, you do not need one from every city/town he lived in there.

If he goes back to Canada to have the Police certificate issued, then he can just have the name check, not the fingerprint check.

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. Additional information is available online.

Outside Canada: Applicants who are not physically present in Canada must obtain a Certified Criminal Record Check by sending a duplicate set of fingerprints (taken by a local police force) to the RCMP. Fingerprint submissions must include the following:

rolled and flat impressions of all ten fingers taken with black ink (may use a standard FD-258 FBI fingerprint card)

full name, date of birth, and sex of the applicant

the name and address of the police agency taking the fingerprints

the signature of the official taking the fingerprints

the reason for the fingerprint submission (U.S. visa)

the processing fee of CAD 25.00 or USD 18.00, payable to the "Receiver General for Canada" by certified check or money order.

Fingerprint submissions should be sent to: RCMP, Civil Fingerprint Screening Services, P.O. Box 8885, Ottawa, ON, K1G 3M8. Additional information is available online.

Special note for applicants who reside or resided in Newfoundland and Labrador: The RCMP did not operate in Newfoundland before April 1, 1949. Therefore, applicants who were age sixteen or over in 1949 and who resided anywhere in Newfoundland and Labrador for six months or longer after reaching the age of sixteen must obtain a Good Conduct Certificate issued by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC). Applicants should inquire at RNC offices in St. John’s, Corner Brook, Churchill Falls, or Labrador City, or may contact the RNC at: Headquarters, Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, 1 Fort Townshend, St. John’s, NL, A1C 2G2, tel: 709-729-8000.

Edited May 4, 2009 by trailmix

[eveningcocanut 0]

Where are you finding that it says they MUST have the fingerprint version?? Also, does this mean we have to go to the local authorities in each city in Canada he lived in? Or can we just get one national name check?

From the same page you were probably looking at, if you read the details:

Contact the appropriate police authorities. Selecting the appropriate country from the Reciprocity by Country page will provide you with additional information on how to obtain a police certificate.

You will want to check the Reciprocity table, for Canada, to ensure you order the correct documents to submit (including birth certificates etc). You only need one check for Canada, you do not need one from every city/town he lived in there.

If he goes back to Canada to have the Police certificate issued, then he can just have the name check, not the fingerprint check.

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. Additional information is available online.

Outside Canada: Applicants who are not physically present in Canada must obtain a Certified Criminal Record Check by sending a duplicate set of fingerprints (taken by a local police force) to the RCMP. Fingerprint submissions must include the following:

rolled and flat impressions of all ten fingers taken with black ink (may use a standard FD-258 FBI fingerprint card)

full name, date of birth, and sex of the applicant

the name and address of the police agency taking the fingerprints

the signature of the official taking the fingerprints

the reason for the fingerprint submission (U.S. visa)

the processing fee of CAD 25.00 or USD 18.00, payable to the "Receiver General for Canada" by certified check or money order.

Fingerprint submissions should be sent to: RCMP, Civil Fingerprint Screening Services, P.O. Box 8885, Ottawa, ON, K1G 3M8. Additional information is available online.

Special note for applicants who reside or resided in Newfoundland and Labrador: The RCMP did not operate in Newfoundland before April 1, 1949. Therefore, applicants who were age sixteen or over in 1949 and who resided anywhere in Newfoundland and Labrador for six months or longer after reaching the age of sixteen must obtain a Good Conduct Certificate issued by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC). Applicants should inquire at RNC offices in St. John’s, Corner Brook, Churchill Falls, or Labrador City, or may contact the RNC at: Headquarters, Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, 1 Fort Townshend, St. John’s, NL, A1C 2G2, tel: 709-729-8000.

I have read this page a hundred times before...my concern was that we can get the CPIC certificate of no conviction by mail, he doesn't actually have to be present to do it. So what's the difference if he's there or not? I think we are just going to get it by mail and submit that. For anyone else out there trying to figure this out, Commissionaires also will do the fingerprint version for $235 Canadian (about 150 Euro) and it takes around 6 weeks, instead of the 4+ months! So if you have that kind of money, decide you want to go with the fingerprint version and don't want to wait, it's a good option.

[trailmix 77]

I have read this page a hundred times before...my concern was that we can get the CPIC certificate of no conviction by mail, he doesn't actually have to be present to do it. So what's the difference if he's there or not? I think we are just going to get it by mail and submit that. For anyone else out there trying to figure this out, Commissionaires also will do the fingerprint version for $235 Canadian (about 150 Euro) and it takes around 6 weeks, instead of the 4+ months! So if you have that kind of money, decide you want to go with the fingerprint version and don't want to wait, it's a good option.

You can absolutely go ahead and get the CPIC check by mail. The point of this discussion was not that you personally cannot get a name check only for him, the point, I believe is that it is not what they request in the instructions.

Now they may accept just a name check in Dublin, I don't know, not familiar with that embassy/consulate - have you contacted them to ask?

Anyway good luck

Edited May 5, 2009 by trailmix

[kzumel 0]

Just a quick note. My husband lives in Brazil and we are trying to get through this visa process. We obtained a name based police certificate from Commissionaires through the mail. While there is no evidence that we were not present in Canada when we obtained this NVC said that we have to get a fingerprint check. We obtained the same police certificate we would get if we were "present" in Canada (ie. on vacation). While I am arguing their decision, I suggest that if you get the name based check to expedite the application, that you also get a fingerprint based check ordered to be prepared if they reject the first one.

If anyone else has had problems with name based checks and found a way to resolve this with NVC, let me know.

Good luck to everyone.

[kzumel 0]

I contacted Commissionaires this morning. Apparently their ink to digital fingerprint scanner is being inspected and it may take months to be back online. I'm thinking positive thoughts in hopes this happens sooner. David Greene at Commissionaires did verify that they can offr this service when the scanner is working.

[treesh 0]

hi i would like to know at what point r we supposed to have the police clearance ready? and when and where is it sent...and with which application or document? i jes need to know ahead of time to get things ready...at same time i have to calculate the timing correctly as these pcc's r valid for only 6 months. im still waiitn for noa2.