Police Certificates for Canada - Do I need to contact each locality or can I just contact RCMP?

[sammy060382 1]

Hi folks,

My Canadian husband is a bit confused where he needs to get his police certificates from. He has lived in three different places throughout Canada since he was 16. The form we got with the immigrant VISA checklist says he can contact the RCMP. However, he is unsure if this will cover all three localities he has lived in or if he needs to call each locality instead. Which leads me to my next question. If he does need to contact each locality, can he call to get his police certificate or does he need to go in person?

We're probably both over-thinking this.

Thanks in advance,

- Samantha

[MSR 6]

Hi there

I did a lot of research about this as well and it can be quite confusing. I called the R.C.M.P and they said it can take months to get a cross canada police check. However the person on the phone said i could go to a Commissionaire's office here locally, they would take my fingerprints and send it electronically to the R.C.M.P, who would then process within 72 hours.

I think thats the best route to go.

Hope this helps.

[sdw 10]

The finger print check is needed if you have a record. I went to my local police station and said I need a police check for immigration. I had it the same day and it was for all of Canada.

[MSR 6]

Interesting, i dont have a record, but opted for the Commissionaire as it was much quicker to get. ( a week as opposed to months , or thats what i was told anyway )

[canadian_wife 1,822]

If you do not have a record, you just need a Canada wide name check with CPIC on it or a search of the national repository. This can be done at most local police stations.

Good luck.

[OBX 51]

I had the same experience as sdw. You DO NOT need a fingerprint check if you do not have a criminal record. I went to the local RCMP detachment in Niagara Region, walked in and had my certificate free of charge within half an hour.

This link may help.

Canadian Police Certificate Requirements Just scroll down to police records.

[sammy060382 1]

Thanks for all the great replies!

It sounds like my husband will only need to go to one place rather than three. One final (and possibly stupid) question. We currently reside in Toronto and noticed there are no RCMP locations within the actual city according to the RCMP website. Can we still get a police check done within Toronto for all of Canada or do we need to go to one of the actual locations on the RCMP website?

Thanks again,

- Samantha

[canadian_wife 1,822]

No, you don't need to go to a RCMP office. As I already posted, you can go to the local police station. I went to the one on College and Yonge.

http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/recordsmanagement/clearance.php

This is what we submitted at the consulate and we were fine. It only took about 10 days to get

Good luck

[sammy060382 1]

Hi there,

My husband received what i'm guessing is the clearance letter in the mail. It specifies that there are no records for him, yet in the next sentence it says the following:

"Positive identification that a criminal record may or may not exist at the National Criminal Records repository can only be confirmed by fingerprint comparison."

Does everyone else's clearance letter say the same thing? Does my husband need to do anything else or is this enough?

Thanks,

- Sam

[OBX 51]

Hi there,

My husband received what i'm guessing is the clearance letter in the mail. It specifies that there are no records for him, yet in the next sentence it says the following:

"Positive identification that a criminal record may or may not exist at the National Criminal Records repository can only be confirmed by fingerprint comparison."

Does everyone else's clearance letter say the same thing? Does my husband need to do anything else or is this enough?

Thanks,

- Sam

NVC will only accept police records that state: Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) or the national criminal records repository was searched using the applicant’s name and date of birth as noted in the link I posted above.

Mine stated that and I was not required to have any fingerprints taken.

Where did he get his certificate from?

Edited August 2, 2010 by OBX

[sammy060382 1]

NVC will only accept police records that state: Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) or the national criminal records repository was searched using the applicant’s name and date of birth as noted in the link I posted above.

Mine stated that and I was not required to have any fingerprints taken.

Where did he get his certificate from?

Hi OBX,

Thanks for the reply. He got the clearance letter at the Toronto police headquarters so i'm assuming it's pretty standard. I was there with him when he went in and he simply asked for a national police check. It does indeed specify that the National Criminal Records repository maintained by the RCMP did not identify any records. It's the next sentence that specifies that positive identification can only be confirmed by fingerprint comparison. It doesn't say he's required to get fingerprints.

- Sam

[OBX 51]

Hi OBX,

Thanks for the reply. He got the clearance letter at the Toronto police headquarters so i'm assuming it's pretty standard. I was there with him when he went in and he simply asked for a national police check. It does indeed specify that the National Criminal Records repository maintained by the RCMP did not identify any records. It's the next sentence that specifies that positive identification can only be confirmed by fingerprint comparison. It doesn't say he's required to get fingerprints.

- Sam

I think you should be fine then. Mine was from the local RCMP detachment and it also specified "search not confirmed by fingerprints" We had no issues with it. You could also ask canadian_wife, I believe she got hers from Toronto police.

Edited August 2, 2010 by OBX