Police Checks Will Take 6 Weeks

[Piefre 15]

Hey, I was wondering if any of you have tried to get the police check or police clearance in Calgary before and what I need to say to them exactly. I just went yesterday to put in a request for a police information check (that's what they called it).

I had to fill out a yellow form that asked me pretty basic stuff like my name, birth date, purpose of the request (I checked 'immigration'), whether I've been convicted of a crime (No) and when I handed the form to them, it was $30 and the woman at the booth told me it'll take around six weeks to get it mailed back to me. Which shocked me and I thought that was strange. I wanted to ask her to clarify but she was very busy and had someone itching to get whatever he needed to get done right after me.

So I shuffled out of there perplexed as to why a name check on someone with no record would take six weeks when everyone else here seems to be able to get their police clearance in a day or two unless you requested a check that involves fingerprinting. Did I fill out the wrong form? I'm going to try to call a different station later this week when I've got time, but I wanted to know if this six weeks thing is standard for Calgary, if the woman at the booth misunderstood me, or if I filled out/requested the wrong thing.

[bigbigblake 2]

My wife's in Winnipeg and they were able to print it while she stood there.

That seems a bit extreme!

[Saylin 1,605]

For Montreal, it's usually 1-2 weeks. It's definitely weird that they said it would be 6 weeks, especially if it's just a name check and not fingerprints too. It also depends on WHERE you go (i.e. RCMP, local police station, or agency). Where did you go?

Definitely call and ask about it though as it shouldn't be more than 2 weeks for a simple name check.

Perhaps it's like NVC though with IR-1/CR-1 visas when they say it'll take 6-8 weeks to get a case number, yet it only takes a week. Maybe they're just telling you 6 weeks to be on the safe side.

[Piefre 15]

For Montreal, it's usually 1-2 weeks. It's definitely weird that they said it would be 6 weeks, especially if it's just a name check and not fingerprints too. It also depends on WHERE you go (i.e. RCMP, local police station, or agency). Where did you go?

Definitely call and ask about it though as it shouldn't be more than 2 weeks for a simple name check.

Perhaps it's like NVC though with IR-1/CR-1 visas when they say it'll take 6-8 weeks to get a case number, yet it only takes a week. Maybe they're just telling you 6 weeks to be on the safe side.

I went to a police station at first and the nice fellow there told me they don't do the checks at the police station. They do them at the Police Administration Building with the Police Information Check Unit. So that's where I went. I did get told the check does scan through the CPIC so at least that requirement is satisfied. The place didn't seem like a police station, it was more like a place where you'd go to pay your traffic tickets, and request police clearances for job and immigration purposes.

I am hoping she was just telling me 6 weeks to be on the safe side.

[Saylin 1,605]

I went to a police station at first and the nice fellow there told me they don't do the checks at the police station. They do them at the Police Administration Building with the Police Information Check Unit. So that's where I went. I did get told the check does scan through the CPIC so at least that requirement is satisfied. The place didn't seem like a police station, it was more like a place where you'd go to pay your traffic tickets, and request police clearances for job and immigration purposes.

I am hoping she was just telling me 6 weeks to be on the safe side.

Sounds like a courthouse type of thing. Maybe they're backed up and that's why they said 6 weeks. Definitely call and ask though to verify. Perhaps the person you spoke with just mis-spoke and thought you were getting something else done.

[Andy and Kayla 45]

That's strange. Like a previous poster said, they printed mine while I stood there and waited. *shrug* I'm in Ontario, though, so it may be different.

[Brandi n Michael 8]

It really depends where you apply. Winnipeg (where I'm from) told me 4-6 weeks but you can go to a smaller town and get it straight away. Try to go to the 'off the beaten path' type places. Pick a smaller town outside Calgary, some do require you to have ties to the town though.

Ex: I lived in Winnipeg, I went to Selkirk (30 mins north) because I worked there. Same day service.

[Tileeka 1]

When I went to the Police, I was told 6-8 months... panic!! Did some research and found you can use an agency. I went to see her, she did my fingerprints right there electronically, even did an FBI search. It was done that day and documents were in the mail within a week.

[Piefre 15]

It really depends where you apply. Winnipeg (where I'm from) told me 4-6 weeks but you can go to a smaller town and get it straight away. Try to go to the 'off the beaten path' type places. Pick a smaller town outside Calgary, some do require you to have ties to the town though.

Ex: I lived in Winnipeg, I went to Selkirk (30 mins north) because I worked there. Same day service.

I could try calling around but I don't have ties anywhere outside of the city, unfortunately. Family, friends, and work are all within the city. Hmm, I wonder if this little news item I just dug up has anything to do with this six week wait:

QR77 Newsroom

9/23/2010

It may take you longer to get cleared to work with a volunteer group or coach a hockey team in the coming weeks. Thousands of Calgarians get a criminal record check every year and that process has changed slightly but has resulted in some workload backups. The checks used to include surname, given name, gender and date of birth, now including only the latter two. Acting Staff Sergeant Scott Boyd says it helps identify those who have changed their name after being pardoned for a sexual offense. He says not only will the public be more aware of the change, but those convicted of crimes are also aware they can't "slip through the cracks". Anyone flagged is subject to fingerprint tests, which means estimated processing time could be anywhere from 21-120 days, depending on criminal file findings.

Oh lord. I hope my check doesn't take 120 days, it'll be like waiting for the NOA2, part 2.

[bigbigblake 2]

It really depends where you apply. Winnipeg (where I'm from) told me 4-6 weeks but you can go to a smaller town and get it straight away. Try to go to the 'off the beaten path' type places. Pick a smaller town outside Calgary, some do require you to have ties to the town though.

Ex: I lived in Winnipeg, I went to Selkirk (30 mins north) because I worked there. Same day service.

Man, I've been to Selkirk. My wife lives in Tyndall currently and went to Bousejour for her police check I think.

[Piefre 15]

Called up the remaining three stations that would be able to do a police check for me and all of them said the same thing. Could take six weeks or more. Looks like I'm stuck waiting unless I can find some way to get this done outside of the city. Anyone from Calgary who had to get their check recently have any ideas on what to do? Six weeks, I can probably wait if this is actually the right document I'm waiting for. If it takes longer than six weeks, things will get hairy.

[Piefre 15]

When I went to the Police, I was told 6-8 months... panic!! Did some research and found you can use an agency. I went to see her, she did my fingerprints right there electronically, even did an FBI search. It was done that day and documents were in the mail within a week.

Please let me know if the consulate accepted this at your interview. I will probably have to go this route if my interview date looms up and I still don't have my check or--heaven forbid--I didn't get the right check.

[Saylin 1,605]

Please let me know if the consulate accepted this at your interview. I will probably have to go this route if my interview date looms up and I still don't have my check or--heaven forbid--I didn't get the right check.

I got my police check done through an agency who does police checks for work, volunteer, immigration purposes. It was cheaper than the local police station and RCMP and only took 10 days to get. Consulate doesn't care where you get your police check done as long as it checks the national database.

[Piefre 15]

I got my police check done through an agency who does police checks for work, volunteer, immigration purposes. It was cheaper than the local police station and RCMP and only took 10 days to get. Consulate doesn't care where you get your police check done as long as it checks the national database.

In this case, does anyone have any agency recommendations? If nothing else, I will be using one if my police check doesn't come back in time.

[Moosker 7]

I didn't do a local police check, just the RCMP one, which she did right there as I waited. Took maybe 20 minutes.