Travel to Canada to get Police Certificate

[jrh242 0]

My fiance resides in the Bahamas.

She lived in Canada for over a year while attending University.

Thus, for the K-1 interview they are requiring a Police Certificate from Canada.

The current wait time for submitting a police certificate via mail to RMCP is 10 weeks.

I have searched and read previous threads here on this issue and saw that if you go to a local police station

you can get the police certificate much quicker (some responses said 5 minutes).

Does anyone know if that option of going in person is only available to Canadian residents?

Or can she just fly up there for a couple days and walk into a local police station and pay the fee

and request the certificate of no conviction?

[CAdreamer 14]

Hopefully someone who knows for sure will chime in, but I'm going to say I don't think it would work that way. When I was getting my certificate at my local station, there was a woman from out of town who wanted to get her certificate there that day. They told her they couldn't do it for her and she would have to go to the police station in the city where she lives. So, based on that, I'm guessing no.

(weird though... since they are searching the database for all of Canada, it shouldn't matter where you live or which station you goes to...)

[TNIM 0]

This is how i did it. I am Canadian Citizen lives in United States. I took ink finger print at local police station in USA and reached out to company "Canadian Fingerprinting Services Inc." They transform ink finger print to electronic finger print and submit to RCMP electronically. I got police clearance certificate from RCMP in 3 days + time required to reach postal mail to USA = 10 days.

As per RCMP

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cr-cj/time-temps-eng.htm. (Check out processing time as well).

If you submit ink finger print it would take atleast 8-10 weeks but for electronic finger print (which is available only for Canadian resident) would take atleast 3 days.

Third party contact detail.

Canadian Fingerprinting Services Inc.

305 Milner Ave Suite # 103

Toronto ON M1B 3V4

Tel: 416-996-6417 (Direct)

416-901-5608 (Office)

Fax: 416-901-8042

info@canadianfingerprints.com

www.canadianfingerprints.com

I hope this will help.

[JeeplessInSeattle 1]

I also have a question about the police certificates for K1 visas. The instructions I read at one point indicated that my Canadian fiance (applying for K1 to move here to the states) would need to get police certificates from every city where he lived since he was 16 (if I remember right). Since he just turned 50 and has bounced around from B.C. to Alberta in his lifetime, that would translate to about 10 different cities he'd need to get certificates from. He asked me if he could instead just get a clearance from the RCMP instead. My guess is that would be too easy (something I have yet to experience with the government). Can anyone clarify this for me?

[CAdreamer 14]

The police check in Canada is Canada-wide, so you wouldn't need one from each city he has lived in -- just 1 covering all of Canada.

This is the information that I have, sent by Montreal in my appointment confirmation email:

Residents of Canada 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. The applicant should ensure that the search includes all names previously used, including maiden names, prior married names, or names used before Canadian naturalization. If a namecheck by a police agency reveals a conviction record, that agency may refer the applicant to the RCMP for a "Certified Criminal Record Check", which lists the 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 fingerprints. For obtaining police certificates from around the world, please visit http://travel.state.gov/visa/fees/fees_3272.html.

** It is not necessary to obtain police certificates from the United States.

[pocheros 101]

I also have a question about the police certificates for K1 visas. The instructions I read at one point indicated that my Canadian fiance (applying for K1 to move here to the states) would need to get police certificates from every city where he lived since he was 16 (if I remember right). Since he just turned 50 and has bounced around from B.C. to Alberta in his lifetime, that would translate to about 10 different cities he'd need to get certificates from. He asked me if he could instead just get a clearance from the RCMP instead. My guess is that would be too easy (something I have yet to experience with the government). Can anyone clarify this for me?

No, the police certificate is only for each country he has lived in for greater than 1 year since turning 16. And if he was born in a country other than Canada he needs a certificate from there too.

He only needs a simple check that indicates his name and date of birth were searched in the CPIC or national criminal records repository. If he lives in Ontario the local police station can point him to the right station to do a check (not all police stations do checks but he does not have to use the RCMP, and in fact the RCMP tends to be slow with this stuff.)

The exception is if he has a criminal record, in which case he needs to use the RCMP.

[JeeplessInSeattle 1]

I LOVE THIS SITE!! You guys who volunteer your time to share your knowledge/experience make this whole process somewhat bearable for us newbies!

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

[Maineman/Ont girl 0]

Hopefully someone who knows for sure will chime in, but I'm going to say I don't think it would work that way. When I was getting my certificate at my local station, there was a woman from out of town who wanted to get her certificate there that day. They told her they couldn't do it for her and she would have to go to the police station in the city where she lives. So, based on that, I'm guessing no.

(weird though... since they are searching the database for all of Canada, it shouldn't matter where you live or which station you goes to...)

You can apply for your cpic....criminal reference check at any police station and receive it on the spot IF it is not for a vulnerable persons cpic. I work with in social services with vulnerable clients so I must apply for the vulnerable persons cpic that can only be applied for in the town/city where you reside and it can take 6-10 weeks to receive it in the mail. I had to wait.....to start my new position (within same agency).

[Ontarkie 14,225]

You can apply for your cpic....criminal reference check at any police station and receive it on the spot IF it is not for a vulnerable persons cpic. I work with in social services with vulnerable clients so I must apply for the vulnerable persons cpic that can only be applied for in the town/city where you reside and it can take 6-10 weeks to receive it in the mail. I had to wait.....to start my new position (within same agency).

You are replying to a 4 year old thread.

~~As such this thread is locked to further comments.~~

Edited March 21, 2016 by Ontarkie