Urgent: New police certificate requirement!!!

[SKB2017 95]

8 hours ago, HarryWL said:

 

Which Province do you live in? I thought getting my UK police check would be a headache, Canada just took it to the next level! 

 

I don’t understand how it’s suppose to show fingerprints when the privacy act document doesn’t show them.  It completely contradicts the US website. 

 

Also do you understand what this is referring to? Thanks!

 

• You must also specifically request the record which includes the “RCMP National Repository entire holdings.”  

Im in Sault Ste. Marie Ontario.  The website had a few contradictions in it for sure.  It said it must be a certified document and show your fingerprints, but whoever wrote that out, didn't do their homework very well.  The one that they requested us to get under the Privacy Act actually does not show your photo or your fingerprints on the actual document when you get it back, even though you do get your photo and fingerprints taken at the time.  The fingerprints will be checked then destroyed.  When you go and get it, you have to tell them you want the one under the privacy act and that this has to go through the  RCMP National Repository entire holdings.  Had no idea what the meant at the time i went and made my appointment, but she told me that it always does anyway.

[arellah 125]

10 hours ago, SKB2017 said:

yes, that is the one that they are requesting.  Most of us had already done the original name check only and are going to bring that along with the new privacy act fingerprint one as well.  Why not, we paid for it already, can't hurt.  First one was $40.00  and the privacy act one for me was only $35.00.  I'm seeing a lot of price differences from people, weird.

My first name check was free - I have an appointment to get the fingerprint tomorrow morning and they said it will cost $50. I might just spend $100 and get the Privacy Act one and the Visa one. Thoughts on this? I figure its better to be over prepared.

[SKB2017 95]

1 minute ago, arellah said:

My first name check was free - I have an appointment to get the fingerprint tomorrow morning and they said it will cost $50. I might just spend $100 and get the Privacy Act one and the Visa one. Thoughts on this? I figure its better to be over prepared.

My appointment for the Privacy Act one is on October 4 and i was thinking the same thing.  Can't hurt.

[MtnBoarder 61]

5 minutes ago, SKB2017 said:

Im in Sault Ste. Marie Ontario.  The website had a few contradictions in it for sure.  It said it must be a certified document and show your fingerprints, but whoever wrote that out, didn't do their homework very well.  The one that they requested us to get under the Privacy Act actually does not show your photo or your fingerprints on the actual document when you get it back, even though you do get your photo and fingerprints taken at the time.  The fingerprints will be checked then destroyed.  When you go and get it, you have to tell them you want the one under the privacy act and that this has to go through the  RCMP National Repository entire holdings.  Had no idea what the meant at the time i went and made my appointment, but she told me that it always does anyway.

 Just to add to your response, when I was at the commissioners office they actually read me the department of homeland security memo that was sent out. The memo itself has contradictions in, first stating that they were looking for a certified copy but then a bullet point beneath that states that non-certified copies are whats available, and what they’re expecting. So yes, there certainly are contradictions and it does make you wonder who wrote the memo! That’s why In all of the posts I’ve done I try to make it clear that it’s a non-certified copy that everyone needs. Some people seem to be getting hung up on the certified versus non-certified version. Also, Just because fingerprints are done and a picture is taken it doesn’t mean that it’s going to show up on the form.  I was told from the beginning that it wouldn’t  contain my picture or prince, and that’s exactly what I was expecting and received.  I think the commissioners office I went to just happen to know what they were doing and talking about  because I received exactly what they said I was going to receive. I do believe there still a lot of confusion since it is a new process so I hope everybody gets it figured out  as easily as I did. 

 

 

[KN2018 18]

Just wondering approximately how long it took for people from the point of requesting the Privacy Act police report to receiving it? 

[JP John 65]

I went today in Toronto to get the “new” rcmp certified criminal record check thru the privacy act and it is apparently two different things?  You either get it thru the privacy act or you get it certified but not both. I was told to do the privacy act one but it would not be certified. What have others used and did they accept it?

[MariahK 16]

17 hours ago, TimonLovesSkylour said:

 

Okay, great, that is very helpful. Thank you very much!

 

And I'll get the police certificate, too -- it can't hurt, like you said.

 

Thank you for the feedback as well! Just wondering, was it 9 business days, or 9 days including weekends?

9 days including a weekend. I filed on a Thursday and got it on a Friday!

[SKB2017 95]

27 minutes ago, JP John said:

I went today in Toronto to get the “new” rcmp certified criminal record check thru the privacy act and it is apparently two different things?  You either get it thru the privacy act or you get it certified but not both. I was told to do the privacy act one but it would not be certified. What have others used and did they accept it?

The Privacy Act one is not a certified document.  You got the privacy act one, which is the correct one needed.

[LLabout 16]

Hey everyone.

I am immigrating from Canada (Ontario) to the US, I believe i have an IR1?  anyway, the police check has stressed me out beyond belief. 

On September i went to get my Police certificate and the police services told me to use a 3rd party service (so i googled canadianfingerprints.com).  they were great and accommodated me well.  I went in there with the information from the website stating to get the PRIVACY ACT document and have my fingerprints taken, and to NOT get the Visa/border crossing etc document.  This was on a monday, (sept 10) and i received it in the mail on the friday (sept 14). (this cost me $75).  I submitted it online on the 15th to get rejected on the 17th stating that it's not the correct form.  I followed ALL THE STEPS and it was rejected.  I then called NVC and they stated that i need to get the privacy act WITH fingerprints displayed on the certificate and that it needs to be certified. I called the canadian fingerprint people and they are stuck in the middle as they don't know which one we need either as the Privacy Act is non certified, but the Visa/Border Crossing is certified and displays your picture and fingerprints, yet the NVC states to get the privacy act version.

I then called back again on the friday and they escalated it to a manager.  This i come to find out can take up to 6 WEEKS for them to look into it. I went to the Canadian Fingerprint place AGAIN on the 19th to pay an additional $75 to get the Visa/Border Crossing check completed, which i receive in the mail today (sept 27th).  I just submitted it along with the original privacy act so here's hoping they accept them this time.  I personally think it's ridiculous to have to spend $150 for 2 different certificates and a difference of 2 full weeks of a delay because the left hand doesn't have a clue what the right hand is doing.

 

So, if you are wondering which one to get, as of right now i would say get BOTH completed at the same time to save yourself a headache until this is fixed. (unless it's fixed and i'm completely unaware),  Good luck all.

 

[MariahK 16]

53 minutes ago, LLabout said:

Hey everyone.

I am immigrating from Canada (Ontario) to the US, I believe i have an IR1?  anyway, the police check has stressed me out beyond belief. 

On September i went to get my Police certificate and the police services told me to use a 3rd party service (so i googled canadianfingerprints.com).  they were great and accommodated me well.  I went in there with the information from the website stating to get the PRIVACY ACT document and have my fingerprints taken, and to NOT get the Visa/border crossing etc document.  This was on a monday, (sept 10) and i received it in the mail on the friday (sept 14). (this cost me $75).  I submitted it online on the 15th to get rejected on the 17th stating that it's not the correct form.  I followed ALL THE STEPS and it was rejected.  I then called NVC and they stated that i need to get the privacy act WITH fingerprints displayed on the certificate and that it needs to be certified. I called the canadian fingerprint people and they are stuck in the middle as they don't know which one we need either as the Privacy Act is non certified, but the Visa/Border Crossing is certified and displays your picture and fingerprints, yet the NVC states to get the privacy act version.

I then called back again on the friday and they escalated it to a manager.  This i come to find out can take up to 6 WEEKS for them to look into it. I went to the Canadian Fingerprint place AGAIN on the 19th to pay an additional $75 to get the Visa/Border Crossing check completed, which i receive in the mail today (sept 27th).  I just submitted it along with the original privacy act so here's hoping they accept them this time.  I personally think it's ridiculous to have to spend $150 for 2 different certificates and a difference of 2 full weeks of a delay because the left hand doesn't have a clue what the right hand is doing.

 

So, if you are wondering which one to get, as of right now i would say get BOTH completed at the same time to save yourself a headache until this is fixed. (unless it's fixed and i'm completely unaware),  Good luck all.

 

Yeah it's all crappy and confusing. Commissionaires in Toronto told me there was no such thing as a Privacy Act that shows the fingerprints on it nor is it certified. People in the thread and others have stated they've been accepted with different criminal checks so far (so annoying). You're not the only one going through this mess, so just know that you're not alone lol ❤️.Good luck to you too, and I hope they accept what you've sent this time. 

Edited September 27, 2018 by MariahK

[arellah 125]

Hey guys! Wanted to update you on my appointment this morning with the RCMP. I am in Alberta. I got the electronic fingerprints done requested under the privacy act, they also took my picture. The whole process was pretty simple, she was a bit confused as to what I needed at the beginning but once I showed her the paperwork, she seemed to know exactly what to do.

 

In terms of paperwork I brought, I just printed off what it says on the site as pointed out by @MtnBoarder and brought that in so they could take a look at it:

 

Quote

Also, here is a link the consulate sent me with specific instructions on how to find the information.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country.html

 

“Click on the “C” for Canada and then scroll to the police, court, and prison record tab” said the instructions.  

 

It went well, was quite quick. I did mention to the lady that was helping me that I was a little concerned about not having the fingerprints on the actual paper, so she was nice enough to get an RCMP Officer to do physical paper prints with me for no charge - these have the RCMP seal on it as well. She said she wasn't sure if they would be needed, but just in case I might as well be prepared. I did ask her about the Visa Fingerprint Check and she said no, I did not need that. It states very clearly on the paperwork that it is not needed, which is why she suggested the physical fingerprints.

 

It was a cool experience actually, I got to go back where they process the inmates haha. But for sure, if you are on the fence about getting this police check done, I highly recommend just doing it. For me, it was only $50 and 30 minutes of my time and now I feel a whole lot less anxious about not being prepared once I go to my interview.

[MeghanK 629]

Hey all - so my fiance went a couple days ago to the RMCP in Burnaby, BC. They seemed to know exactly what he needed for the certs, that it was the privacy act ones, and that it was a new policy. They finger printed him, took his photo, he asked for the "RCMP National Repository entire holdings" they told him that was standard, yada, yada, yada. Only thing is, he was told the Privacy Act certs were free and was not charged at all, not even to be mailed the cert...

 

Anyone else not have to pay? Seems like lots of folks saying they had to pay $50. I wonder if it's different for some stations, if they screwed it up, or if we screwed it up... Fairly certain what he got was exactly what we needed according to the new reciprocity directions.

[HarryWL 262]

I called the RCMP location in Hamilton, and asked if I needed to make an appointment or just turn up. 

 

They said there was an online document I needed to fill out, and when I said I needed to do a photo/fingerprints check under the Privacy Act they said they don’t do that in Ontario and it’s only the online form. 🤦🏻‍♂️ I literally told him it’s a new policy and he still said the same. The lack of communication is shocking. 

Edited September 29, 2018 by HarryWL

[HarryWL 262]

On 9/27/2018 at 5:45 PM, JP John said:

I went today in Toronto to get the “new” rcmp certified criminal record check thru the privacy act and it is apparently two different things?  You either get it thru the privacy act or you get it certified but not both. I was told to do the privacy act one but it would not be certified. What have others used and did they accept it?

 

Which location did you go to please?

[JP John 65]

2 minutes ago, HarryWL said:

 

Which location did you go to please?

I went to Commisionaires at 15 Toronto St in Toronto but they have offices all over the country according to the RCMP dude I spoke to on the phone