How long does it take RCMP to process background check right now?

[TimonLovesSkylour 7]

Hi everyone,

 

So, here's the situation: I have an interview booked for Wednesday, October 10th at the Montreal consulate. I just went this afternoon (Wednesday, Sept. 26th) to get my RCMP check done at a Commissionaires location. The woman I spoke to there said that it should take 72 hours for the RCMP to process my request, before it is mailed out to me (I'm in Toronto).

 

The thing is, since this stuff just got changed on September 10th, earlier this month (that is, the US gov't now requiring an RCMP check, rather than just a police certificate), she said she wasn't sure if they're still able to process these requests within the 72 hour time frame that she said is how long it typically used to take. (I guess because of the presumably greater volume of requests, it might be slowing things down a bit?)

 

Does anyone have a sense of roughly how long the RCMP background check requests are taking these days? Are they still being processed within the 72 hour time frame that was typical previously (before the Sept. 10 change by the US gov't to require them for all visa interviews), or are they now taking longer?

 

Since I need to be travelling on Tuesday, October 9th, I need the RCMP check to arrive to me in the mail by Monday the 8th. Have I left enough time for it to arrive?

 

Thank you so much!

Edited September 26, 2018 by TimonLovesSkylour

[arellah 125]

I don't have an answer (as I have the same question as you haha), but a quick question: Did you get word that this type of check is required or are you doing this just to be safe?

 

Best of luck at your interview!

Edited September 26, 2018 by arellah

[TimonLovesSkylour 7]

5 minutes ago, arellah said:

I don't have an answer (as I have the same question as you haha), but a quick question: Did you get word that this type of check is required or are you doing this just to be safe?

 

Best of luck at your interview!

Thank you for the good wishes.

 

And yes, I've gotten this because it is now required by the US consulate -- my understanding is that they want it for all visa applicants. I could be wrong though -- I'm doing a k1 fiance visa application, so I'm not sure if this applies to every type of applicant. (Though I'm guessing it does.)

 

They changed from accepting police certificates (which involve only a name and date of birth check) to asking for an RCMP background check (which includes the name and DOB check, but also fingerprints). The change became effective on September 10th. You can find a thread in this section of the forum that talks about this: https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/683334-urgent-new-police-certificate-requirement/

 

Good luck to you as well!

Edited September 26, 2018 by TimonLovesSkylour

[arellah 125]

1 minute ago, TimonLovesSkylour said:

Thank you for the good wishes.

 

And yes, I've gotten this because it is now required by the US consulate -- my understanding is that they want it for all visa applicants. I could be wrong though -- I'm doing a k1 fiance visa application, so I'm not sure if this applies to every type of applicant. (Though I'm guessing it does.)

 

They changed from accepting police certificates (which involve only a name and date of birth check) to asking for an RCMP background check (which includes the name and DOB, but also fingerprints).

Thanks for the reply. I haven't gotten my interview date just yet, I was curious if they had sent out a notice that says they require that.. My nearest Commissionaires office is quite far from where I live, so I'm pretty nervous about how I'm going to get this check completed.

[debbiedoo 2,339]

the old RCMP check for my fiance (with fingerprints) took a couple of weeks if i recall. hell have to re do it now with the new one as i think its different.

 

i would expect a couple of weeks.

 

25 minutes ago, arellah said:

Thanks for the reply. I haven't gotten my interview date just yet, I was curious if they had sent out a notice that says they require that.. My nearest Commissionaires office is quite far from where I live, so I'm pretty nervous about how I'm going to get this check completed.

you need to get on that so you have time for it to process and get it back before your interview so you have it.

[TimonLovesSkylour 7]

2 minutes ago, debbiedoo said:

the old RCMP check for my fiance (with fingerprints) took a couple of weeks if i recall. hell have to re do it now with the new one as i think its different.

 

i would expect a couple of weeks.

 

you need to get on that so you have time for it to process and get it back before your interview so you have it.

Yes, it would be a good idea to get started on it now. Keep in mind that I'm pretty sure you can make the RCMP request at a police station, also, it just takes longer, because they submit the request by snail mail rather than electronically. So if you've got lots of time until your interview, and it's easier to get to a police station than to a commissionaires location, maybe try that option.

 

Also, when you're submitting the request, make sure you insist that the request to the RCMP is submitted in the "Privacy Act" category, *not* the "Visa/Border" or "Visa/Waiver" category. (This stuff is all discussed in that thread I linked you to.)

[arellah 125]

39 minutes ago, TimonLovesSkylour said:

Yes, it would be a good idea to get started on it now. Keep in mind that I'm pretty sure you can make the RCMP request at a police station, also, it just takes longer, because they submit the request by snail mail rather than electronically. So if you've got lots of time until your interview, and it's easier to get to a police station than to a commissionaires location, maybe try that option.

 

Also, when you're submitting the request, make sure you insist that the request to the RCMP is submitted in the "Privacy Act" category, *not* the "Visa/Border" or "Visa/Waiver" category. (This stuff is all discussed in that thread I linked you to.)

Thank you! I called my local RCMP office and booked an appointment for Friday morning  Appreciate your guys' suggestions!!

[Tinman71 42]

Make sure the record check is requested under the privacy act  not for visa purposes 

[Abby P 0]

I recently went for a police check in Etobicoke and they said it takes between 1 -4 weeks. I received mine in about 10 business days. Hope this helps!