K1 Visa Criminal Record Check fingerprint based or name check?

[jackson6658 13]

I just learned this: "As of September 10, 2018 a fingerprint-based, certified criminal record check REQUESTED UNDER THE CANADIAN PRIVACY ACT from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is required by U.S. Consular posts in Canada" from US visa website. I only did a regular name checked criminal record check from local police station. My Montreal interview in on Feb 13,2019.  Is there anyone who got k1 visa approved with a reguar name checked criminal record check? Or anyone's application was delayed due to no finger print based criminal record check? and what happened next?  Where to get the finger print based criminal record check done in Toronto? How long it takes? Thank you for any sharing or opinion!!   

[C32 46]

First, can you edit your post to break it up into paragraphs? It’s hard to read as is. 

 

Second, you’ll want to get the fingerprints based one. You can go to any RCMP station and request it under the privacy act (the request is free but you’ll pay about $60 for the fingerprints). 

 

I just printed out that page from the USCIS site and brought it with me so they could see what I was referencing if they had questions. 

[jackson6658 13]

19 minutes ago, C32 said:

First, can you edit your post to break it up into paragraphs? It’s hard to read as is. 

 

Second, you’ll want to get the fingerprints based one. You can go to any RCMP station and request it under the privacy act (the request is free but you’ll pay about $60 for the fingerprints). 

 

I just printed out that page from the USCIS site and brought it with me so they could see what I was referencing if they had questions. 

Thank you!

[PurelyRavage 92]

"RCMP  non certified criminal records check with fingerprints- this is for people who DO NOT HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD and have applied for for an immigration benefit. This is when they (RCMP/Commissionaires ) select "Privacy check" under the privacy act/Canadian law. The outcome mailed to you DOES NOT HAVE your fingerprint visible on the form due to Canadian privacy laws but your fingerprints have been checked against their biometrics databases. This form is not sealed with RCMP certified  insignia. THIS is the form that will be required f or k1 visa's. "

[CarrollAm 108]

The issue I had recently (last month) when I did this, was that the RCMP detachment told me to contact the US Consulate or Embassy I am involved with to ask for EXACTLY what is needed because a "certified fingerprint based criminal record check, under the PRIVACY ACT" does not exist.
The RCMP office told me that there is either one or the other, and they cannot physically do both in Canada. I can have either the certified fingerprint based record check, or the record check under the Privacy Act (which is not certified).
So I emailed the consulate to get solid clarification, and they replied with: 
 

Quote

To ensure full disclosure of criminal record information, U.S. diplomatic and consular offices in Canada require that you obtain a copy of your criminal record REQUESTED UNDER THE CANADIAN PRIVACY ACT based on fingerprint-based searches from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  To obtain a copy of your criminal record under the Privacy Act, you must submit your fingerprints to a local police service or RCMP-approved partner agency.  YOU MUST STATE THAT YOU ARE REQUESTING THE RECORD UNDER THE PRIVACY ACT AND NOT GIVE “VISA APPLICATION” AS THE PURPOSE OF THE REQUEST.  You must also specifically request the record which includes the “RCMP National Repository entire holdings.”  Failure to follow these instructions exactly will lead to a document that will not be accepted by the consular section.  While the Government of Canada does not charge for this service, designated fingerprint collection companies may charge their own service fee for processing.  Once processed by RCMP, the document will be sent directly to you and you should then provide it to the requesting U.S. embassy or consulate.  Applicants previously convicted of a crime in Canada should expect the process to take several months. 

So I printed the email out to show the embassy when I go to my interview (if there is an issue... I don't suspect there will be but it's always "better safe than sorry" during this process)
At the RCMP detachment, they put the request as under the PRIVACY ACT, and wrote "National Repository entire holdings" as the reason for request (as to NOT write it being for a visa, because Ottawa wont accept the search request under the privacy act if there is no reason listed 😊

Also, it took exactly 10 business days for me to receive the completed criminal record search back  in the mail.

Edited January 31, 2019 by EdmoAm