Police Certifications

[Mouces]

Hey, in the process of completing an outland application for my US wife. There is a checklist that includes a Police Certificate and Clearances. I was wondering if we could get away with a local state check (2-3 weeks) rather than a full FBI clearance which takes 3-4 months! Second, she is with me in Canada, can we get any of that done at the US embassy in Toronto.

 

[DuberBlue]

It's gotta be FBI, unless the rules have recently changed. I had to do the same for my wife this year. It only took about 6 weeks for me however.

I don't think the consulate in TO will be able to expedite things either; it's not an FBI outpost :O

 

[scylla]

FBI clearance is mandatory.

 

[mikeymyke]

The CIC website says its 3-4 months, but it's actually just 1-2 months.

 

[QuebecOkie]

Yep, have to send a request directly to the FBI, per the instructions on the FBI website. http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/criminal-history-summary-checks/submitting-a-criminal-history-summary-request-to-the-fbi. Timeline is around six weeks.

 

[Millertimez]

Hey, in the process of completing an outland application for my US wife. There is a checklist that includes a Police Certificate and Clearances. I was wondering if we could get away with a local state check (2-3 weeks) rather than a full FBI clearance which takes 3-4 months! Second, she is with me in Canada, can we get any of that done at the US embassy in Toronto.

If she has lived with you in Canada for more than 6 months, you might also require one from the RCMP. I'm also in the process of completing an outland application for my US wife and I sent out the FBI police certificate about 4 weeks ago. Hopefully it arrives within the next 2 to 3 weeks.

 

[DuberBlue]

If she has lived with you in Canada for more than 6 months, you might also require one from the RCMP. I'm also in the process of completing an outland application for my US wife and I sent out the FBI police certificate about 4 weeks ago. Hopefully it arrives within the next 2 to 3 weeks.

This is true, although your application won't be denied or sent back if it's not there right off the bat; they will request it later. My wife was recently asked for it when she got her passport request, so we got it done and sent it back.

HUGE hint of advice -- find an agency that will do digital fingerprinting that can send them directly to the RCMP -- we did and got our result back within a week of the visit.

 

[jasminexyz]

I applied for my FBI clearance July and it took me only 5 weeks to get the results. I am concerned about my clearance from Canada. I was there for four years as a student in the past. We didn't include it in our application as we read a lot on this forum that one do not need to send in police clearance for Canada. now I see a lot of posts where people were asked for it. I am thinking to apply for it now even before the visa office asking me.I am in New York right now on a temporary resident visa so how do I apply for the Canadian police clearance from here? For the fBI I got my finger prints done at print scan, a private agency. Can I do from the same place or am I required to do it from the police here? I am clueless so please advise. Many thanks

 

[DuberBlue]

I applied for my FBI clearance July and it took me only 5 weeks to get the results. I am concerned about my clearance from Canada. I was there for four years as a student in the past. We didn't include it in our application as we read a lot on this forum that one do not need to send in police clearance for Canada. now I see a lot of posts where people were asked for it. I am thinking to apply for it now even before the visa office asking me.I am in New York right now on a temporary resident visa so how do I apply for the Canadian police clearance from here? For the fBI I got my finger prints done at print scan, a private agency. Can I do from the same place or am I required to do it from the police here? I am clueless so please advise. Many thanks

I got mine done (well, my wife's, really) at a private agency in Toronto. They did it digitally and sent the prints right off to the RCMP electronically. I don't know if agencies in the U.S. will have the same kind of direct line to the RCMP as up here, however, so it is possible you may have to get a printed version (on the proper C-216C form) if they even those forms on hand. Another downside is that supposedly a check on the printed version will take several weeks, possibly months, to turn around.

A better option may be, if you can afford the time and expense, to take a trip up to Canada from NY and just find a similar agency. I don't know if you're in the city, or somewhere upstate that's not unreasonably farm from Toronto, so I don't know if this is an attractive option for you...but in terms of the overall time savings it may be worth a consideration

 

[DuberBlue]

By the way, here's the URL which explains all...I should have thought of linking this earlier:

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cr-cj/fing-empr2-eng.htm

EDIT: From the look of it, digital submission is NOT an option from agencies outside of Canada...but that doesn't preclude you from having them done IN Canada

 

[misterz100]

I'm sponsoring my American husband

For the FBI is says several months...

Can I send my application now and send the files at a later date?

 

[Millertimez]

I'm sponsoring my American husband

For the FBI is says several months...

Can I send my application now and send the files at a later date?

I thought of doing the same thing, send out the application now and later send out the FBI letter. I decided to wait for the FBI police certificate which takes about 6 weeks to return and submit it along with the application all at once. You can choose to submit the FBI letter later but you risk the chance of them not receiving it. It's a tough call.

 

[misterz100]

Well they wont jsut stop the application without waiting to receive it right? You think we should wait the time? My husband is comming to visit on Nov 1st for 2 weeks, at worse should I wait till then then send it the application without it and sent it later?

 

[DaveSav]

Well they wont jsut stop the application without waiting to receive it right? You think we should wait the time? My husband is comming to visit on Nov 1st for 2 weeks, at worse should I wait till then then send it the application without it and sent it later?

When i put in our application (outland) we weren't able to get the certificate for Lebanon as it takes 3 months. I called the CIC hotline and they advised me to submit the application and put in a note that i had requested it. They advised they would request the police clearance during the process.

With our PPR/additional docs request (first contact after sponsor approval) we were advised to submit the police clearances and did so, it didn't delay the application or cause any problems.

 

[misterz100]

What kind of note? Like a typed up paper stating it was requested?