The steps of fingerprints is as follows. Contrary to popular belief - it is NOT like a RQ. I got my fingerprints requested but still got citizenship in 7 months. I believe this is what happens.
1. CIC local office request for you to do fingerprints. You receive the request from CIC St Clair.
2. You do fingerprints at Commissionaires - do it ASAP, do not delay
3. Commissionaires send to RCMP.
4. RCMP processes the info. Takes several days.
5. RCMP sends results to CIC. Takes several days
6. CIC background check dept (in St Clair) verifies results, performs more checks. Takes several days.
7. CIC background check dept sends it back to the local office
8. CIC local office verifies all is in order and determines if more info is required. Takes several days
9. Place in queue for test invite.
What you should do after you take your fingerprints:
A. Check directly with RCMP
You can check with RCMP if the fingerprints were taken and sent to CIC. Here is what you do.
1. Write an email to civilnps @ rcmp-grc.gc.ca
2. In the email provide the following information. Here is a sample letter you can use which is what I used:
Hi there.
My name is XXXXXXXXXXX and I would like to inquire about my digital fingerprint status and to see if the results were been complete and if the fingerprints have been sent to Citizenship and Immigration Canada at the St Clair office. I had the fingerprints taken on XXXXXXX XX, 2014 for my citizenship application .
The details of my fingerprinting are as follows:
First name: XXXX
Last name: XXX
Date of birth: 19XX Month XX
Reference: XXXX XXX
TCN: XXXXXXXXXXXXX
DCN: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Address : XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX , XXXXXX, XX XXX XXX
Yours sincerely,
XXXXX
3. Expect a reply which takes 2-3 weeks. This is the response that I got from CivilNPS @ rcmp-grc.gc.ca about 20 days after the fingerprints was taken.
Good day
Please be advised that the verification in question was completed on XXXXXXX XX 2014 and the result has been sent to:
CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION CANADA
ST CLAIR CIC
25 ST CLAIR AVENUE EAST, 2ND FLOOR
TORONTO ON M4T 1M2
Thank you for contacting us,
Merci de nous contacter ,
The Call Center of CFSS - Centre d'appel du STDC
RCMP - Forensic Science and Identification Services
GRC - Services des sciences judiciaires et de l'identité
Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services
Services canadiens d'identification criminelle en temps réel
Civil Fingerprint Screening Services
Services de triage des dactylogrammes civils
shm
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B. Check directly with CIC
After three weeks, call CIC and explain to them you had taken the fingerprints three weeks ago, and you would like to verify if they have received the results, if all was in order, and if there was anything else you need to do on your end. They would either say "yes", or "no". You can also ask if the fingerprints were still being verified by their background check dept.
They will tell you if you ask directly the info you want.
RELAX...... Hope this helps!
