US Police Clearance: FBI Processing Times

[FAQ1]

I sent my figure prints on Dec 7 to the FBI for police certificate and if they are processing Sep 28th mail today, it would take them more than 2 months to process my request.

Do anyone know if I can submit my family class application without FBI police certificate and what would happen? I will submit it whenever I get it.

 

[Decoy24601]

I sent my figure prints on Dec 7 to the FBI for police certificate and if they are processing Sep 28th mail today, it would take them more than 2 months to process my request.

Do anyone know if I can submit my family class application without FBI police certificate and what would happen? I will submit it whenever I get it.

Mine were received by the FBI on October 16, 2015. At this rate it will very likely take longer than 3 months. You can submit your application without the background check. You can provide proof of having your prints mailed to the FBI and a note explaining that you will forward the check as soon as you get it. As long as they get it before they start processing the applicants portion of the PR application there shouldn't be any delays.

 

[kawafam0919]

Just wondering if anyone had some advice...

My partner is from Japan but he spent a year studying in America and therefore needs an FBI check from America as well as one from Japan (according to the CIC website). We somehow missed this piece of information (derp) and sent his application out on Nov. 2, 2015 with only his Japanese police check. We got AOR and SA. Our application has been forwarded to the VO in Ottawa. We sent out his finger prints and application to the FBI yesterday but as we all know it will take a while before we get anything back.

So my question is should we mail proof that we requested an FBI check and are currently waiting to Ottawa right away or should we just wait if/until Ottawa requests it and then either send the police check/send the proof we are waiting? We just want to do whatever will help make as minimal a delay in Ottawa processing our application as possible...

 

[MidoRafa]

Just wondering if anyone had some advice...

My partner is from Japan but he spent a year studying in America and therefore needs an FBI check from America as well as one from Japan (according to the CIC website). We somehow missed this piece of information (derp) and sent his application out on Nov. 2, 2015 with only his Japanese police check. We got AOR and SA. Our application has been forwarded to the VO in Ottawa. We sent out his finger prints and application to the FBI yesterday but as we all know it will take a while before we get anything back.

So my question is should we mail proof that we requested an FBI check and are currently waiting to Ottawa right away or should we just wait if/until Ottawa requests it and then either send the police check/send the proof we are waiting? We just want to do whatever will help make as minimal a delay in Ottawa processing our application as possible...

I'd say just wait until Ottawa requests them. Since you don't have them anyway, I'm almost sure contacting them now will have zero effect. If they are required they WILL ask for them at some point and give you a certain deadline to submit them by (30, 60 or 90 days, depending on the luck of the draw it seems). Hopefully you'll have them by then, or at worst request another extension.
Best of luck!

 

[krishnalynn]

Finally got my FBI check in the mail yesterday. It was received by FBI on September 22nd, 2015. So much stress for a little paper that was all crunched up in my mailbox!

 

[Ponga]

Finally got my FBI check in the mail yesterday. It was received by FBI on September 22nd, 2015. So much stress for a little paper that was all crunched up in my mailbox!

Are you at all surprised that there are absolutely no security features on the letter? No tamper proof paper...no raised seal...no, anything!

For reasons unknown, the FBI stopped issuing these on their blue security paper last year.
I bet CIC was less than thrilled.

Makes you wonder why they can't accept these from FBI approved Channelers.

 

[kawafam0919]

I'd say just wait until Ottawa requests them. Since you don't have them anyway, I'm almost sure contacting them now will have zero effect. If they are required they WILL ask for them at some point and give you a certain deadline to submit them by (30, 60 or 90 days, depending on the luck of the draw it seems). Hopefully you'll have them by then, or at worst request another extension.
Best of luck!

Hmm yeah that's what I was thinking as well. Thank you!!!

 

[beast2000]

Finally got my FBI check in the mail yesterday. It was received by FBI on September 22nd, 2015. So much stress for a little paper that was all crunched up in my mailbox!

They finally took out the cc payment on the 21st. It showed up on my bank statement on the 22nd. Now i wait for it to come in the mail.

 

[bradybunchmom]

Are you at all surprised that there are absolutely no security features on the letter? No tamper proof paper...no raised seal...no, anything!

For reasons unknown, the FBI stopped issuing these on their blue security paper last year.
I bet CIC was less than thrilled.

Makes you wonder why they can't accept these from FBI approved Channelers.

So true!! If they are FBI approved I don't see what the issue is.


Does anyone know about what date they are currently working on?

 

[Decoy24601]

Are there any updates on what date they're working on?

 

[ayrazar]

So they sent ours to the wrong address. We had called and asked them to mail it to another address. So now we have to get it from his parent's place before we can mail it in. Lawl. At least it was approved!

 

[Gypsysoul]

Well we mailed our fbi request dec 3. So i know itll take a while. My concern is i did not state on my application that there was no fbi cert in there. Everyone says to attach a note explaining, and i did not..... i was approved as a sponsor although nothing has been changed in ecas to DM yet. I just hope they ask for it with no problems.....

 

[Decoy24601]

Well we mailed our fbi request dec 3. So i know itll take a while. My concern is i did not state on my application that there was no fbi cert in there. Everyone says to attach a note explaining, and i did not..... i was approved as a sponsor although nothing has been changed in ecas to DM yet. I just hope they ask for it with no problems.....

I'm fairly certain they will just ask for it with no issues. CIC is probably very aware of how long the FBI background checks are taking, since I've seen a lot of people on here send their applications without it. There's a chance that if they ask for it, then it *could* delay your application a little bit, but you can always forward it to them as soon as you get it. I doubt there will be any real issues caused by not sending a note.

I wouldn't be surprised if the processing time on the FBI website changes. Right now it still says 13-15 weeks, but by the time they get around to October 16th applications it will already be 16 weeks for me. It's already approaching 14 weeks.

 

[Oscar.95]

So its been a month now that I sent my FBI fingerprints with payment and form to the address in W.Virginia, I also put a tracker on it and it arrived within 3 days... However my question is, do they let you know they received it ? or do you wonder until you receive it in the mail ???


Paranoid bc CIC is ASKING for them now and I have a time frame...

Is there anyone here that has the FBI phone number, or Email I can contact them and at least ask "Hey do you guys have it ?"

And how many days do they do a week ? meaning if they are working on SEPT. 28 how long do they take to move on to the 29th ???

I know its a silly question but mann anxiety is kicking in..... Out of my control at this point just pray for an answer soon ! ???

 

[Decoy24601]

So its been a month now that I sent my FBI fingerprints with payment and form to the address in W.Virginia, I also put a tracker on it and it arrived within 3 days... However my question is, do they let you know they received it ? or do you wonder until you receive it in the mail ???


Paranoid bc CIC is ASKING for them now and I have a time frame...

Is there anyone here that has the FBI phone number, or Email I can contact them and at least ask "Hey do you guys have it ?"

And how many days do they do a week ? meaning if they are working on SEPT. 28 how long do they take to move on to the 29th ???

I know its a silly question but mann anxiety is kicking in..... Out of my control at this point just pray for an answer soon ! ???

It has almost been a week since the last person posted an update saying they were processing Sept. 28, unless you just called and asked.

They will *not* send any confirmation of arrival and as far as I know if you call them the only thing they can tell you is what day they are processing. They will not be able to give you any information on your specific background check application. They wouldn't even be able to know, since they don't open mail until they are going to process it.

If you want to see if they've moved onto another day, there's a phone number a page or two back in this thread. I don't have it on hand at the moment.

Edit: Phone Number: 3046255590