US Police Clearance: FBI Processing Times

[ecclesiast]

Your wife can come to Canada as a visitor. She can apply to extend her visitor status, citing that she wishes to remain in Canada with you while her PR application is being processed. This is usually not a problem for an American citizen.

You should send the Outland application ASAP and include a note explaining that the FBI IHSR letter will be forwarded when she receives it. Include proof that it has been ordered (copy of the receipt of mailing, for example). CIC is very aware of the FBI delays.

Just make sure that she does not say that she's coming to Canada to `live' with you; she's coming to `visit' you.

Thank you for this post. I trust it is from personal experience?

Have people successfully made it through this process if they supplement their applications with the FBI IHSR letter after the original application is sent? And if so, will CIC contact us to ask for this document or do we send it to them as soon as we receive it?

Secondly, if this is the method we go by (we send our application in the coming weeks with proof of our FBI request), how do we address the received FBI IHSR letter and how do we get it into the right hands quickly? Thanks again.

 

[ktorva]

My application was received around the 1st of March. Just got my first email from Ottawa which asked for the FBI clearance within 90 days. Think I'll be good? I put a note in my application that it was delayed. Do I reply to the email or just wait?

 

[Ponga]

My application was received around the 1st of March. Just got my first email from Ottawa which asked for the FBI clearance within 90 days. Think I'll be good? I put a note in my application that it was delayed. Do I reply to the email or just wait?

Hopefully you've already ordered it, rather than waiting for this request from CIC.

You MUST provide this within the 90 day window, or at least ask for an extension.

 

[MidoRafa]

My application was received around the 1st of March. Just got my first email from Ottawa which asked for the FBI clearance within 90 days. Think I'll be good? I put a note in my application that it was delayed. Do I reply to the email or just wait?

Odds are you'll get it within the next 4-5 weeks, so no need to reply. Just wait and submit it when it arrives

 

[mpottier]

I just got off the phone with one of the channelers, they said they have a lot of success for Canadian visas. They said only 3 of the 15 approved channelers have background checks good for Canada. She said there was no difference between the two documents. http://www.nationalbackgroundcheck.com/
This is a big deal, and I am going to call the CIC for clarification. They have no idea what they are doing.

 

[mpottier]

Ok just got off the phone with CIC. They really knew nothing, but they said if you can get he same document from a channeler, then that would fine as they don't check to see where you got the document , but just check to make sure it is the correct doc. So there you have it.

 

[Ponga]

Ok just got off the phone with CIC. They really knew nothing, but they said if you can get he same document from a channeler, then that would fine as they don't check to see where you got the document , but just check to make sure it is the correct doc. So there you have it.

The Call Centre is notorious for giving out information that is NOT correct.

Since CIC explicitly states that PCCs from third parties are NOT accepted, you'd think that they would know where it did (and where it did NOT) originate.

 

[ktorva]

Odds are you'll get it within the next 4-5 weeks, so no need to reply. Just wait and submit it when it arrives

That's what I was thinking too. I will wait it out. Thanks

 

[yanks176]

FYI - I called in today and was told by the FBI that they are currently opening requests received on February 8th.

 

[mpottier]

The Call Centre is notorious for giving out information that is NOT correct.

Since CIC explicitly states that PCCs from third parties are NOT accepted, you'd think that they would know where it did (and where it did NOT) originate.

I agree, but I think what was happening was that the CIC was accepting the channelers for a short while for PR (by the way they still accept channelers for ALL other types of applications including rehabilitation and TRP's, sooooo WTF), but what I think people were doing were submitting the PDF the channelers offer as well. These PDF copies are accepted in the USA but not in most other countries. so the CIC in their infinite wisdom decided to throw the baby out with the bath water, and instead of informing people they would need a live paper copy instead of a PDF, they just banned the entire thing. This is a classic example of how the CIC could make people's wait time and application process easier but decide to be lazy instead. A real reason why the CIC needs some sort of suggestion inbox.

 

[Oscar.95]

So my fingerprints were received on December the 31st and were processed I believe on April 12th and till now I have not received anything in the mail?? Anyone around the same time frame already received theirs ?? Getting a bit worried now since its been a little over 2 weeks...

I called FBI, I wanna say April 18 and asked them if my prints were readable and the guy said everything came out perfect (Thank God) and that they should be arriving in the mail shortly but its been 2 weeks since then and nada.

Anyone in the same situation ?? :-[

 

[Decoy24601]

So my fingerprints were received on December the 31st and were processed I believe on April 12th and till now I have not received anything in the mail?? Anyone around the same time frame already received theirs ?? Getting a bit worried now since its been a little over 2 weeks...

I called FBI, I wanna say April 18 and asked them if my prints were readable and the guy said everything came out perfect (Thank God) and that they should be arriving in the mail shortly but its been 2 weeks since then and nada.

Anyone in the same situation ?? :-[

Where are you having it mailed to? I'm in BC and it took about 2 weeks. The FBI call center for background checks advised me that if you're in the US that it should take about 1 week and that she estimated that it would take around 2 weeks to get to me in Canada. I would wait another week and see if it shows up. I wouldn't worry just yet.

 

[amuricanuck]

My wife just got hers. It took exactly 14 weeks to arrive in the mail. So thought I'd share.

 

[Jaytheo40]

file received by FBI Feb 01 2016 and processed and mailed out April 25 2016.

Hope this helps with timelines. GL everyone

 

[julies879]

file received by FBI Feb 01 2016 and processed and mailed out April 25 2016.

Hope this helps with timelines. GL everyone

That's so fast. How great for you guys!