Question re: Canadian RCMP check

[AngJones]

Problem.... we need to submit our ITA by the end of March. We applied for our Canadian RCMP checks beginning of February (after waiting several weeks for an appointment to do fingerprint checks). I checked today with RCMP and they told me the waiting period is 4+months from the date of submission (at this point, that means May before we would receive them).
Question... do you think it's okay to go ahead and lodge our ITA, explaining the situation on the covering letter? We can also provide proof that we submitted the request (have certified copies of the fingerprint form that was submitted to RCMP) as well as a copy of email I received from RCMP stating the time delay? We did everything that was required in a timely manner and the situation is beyond our control. As soon as we receive the checks we will courier them over to the London Branch.
Any thoughts?
Any other Canucks in the same situation?

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

[Addicted to NZ]

Hi AngJones,

We had the same fear as you ...120 Days, good grief eh?

I am guessing you are still in Canada? Or maybe in NZ?

When applying for our Work Visa's, we just went down to the local detachment in our area of Sussex and asked the forum for Criminal History/Records Check...filled it out and picked up the results a few days later. And no finger prints required.

Now that we are applying for PR, we have to get the checks done yet again from NZ. I have a very good friend in the RCMP, he can't even do them for us from here....something about Ottawa getting all bent out of shape

After searching on who does and how can we get our Canadian checks done from NZ, I ended up at Commissionaires.ca. I called the BC branch (since it is closest time wise). After talking to them....they say yep we can do that for you, they emailed some forms to be filled out. Forms filled out and ID's required have been Notarized. Plan to email the contact at Commissionaires copies before mailing the originals to ensure everything they need is there. And again....no fingerprints.

A little bit of reassurance that this should be good - I mentioned that the Commissionaires is the only place I can find to get the checks done from here in NZ to my RCMP friend...to which he replied - yeah that's who we (RCMP) get to do ours.

According to the Commissionaires it should take 7-20 working days, $100.00 each Canadian.

[AngJones]

Hi AddictedtoNZ,
Thanks so much for this info. I searched commisionaires and there is an office 2 minutes from my work. I've emailed them to see if they can help speed up our application.
I'll let you know what I hear from them.
Yes... still in (freezing cold) Canada... wishing I was there instead of here.

[Addicted to NZ]

Hi AngJones,

I will guess they won't be able to speed up the one you have already sent in via RCMP (it certainly doesn't hurt to ask, you never know). But I will bet they will suggest just getting them to start another one via their office.

Good Luck....pls do let us all know how it goes

[JandM]

AngJones - otherwise, other people have done what you suggest (send in everything else with proof that you have tried and the delay is beyond your control), though not specifically with RCMP. If your other efforts don't work out, it's definitely worth a try, as some have been met with acceptance.

[Eddy1313]

We were required to submit a police record check (including finger prints) for our VISAS. We simply went to our local Commisionares office, got our digital finger prints done along with a photo. Roughly 5 days later we had our police checks in the mail, $80 each.

[chickadee]

We were required to submit a police record check (including finger prints) for our VISAS. We simply went to our local Commisionares office, got our digital finger prints done along with a photo. Roughly 5 days later we had our police checks in the mail, $80 each.

We tried the digital finger print option with Commissionaires, but OH's finger prints could not be read by their scanner. The operator told us that something like 1% of the population cannot be digitally finger printed.

[AngJones]

Once again, I am eternally grateful for the wealth of knowledge that is on this forum. We went to our local Commisionaires office this morning, got fingerprinted again and they were submitted right into the RCMP database. The officer at Commisionaires said we should probably get something by the end of next week. I will make a post when we receive them.
Thanks again everyone... I was not even aware of this alternative.

[chickadee]

Once again, I am eternally grateful for the wealth of knowledge that is on this forum. We went to our local Commisionaires office this morning, got fingerprinted again and they were submitted right into the RCMP database. The officer at Commisionaires said we should probably get something by the end of next week. I will make a post when we receive them.
Thanks again everyone... I was not even aware of this alternative.

Commissionaires also offers an ink-to-digital service in Canada. After digital finger printing didn't work for OH I read this on ENZ:

For all of you who don't live in Canada but need a Canadian Police Certificate in a relatively short period of time: I have been getting help from a couple of nice gentlemen at Canadian Commissionaires office in Ottawa. I can get fingerprints taken here (in Florida), send them to them and they will scan them into electronic fingerprints and then it can take as little as 72 hours.

(#10 on this thread http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=28667)

I sent an email enquiry to Commissionaires ('idservices@commissionaires-ottawa.on.ca) about availability of this service to people who live in Canada and received this in reply:

You’ll be happy to know that this service is also available to persons living in Canada, especially to those living in remote areas and have no access to digital fingerprinting services.

Please be advised however, that if fingerprints are not of good quality, the possibility of the scanned fingerprints being rejected is a very good possibility. Please understand that we will do our very best to have them accepted for processing by the RCMP but it is not guaranteed.

[Addicted to NZ]

INZ refused the police checks done by the Commissionaires. Ours got turned down and our app is considered incomplete...reason -

Please not that you have not supplied the following documents :

Valid original police certificates for you and your partner issued by Royal Canadian Mounted police. I note you have submitted two police certificates for you and your partner issued by Chief of Police, Charlottetown Police Services. Please refer to enclosed information on getting a police certificate from Canada.



Called Commissionaires and they said it is an RCMP check....we are just the middle man.