How to Obtain a Certified Criminal Record Check

Civil Fingerprinting Screening Services

Steps to Follow:

• Full set of fingerprints required
• Reason for Application
• Personal Information
• Identification of police service or fingerprinting agency
• Processing fee
• Final step (checklist)

Full set of fingerprints required

• To conduct a criminal record verification we require a full set of fingerprints, including both rolled and flat impressions of all ten fingers.
• Complete all fields on the fingerprint form.
• Incomplete forms will be returned to the applicant unprocessed.

If you are IN CANADA :

• you must have your fingerprints taken on form C-216C at your local police station or private accredited fingerprinting agency.
• Depending on the police jurisdiction, a fee may be required.

If you are OUTSIDE OF CANADA :

contact the nearest police force which offers fingerprinting services. The RCMP will accept fingerprint forms from foreign countries that contain the following:

• rolled and flat impressions of all ten fingers taken with black ink
• full name, date of birth and sex of the applicant
• the name and address of the police agency
• the signature of the official taking the fingerprints

NOTES :

• Canadian embassies and consulates may not have adequate resources or facilities to provide this service.
  
  
• The ability to submit fingerprints electronically to the RCMP is not currently available outside Canada
  
  

Paper-based fingerprint submissions:

Paper-based fingerprint submissions require a great deal of manual processing and it is not uncommon for a criminal record verification to take an average of 120 days to complete for individuals who don’t have a criminal record and have never been fingerprinted for a criminal offence in Canada. If a criminal record is encountered during the verification process, the turnaround time could exceed 120 days.

Electronic fingerprint submissions:

In an effort to process criminal verification requests more quickly, the RCMP is implementing the Real Time Identification (RTID) Project to modernize these processes and promote electronic fingerprint submissions. The goal of CCRTIS is to respond to 85% of civil requests (those that do not hit a criminal file) submitted electronically within 72 hours. If a criminal record is encountered during the verification process, the turnaround time could exceed 120 days. You may enquire at your local police service about electronic fingerprinting. If they do not perform this service, they may be able to refer you to approved private firms. These firms can also be located in local yellow pages and internet searches using the term 'fingerprinting services canada.’

Before you make inquiries about your request, make sure you’ve taken into account not only the time it takes to process your request but also the time it takes to mail it to you.

Reason for Request

Clearly indicate the reason for your certified criminal record verification:

• Adoptions - Canadian and International
• Foreign travel - Visas, U.S. Waivers, Border Crossing
• Employment * - federal, provincial, municipal governments; private industry; Canadian police forces
• Volunteer work *
• Applications for immigration to Canada **
• Applications for Canadian Citizenship
• Applications to obtain criminal record to apply for a Pardon
• Name change
• Permanent residency in foreign countries (all countries except Canada)

* Applicants for employment or volunteer work must specify the job title or position sought in the "REASON FOR APPLICATION" portion of the fingerprint form.

** Applicants for immigration to Canada must enter the name and address of the Canadian Immigration Center, Embassy, Consulate or High Commission handling the case in the "Name and Address of Contributing Agency/Dept" portion of the C216C. If you have an immigration file number, write it below the address as a reference for immigration officials.

Personal Information

Ensure you provide:

• your full name
• date of birth
• sex
• mailing address
• phone number
• and/or fax number
• and/or e-mail address
• Do not provide any additional personal information with your request. This material provides no value to the service and will be destroyed.

Identification of police service or fingerprinting agency

Verify the information recorded by the official taking your fingerprints and ensure that the official's name and signature, and the name of the agency is indicated on your fingerprint form.

Final step (checklist) :

Before sending your request, make sure it contains the following:

• original fingerprint form
• full name
• date of birth
• sex
• mailing address
• phone number, fax number or email address
• reason for application
• processing fee ( if applicable)
• third party consent letter (if applicable)

NOTE:

• Do not provide any additional personal information with your request. This material provides no value to the service and will be destroyed.
• Incomplete requests will not be processed and will be returned to you.

Mailing addresses:

Forward your request with all relevant documents by mail or courier.
Note: Hand-delivered fingerprint submissions will not be accepted by local RCMP offices.

By mail:

The Director
Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services
RCMP, NPS Bldg.
1200 Vanier Parkway
Ottawa ON K1A 0R2

By courier:

The Director
Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services
RCMP, NPS Bldg., Loading Dock #1
1200 Vanier Parkway
Ottawa ON K1A 0R2

Although fingerprint submission are accepted by courier, civil product results will not be returned by courier. The results are always returned by regular mail.