The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is Canada’s national police service. The RCMP has an incredibly broad mandate; one responsibility that falls under its purview is managing certified criminal record checks.
In order to obtain a certified criminal record check, you need to provide fingerprints. Criminal record checks run with fingerprinting are more comprehensive than traditional name-based criminal record checks.
What Is RCMP Fingerprinting?
RCMP fingerprinting is a colloquial term for the process of providing fingerprints to the RCMP for a certified criminal record check. Fingerprints allow the RCMP to perform a thorough search of the National Repository of Criminal Records. These checks are more accurate than name-based checks—names are relatively easy to change, while fingerprints are very difficult to modify.
Who Needs RCMP Fingerprinting?
There are many different circumstances in which a person might require a certified criminal record check. These circumstances include:
- Immigrating to or from Canada
- Travelling to certain countries outside of Canada
- Applying to work in a position where high-level security clearances are required
- And more
You should always be informed if you need a certified criminal record check for any reason. The RCMP has set up stringent standards for who can request certified criminal record checks; criminal record verification is taken very seriously.
Who Is Accredited To Provide RCMP Fingerprinting?
The collection of physical or electronic fingerprints for the purpose of conducting certified criminal record checks can only be performed by accredited agencies like FASTCHECK. Agencies like ours undergo a rigorous certification process to ensure that:
- The fingerprinting techniques used are up-to-date
- Robust security measures are in place to ensure fingerprint data is secure
- Staff members pass a security screening
- The infrastructure at the fingerprinting agency is secure and configured to submit fingerprints to the RCMP
By ensuring that all accredited agencies meet accreditation standards, the RCMP fulfils its role in maintaining public safety, all while expanding the availability of fingerprinting services throughout Canada. You can learn more about the accreditation process on the RCMP’s page for businesses.
What Is The RCMP Fingerprinting Process?
The fingerprinting process usually takes approximately 10 minutes or less. Here’s what you can expect:
- Our team will take your ID, as well as any forms associated with the agencies that requested you provide fingerprints. We will verify these for accuracy.
- You will thoroughly clean your hands to ensure that the fingerprints can be taken clearly and accurately. From there, we will roll all of your fingerprints individually in ink.
- Your fingerprints will then be imprinted on a card.
- Our technicians will examine your fingerprints to ensure that they are visible and complete. When necessary, we will take other impressions of your fingerprints.
- We submit your fingerprints digitally to the RCMP’s Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS).
- The RCMP perform a search of the National Repository of Criminal Records to see if your fingerprints match any fingerprints in the database.
How Long Does The RCMP Fingerprinting Process Take?
In most cases, our team can take and submit fingerprints to the RCMP in max 10 minutes or less. After your fingerprints are submitted, you must wait for the RCMP to complete the search of their database.
This process can take some time. In ideal scenarios, when no match is found, the process usually takes 3 business days. From there, the RCMP sends the results by mail; this means it can take two weeks or more to get the results, even if no match was found.
When a match is found, the process can take up to 120 business days, plus the time it takes to receive the results from Canada Post.
Why Use An Accredited Fingerprinting Service?
You can only submit fingerprints to the RCMP through an accredited fingerprinting service like FASTCHECK.
Here at FASTCHECK, we pride ourselves on our speed and accuracy. We can help you with any questions you might have about the fingerprinting process, give you accurate timelines for when your certified criminal record check will be completed, and keep you informed throughout the process.
For fast, efficient, RCMP-accredited fingerprinting services in Winnipeg, choose FASTCHECK Criminal Record & Fingerprint Specialists.
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