How long the Police certificate still valid??? HELP

[Yuth]

Could anyone tell me how long will the police certificate still valid? Some websites say 3 months while others say 6 months. I am a foreign student that applied for FBI certificate right before I left the U.S. (actually one day before I left). Now I want to apply for the in Canada class family sponsorship permanent residence and my FBI certificate is now about 5 months old. Do I need to get a new certificate or can I just send my current certificate in and if asked by the immigration officer, get a new certificate? My U.S. visa expired about a month after I left the U.S. and I never returned there after I left. Also does my daughter need to take the Medical examination? She is 8 years old. The CIC website mention something about the age of 10 but I am not quite sure. Do I need to get the Canadian Police certificate too. Thank for your help.

[tamee]

everything i have read says 6 months.

[thaiguy]

Police clearance certificates are valid for 3 months.  You need them for every country you've resided in for 6 months or longer since the age of 18.

It doesn't matter if you've left the U.S. because the FBI could find evidence of criminal activity after you left - even many years.

You won't be required to obtain a police clearance certificate from Canada.  You may need to provide fingerprints, though.

Yes, your daughter will be subject to a medical exam.

To avoid the possibility that any of your certificates will become outdated, you should wait to request them until you're asked for them.

[Yuth]

So I should wait until CIC ask for the certificates? But their documents checklist said I need to submit the certificates upfront? Can I just send them the current certificate I have first? I checked the FBI website and it will now take 16-18 weeks to process and I cannot wait that long.

[thaiguy]

You'll need a new certificate, and you should send it with your application.

TG