How long is the FBI background check valid for?

[Zoide]

Hi,

Does the FBI background check report expire? How long is it valid for?

I lived in the United States from 2002 to 2007. I got my FBI background check letter in the mail last year since I wanted to have everything ready by the time I got an ITA.

I assume that the letter won't expire, since I have not lived in the US for nearly 10 years now, so there would be no way for me to have committed a crime there recently...

Thanks

 

[Zoide]

I think I found the answer and there is no problem in my case

"If you need a police certificate from a country or territory and have lived there in the past, the police certificate must be issued after you last lived in that country or territory."

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/intro.asp

 

[mukulabd]

You are right but there is a bit of discrepancy about the validity of PCC as IRCC has also stated "Police certificates are typically valid for one year from the date they are issued.". I believe your PCC should be fine but you might want to double check on this as 10 years is a long time span.

 

[moderator1983]

You are right but there is a bit of discrepancy about the validity of PCC as IRCC has also stated "Police certificates are typically valid for one year from the date they are issued.". I believe your PCC should be fine but you might want to double check on this as 10 years is a long time span.

PCC from a country, where you're not currently residing, is valid forever unless you visit the PCC issuing country again.
And regarding the discrepancy about 1 year validity, this condition is applicable if you're currently residing in the PCC issuing country.

 

[mukulabd]

PCC from a country, where you're not currently residing, is valid forever unless you visit the PCC issuing country again.
And regarding the discrepancy about 1 year validity, this condition is applicable if you're currently residing in the PCC issuing country.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/tools/perm/express/intake-complete.asp#police_certificates

IRCC has made that statement in general without specifying currently residing or past lived country. So it is ambiguous. And for countries currently residing in, they have specified that the validity is 6 months. So eg. PCC obtained in May 2016 is not valid now.