Fingerprint questions

[EstherBarros]

Hi everyone!

I am a June 2018 applicant, just received my fingerprint request in the mail yesterday, mailed out sep 11. My VO is Vancouver.

I have a few questions, and I apologise if they have already been answered- I couldn't find anything recent and/or relevant.

1- in 2015 I got my FPs done for my spousal sponsorship PR. I let Comissionaires send the results to CIC themselves, and it turned out they lost my results (Canada Post, or CIC, or whoever knows). I had to get them redone, obviously delaying my process a few months once I figured out they were never received etc. This time I got the results sent to me, then sent registered trackable mail to CIC with it, which they received finally. Question is: is this a possibility now? Would my results get "lost"? I know commissionaires sends the results to CIC (RCMP?) directly, and I am under the impression that they send it electronically, not physically, is this correct? Should I ask to receive the results at my house, then send them myself?

2- I wonder if the reason I got FP request is because I did a legal name change after marriage- my husband and I created a hyphenated last name combining both our old last names, which we both adopted, and in this case, a legal name change is required rather than a simple "bring your marriage license to ICBC and change your name". Does anyone have an input? I am 100% sure that neither my previous name OR my new hyphenated name are "common" enough that someone else would have the same, so I can only think the legal name change is the reason for FP request (mind you I completed FP and background checks when I changed my name legally, that is a requirement).

I'd appreciate your thoughts thank you!

 

[kushari]

I did it with commissionaires. They sent it electronically, and RCMP sent it to IRCC directly. Worked out fine.

 

[EstherBarros]

@dpenabill , could you please answer a query for me? I did not think a request for fingerprint made the application "non-routine", but as I was browsing through threads related to fingerprint requests, some people said it did. Could you please share what your understanding and experience make you believe?

As well, as I said above, there's little to no chance that any of my names matches anyone ever- they are rather unique. Have you seen people getting fingerprints for having done a legal name change? Is this something you have noted before?

Thank you in advance for any help and all of the amazing and thoughtful replies you give here on the forum

Cheers,

 

[sns204]

IRCC does list FP as something that can categorize your application as non-routine, but it's not something that causes delays in their processing if the result is a negative match. Obviously in your case there is a delay being caused by the fact that it was lost in the mail, so I would also suggest you redo it somewhere that allows for the RCMP to send it to IRCC directly.

 

[EstherBarros]

IRCC does list FP as something that can categorize your application as non-routine, but it's not something that causes delays in their processing if the result is a negative match. Obviously in your case there is a delay being caused by the fact that it was lost in the mail, so I would also suggest you redo it somewhere that allows for the RCMP to send it to IRCC directly.

Hi SNS,

thank you for your reply. The fingerprints were lost in 2015, when I was applying for PR. They were not recently lost. I was inquiring if there was any possibility that the same thing might happen again, and it seems the answer is no/no likely? (I did them at Commissionaires back then, too, btw)

I did my fingerprints at https://commissionaires.bc.ca/fingerprinting/ on Friday, Sep 14- will be calling in a couple of weeks to check if they received it.

My other query is about the reason for FP request (out of curiosity, of course). I am assuming it's due to a name change, and I have actually seen a couple of other cases in which they got requested FP and had done a legal name change here in the forum.

 

[dpenabill]

I did not think a request for fingerprint made the application "non-routine", but as I was browsing through threads related to fingerprint requests, some people said it did. Could you please share what your understanding and experience make you believe?

As well, as I said above, there's little to no chance that any of my names matches anyone ever- they are rather unique. Have you seen people getting fingerprints for having done a legal name change? Is this something you have noted before?

"ROUTINE" VERSUS "NON-ROUTINE"

The distinction between "routine" versus "non-routine" does NOT mean much. Any request or process that is in addition to or different from what all applications go through makes the application "non-routine." And all that really means is that IRCC is NOT guaranteeing the application will be processed within the same time frame as a routinely processed application. BUT there is no fixed time period, no guarantee in any sense, for any application no matter how routine it is. So that difference does not amount to much.

Except that generally, yes, if there is a non-routine request or procedure, that does tend to mean the timeline will likely be longer than it would have been otherwise. But how much so? No ready answer for that.

What makes a real difference is the particular request or procedure that is non-routine. RQ-related requests and procedures, for example, tend to be a bigger deal, and can often mean a much longer timeline. Even these vary considerably, ranging from a particular document request attendant the CIT 0520 (RQ-lite) form, which often does not have a big impact on how things go and typically involves some but not a long delay overall. In contrast, a full-blown RQ, that is CIT 0171, is a big deal and will usually cause a significantly longer processing time. Moreover, it signals overt skepticism if not suspicion, which can mean there will be additional procedural steps, perhaps even a hearing with a Citizenship Judge, which can add a very long time to how long things take.

At the other end, Finger Print requests or, say, requests to submit a translation of passport stamps (technically applicants are instructed, in the gathering documents part of the instruction guide and consistent with IRCC policy in almost all application processing, to provide a translation of EVERYTHING not in one of the official languages, and of course EVERYTHING encompasses information entered into the passport, but many applicants do not and many times IRCC is OK with that), these may result in only a minimal increase in the processing time . . . unless, of course, there are still issues after the FPs or translation have been provided.

Another difference: WHEN. Additional requests BEFORE the test and interview appear to NOT result in longer processing times, at least not much. Again, unless there is something causing further concern. For example, a timely submission of FPs for a request before the test or interview appears to not delay things hardly at all. If the request comes after the test or interview, there is the additional time involved in submitting the FPs and then someone (probably a Processing Agent) taking the next step once the FPs are part of the file.

Obviously, there is the difference between the response to the request settling the matter versus the situation where there is still an issue. Such as confirming the applicant's identity, for example, or as @sns204 observed, confirming the applicant is NOT someone (such as someone with a similar name and a criminal record hit). If the FPs settle the question, no problem.


REASONS FOR Finger Print REQUESTS:

In general, it appears that MOST FP requests are to verify identity.

There may be many reasons why IRCC is concerned about verifying the applicant's identity, many reasons why the question comes up. Perhaps the name change. Perhaps there is a need to verify the applicant is NOT someone with a similar name and date of birth, which itself can be an issue arising from a variety of circumstances (name hit in RCMP or U.S. criminal records seems to be common). Statistically this is probably both the most common reason for the FP request and it readily resolves whatever question there is, and thus does NOT cause much if any delay. FP request before test and interview probably causes almost NO delay. After the test/interview, there is the amount of time it takes to submit the FPs and then for someone (again probably a Processing Agent) to then take a next step with the application. That is, ranging from a minimal increase in the timeline to some months.

That said, some FP requests could derive from RCMP or CSIS, to facilitate their background clearance screening as to criminality or security matters, respectively. For the applicant who has no criminality issues, no security issues, this is totally UNLIKELY. But of course there are more than a few applicants who either have direct involvement enough to raise suspicion or are associated with persons or organizations which raise suspicion.

Mostly: if the applicant genuinely, honestly, knows of no reason why the Canadian government should have any concerns related to their identity and immigration history, and there is NO possible criminal or security issue, THEN, for such applicants, FP requests are frequent enough and NO PROBLEM enough that in a practical sense they are relatively routine even though technically they make the application processing "non-routine."

 

[EstherBarros]

"ROUTINE" VERSUS "NON-ROUTINE"

The distinction between "routine" versus "non-routine" does NOT mean much. Any request or process that is in addition to or different from what all applications go through makes the application "non-routine." And all that really means is that IRCC is NOT guaranteeing the application will be processed within the same time frame as a routinely processed application. BUT there is no fixed time period, no guarantee in any sense, for any application no matter how routine it is. So that difference does not amount to much.

Except that generally, yes, if there is a non-routine request or procedure, that does tend to mean the timeline will likely be longer than it would have been otherwise. But how much so? No ready answer for that.

What makes a real difference is the particular request or procedure that is non-routine. RQ-related requests and procedures, for example, tend to be a bigger deal, and can often mean a much longer timeline. Even these vary considerably, ranging from a particular document request attendant the CIT 0520 (RQ-lite) form, which often does not have a big impact on how things go and typically involves some but not a long delay overall. In contrast, a full-blown RQ, that is CIT 0171, is a big deal and will usually cause a significantly longer processing time. Moreover, it signals overt skepticism if not suspicion, which can mean there will be additional procedural steps, perhaps even a hearing with a Citizenship Judge, which can add a very long time to how long things take.

At the other end, Finger Print requests or, say, requests to submit a translation of passport stamps (technically applicants are instructed, in the gathering documents part of the instruction guide and consistent with IRCC policy in almost all application processing, to provide a translation of EVERYTHING not in one of the official languages, and of course EVERYTHING encompasses information entered into the passport, but many applicants do not and many times IRCC is OK with that), these may result in only a minimal increase in the processing time . . . unless, of course, there are still issues after the FPs or translation have been provided.

Another difference: WHEN. Additional requests BEFORE the test and interview appear to NOT result in longer processing times, at least not much. Again, unless there is something causing further concern. For example, a timely submission of FPs for a request before the test or interview appears to not delay things hardly at all. If the request comes after the test or interview, there is the additional time involved in submitting the FPs and then someone (probably a Processing Agent) taking the next step once the FPs are part of the file.

Obviously, there is the difference between the response to the request settling the matter versus the situation where there is still an issue. Such as confirming the applicant's identity, for example, or as @sns204 observed, confirming the applicant is NOT someone (such as someone with a similar name and a criminal record hit). If the FPs settle the question, no problem.


REASONS FOR Finger Print REQUESTS:

In general, it appears that MOST FP requests are to verify identity.

There may be many reasons why IRCC is concerned about verifying the applicant's identity, many reasons why the question comes up. Perhaps the name change. Perhaps there is a need to verify the applicant is NOT someone with a similar name and date of birth, which itself can be an issue arising from a variety of circumstances (name hit in RCMP or U.S. criminal records seems to be common). Statistically this is probably both the most common reason for the FP request and it readily resolves whatever question there is, and thus does NOT cause much if any delay. FP request before test and interview probably causes almost NO delay. After the test/interview, there is the amount of time it takes to submit the FPs and then for someone (again probably a Processing Agent) to then take a next step with the application. That is, ranging from a minimal increase in the timeline to some months.

That said, some FP requests could derive from RCMP or CSIS, to facilitate their background clearance screening as to criminality or security matters, respectively. For the applicant who has no criminality issues, no security issues, this is totally UNLIKELY. But of course there are more than a few applicants who either have direct involvement enough to raise suspicion or are associated with persons or organizations which raise suspicion.

Mostly: if the applicant genuinely, honestly, knows of no reason why the Canadian government should have any concerns related to their identity and immigration history, and there is NO possible criminal or security issue, THEN, for such applicants, FP requests are frequent enough and NO PROBLEM enough that in a practical sense they are relatively routine even though technically they make the application processing "non-routine."

Thank you for your input, I really appreciate it!
My request came 15 days after "in process" status on ECAS, and I have completed the FPs on the 14th of September.
I know of no reason for concern, so I will just sit tight, wait and hopefully this will not delay the process by much, as you said.
Thank you again