PR application while living in CA, background checks

[kevinsanders]

US Citizen living in CA with my wife (who is CA citizen).
Paperwork is being processed in the states (outside canada application for PR)

Everything has been approved but they want background checks from all the states I have lived in (4 different ones)
The person processing the app penciled onto the form: "must be from state level of government"

Questions:
1) can I request the background checks online and get them sent to me as PDF or fax, then send to them for processing?
2) How long should the process take from this point forward, since medical and rest is completed and no interview necessary?
3) Has anyone had to do background checks and if so, did you provide ORIGINAL, STATE SEAL STAMPED documents or just copies (it says no copies but, what if it's an original FAX?

Also, willing to answer any questions people may have about the application process - it has been smooth so far, with exception of the background check. (I did the FBI fingerprint background check and they still seem to want more!)

 

[tgchi13]

In our experience, my partner had to submit finger prints to each state and country in which he had resided for more than six months.

Something to note: Our lawyer informed us three times that they had provided the wrong direction regarding the fingerprinting so please, before you expend the time and expense check for yourself if the fingerprint cards are correct, and ask any other niggling question that forms in the back of your brain.

The documents that were submitted to the individual States and countries were the finger print cards. The ID and identification and everything else was taken here at the time the prints were taken.

Good luck!!

 

[Karlshammar]

1. No, they must be originals. They will not accept anything else.
2. Depends on the individual state.
3. No copies, no faxes, nothing but originals.

For information on how to get them, refer to here: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/Detroit/offices-bureaux/certificates-certificat.aspx?lang=eng&menu_id=332&menu=L

 

[kevinsanders]

thanks for your responses. Karlshammar, I checked the link you sent on state background checks, all 3 states that I need have ONLINE background processing. So can I print the results page and send them this as the original?

There doesn't seem to be an option to receive background checks via 'mail', most of it is online now.
Just want to be sure that I'm getting them what they are asking for.

Also, can you please tell me your source for the answer you posted on 3) ? Why would a fax not work?

 

[nyssa]

Actually, most should be done by mail. IL and FL were mail ones, which I had to do.

Karlshammar is most likely correct on that, kevin. I beleive they do request ORIGINALS. Your best bet is just priority mailing it to CIC to avoid any complications. Here is what I sent to the state governments: (FL has been approved, and fast.)

1. Cover Letter (Same as for FBI with my purpose - Canadian Immigration and date requested).
2. Fingerprints
3. Payment in envelope, marked with amount and "CHECK" (to show i was paying by check)

I am pretty sure that online checks are not what CIC is looking for, since they are looking for fingerprint checks and original police statements. I'm also pretty sure they state that somewhere, but of that I'm not 100%.

 

[kevinsanders]

thank you so much for your responses! It's interesting, the link that leads to the different states has certified NAME BASED checks and fingerprint based checks. The letter I received from CIS says original state police certificate from the state level of government. It says "most authorities will require that you provide fingerprints and pay a fee in order to obtain a police certificate."

My understanding is that a police certificate is a certified letter from that state law enforcement that shows your criminal history if any, not fingerprints.
Keep in mind that if someone lived in 12 different states, they would need to be fingerprinted 12 times?
this could take a months!! Yet CIS sets a 90 day limitation on when the additional paperwork needs to be received by them (or they refuse the application)

Basically, I'm just upset that I paid to have a background check done by each state online, now i'm hearing everyone tell me I need fingerprints. Does anyone know 'for sure' based on receiving a response from CIS that the basic background check is NOT allowed?

 

[YorkFactory]

Does anyone know 'for sure' based on receiving a response from CIS that the basic background check is NOT allowed?

I'm pretty sure they're going to require more than just a copy of a report that you printed out yourself. The response from Florida actually comes in the form of an affidavit (with attachments). I can't think of anybody that will accept a non-certified copy of an affidavit, so you'd need access to the original document anyway.

 

[dfb]

I had to get checks from FBI, PA, NY, and MI. For FBI, NY, and MI, I had to get fingerprints done and mail them in. PA was an online process (no fingerprints) and I just printed out the report.

I didn't have any issues. I went to a fingerprinting place in Toronto that is used to doing these things - they had all of the appropriate forms for the FBI and each state and provided pre-labeled envelopes and everything.

 

[catchvb]

@dfb

Can you provide the name and address or contact number you went for fingerprinting in Toronto?

 

[WomanOnTheMove]

Like dfb, the process for one of my U.S. states (CO) was online and not based on fingerprints. I printed the results and included them with my application. It was also unclear to me at the time if such a printout is generally accepted, but it was the best I could find. In my case, I also did not have any issues.

 

[kevinsanders]

Excellent! This was very helpful thank you all!

 

[dfb]

Catchvb - I went to Commissionaires. The website is www.commissionaires.ca.

They were extremely helpful.

 

[nyssa]

You can get all of your fingerprints done at the same location, no matter where you are. For example, I got my fingerprints done for IL and FBI in IL but I also could have sent them to FL and it wouldn't have mattered. It cost $10 at my local police station to have as many amounts of fingerprints done as I wanted (whether that was 1 or 12). The costly part is each individual state's backround check. IL is $20 (w/ fingerprints) and FL is $24 (without fingerprints even!). Good luck kevinsanders, there is no right or wrong way that we know 100%.

I will tell you to send them to each different state with fingerprints to avoid possible delays, but they may just accept what you were asking to begin with. It's up to you, it's your application, your life, etc. No matter what, I wish you the best of luck!