Fingerprinting and Certified Criminal Record Checks taken by Electronic Fingerprinting
All Certified Criminal Record Checks are conducted using Fingerprints that are electronically collected and submitted to the RCMP National Repository in Ottawa. They are part of the process when applying for Citizenship, Immigration (Landed Immigrant Status), Name Changes, Pardons (Record Suspensions), US Travel Waivers and much more. We also offer Ink & Paper Fingerprinting services for such purposes as Criminal Record Checks in other countries – Passport renewal, Immigration Police Clearance Checks (PCC) and employment with virtually any employer.
All Non-Criminal Fingerprinting is done by appointment only on Tuesday to Thursday beginning at 2:15 in the afternoon. To contact the MHPS to book an appointment Please contact us at (403)529-8455 or by email at [email protected] .
What is a Certified Criminal Record Check?
What are the differences in Criminal Record Checks?
Requirements, Costs and Payment Options
What is a Certified Criminal Record Check?
A Certified Criminal Record Check (CCRC) is a search conducted by the Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS) to search for any criminal record that may exist for any name and fingerprint combination for convictions occurring anywhere within Canada. They are done as part of the application process for many types of Employment, Citizenship, Immigration (Landed Immigrant Status), Name Changes, Pardons (Record Suspensions), Foreign Travel, Visas, Work & Waivers and occasionally for such things as Cannabis Cultivation Permits. Although the CCRTIS operates under the RCMP umbrella as the holder of criminal records in Canada, these CCRC can be applied for at many local police services including MHPS in addition to actual RCMP detachments and some certified provider like the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires. If you reside in Medicine Hat and attend an RCMP detachment in the surrounding area, they may refer you to our police service as you reside within our jurisdiction.
What are the differences in Record Checks?
There are several levels of Record checks in Canada, but the most general are:
Background Check: This is usually done by a private investigation company or organization and covers only the most basic of information. This process is sometimes employed by a future employer when they wish to investigate your background before hiring. Because they will only have access to so much information that is not very specific or detailed, they may come back with some sort of inconclusive finding and that would send you to one of the other common versions. The MHPS has no ability to do such as service.
Police Information Check: A Police Information Check (PIC), sometimes referred to as a background check, is a detailed criminal and police history, or a confirmation of the absence of any information, based on the personal information provided. The results will be provided on a Medicine Hat Police Service (MHPS) certificate letter. This check is based solely on Canada-wide information. This Police Information Check only provides information found at the time of the check and we are limited to information available on the three source systems. This check does not include information found in any other jurisdiction’s local police information systems; nor does it include court information of any other province(s), except convictions registered on the National Repository for Canada. It is used for such things as Volunteer Employment and Venerable Sector searches. It has been requested for Immigration as well as other purposes but is not typically what is required by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Certified Criminal Record Check: Because a CCRC is a search conducted by CCRTIS to search the National Repository for any criminal record that may exist from a conviction anywhere within Canada, a certified document is issued for any requesting agency that may require the information. If it is important to know if a person has a CCRC as part of a process like immigration, it may have to be as recent as may be possible – CCRCs do not have an expiry date, rather they are a snapshot in time that says as of this date this person with these fingerprints has been found to have the following criminal record (if any).
Further information on Record checks can be found at:
https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/criminal-record-checks
Requirements, Cost and Payment Options
We will require you to present at least one piece of government issued identification and it must include both name and date of birth in addition to some sort of control/issue number such as Birth Certificate, Alberta Health Care Card, Immigration Documents or Marriage Certificate. At least one piece of ID must contain a picture such as Provincial Drivers Licence, Passport, Citizenship Card, Motor Vehicles Registry Photo ID card, Native Status Card or PAL. Social Insurance Cards and temporary driver’s permits are not considered acceptable as they do not include date of birth. In most circumstances we will need your current mailing address so that the results may be mailed to you directly.
The total cost for any process that requires the taking of electronic fingerprinting is $75 while the total cost for any Ink & Paper Fingerprinting is $50, these prices include GST. The cost of electronic fingerprinting covers two elements: $25 is forwarded to the RCMP (CCRTIS) to perform the Criminal Record Check) and the other portion of $50 is retained by the MHPS to maintain & operate the Livescan equipment. MHPS accepts payment for these services by Debit, Cheque – made out to “Medicine Hat Police Service” or of course cash.
Q- How long will it take to get the results for my CCRC?
A- Typically the results will be mailed to your personal residence within 2-3 weeks although as little as 1 week has occurred. Once it arrives, you should forward it to the agency that requires it as soon as possible to avoid the issue of being current enough. There are sometimes delays if there are unexpected volumes of application like Immigration, agencies like IRCC are aware that these delays exist so they will not be concerned if they occur in your case.
Q- How long will I be at the MHPS to get this process?
A- Typically the process will take only about 10 minutes from the time you get into the fingerprint room to your departure, appointments are only 15 minutes long so please attempt to meet your appointment timings
Q- Can the results be sent directly to the agency that wants them – like IRCC?
A- Unfortunately with our software and Policy, we are unable to request that the information is sent to anybody other than the person requesting it (with only one exception – employment with the federal Government). All the agencies that request this from IRCC to RECA in addition to civil companies applying for Pardons & Waivers are aware of this and will accept the information if it comes to you first. This typically adds only an additional day or two to the process.