How Long Will it Take For My Fingerprints to be Processed?

STEP #1:  Ink Digitization or Digital Fingerprinting

For applicants outside Canada – We digitize your ink fingerprints and submit them to the RCMP instantly within one working day of receiving them.

For applicants attending our office – We take your fingerprints electronically and submit the fingerprints instantly at the time of the appointment.

STEP #2: RCMP Fingerprint Processing Times

Delivery to a Canadian Address

  • The results are typically delivered within 3 to 6 weeks.

Delivery to an Address Outside Canada

  • The results are typically delivered within 4 to 8 weeks.

Expediated/Rush/Emergency/Priority

Regretfully, the RCMP receives thousands of requests each month and processes them on a first-come, first-serve basis. They do not accept requests for emergencies. They will only send out the results by ordinary mail.

Miscellaneous Obstacles that Can Slow Down the Processing of RCMP Fingerprint Form

  • Sex Offender Registry: Your date of birth and gender matches a sex offender (extra steps are in place to ensure you are not the same person).
  • Investigation in Progress: A person may have been identified in a crime with a similar name and date of birth. The RCMP can delay the release of the results of your search until they rule out you are not the person in question.
  • Poor Fingerprint Quality: There is nothing we can do to improve the quality of your fingerprints if your fingerprints are heavily wrinkled or worn.

NOTE: The RCMP will NOT disclose reasons for delays other than to indicate your ‘request is being processed’. In a case like this, all we can do is confirm: (a) they have your request; (b) the date they received your request; and (c) that it is being processed.

Moved or Wrong Address

  • If you move, please arrange with Canada Post to have mail re-directed to your new address (if the results of your search are being mailed to you directly in Canada).

Emergency / Expedited Processing

  • No fingerprinting agency can promise faster processing than another company. The RCMP does not accept requests for emergency or expedited processing under any circumstance. Furthermore, we all use a digital system that transmits instantly to the RCMP—no one system results in faster or better processing than another.

https://www.canadianlegal.org/how-to-check-the-status-of-digital-fingerprinting-with-rcmp/

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How to Check Status of RCMP Report

If you have not received the results of RCMP background check within 4 weeks (Canada) or within 6 weeks (outside Canada), you may check the status of your request by following these instructions:

#1.  Copy the INFORMATION IN CAPITAL LETTERS below.
#2.  Paste it in an email addressed to the RCMP at CCRTIS-SCICTR@rcmp-grc.gc.ca (hint: clicking the email will copy this automatically into a new email for you to fill out)
#3.  Fill in the blanks and select send.

SAMPLE EMAIL

RE:  REQUEST FOR STATUS:

I AM REQUESTING THE STATUS OF MY RCMP DIGITAL FINGERPRINT SUBMISSION.  DETAILS ARE AS FOLLOW:

#1.  MY FULL NAME:
#2.  MY DATE OF BIRTH:
#3.  DATE FINGERPRINTS WERE SUBMITTED:
#4.  REASON FOR APPLICATION:
#5.  DCN #:

Sincerely,

TYPE YOUR NAME HERE