When preparing to work or live abroad, you may be asked to provide a Police Clearance Letter or Criminal Record Check. These documents are issued by a police detachment in Canada stating that your name and date of birth have been searched in the National Repository of Criminal Records maintained by the RCMP.
What is a Certified Criminal Record Check?
In addition to the basic Criminal Record Check or Police Clearance Letter where only your name and date of birth are searched, you may also be asked to include your fingerprints.
You can obtain a RCMP Certified Criminal Record Check by personally attending a local police station to have your fingerprints taken, or by using a fingerprinting service in Canada. The fingerprinting service will digitize your fingerprints and submit the application to the RCMP for a Certified Criminal Record Check.
Does a Police Clearance Letter or Criminal Record Check require Notarization?
A criminal record check that is issued at a local police detachment must be notarized before going through the authentication and legalization process.
However, a Certified Criminal Record Check with fingerprints that is issued by the RCMP headquarters in Ottawa does not require notarization.
What are the steps required for the authentication and legalization of the Criminal Record Check?
Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa will authenticate a notarized Police Clearance Letter or a Certified Criminal Record Check issued by the RCMP headquarters in Ottawa. Once your document has been authenticated by Global Affairs Canada (JLAC office), it is then submitted to the relevant diplomatic mission for legalization.
You may have the Certified Criminal Record Check sent directly to us from the RCMP for authentication and legalization. We will personally handle each step of the process on your behalf and send you the completed document.
Contact us for your free consultation. We would be happy to discuss your situation and assist you with the authentication and legalization process.
