Hello all,
I'm sure I can't be the first one having to deal with this. The Thai government needs a police clearance from my country of residence and my home country (USA) to process my work visa for next year. In talking with my future school, they have told me that I need to get a FBI identity clearance summary. Current processing time by mail is 14-16 weeks, according to the FBI website. Can this be correct?? Can anyone confirm that they went through this process recently, and that this is indeed a common thing, or am I jumping through unnecessary hoops?
Thanks!
CV
FBI police clearance
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chiliverde
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 8:45 am
- Location: Europe
Re: FBI police clearance
Ok, so I've figured out how to do it online, but I need to submit the fingerprint card. Anyone have tips for this whole process?
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shadowjack
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am
Re: FBI police clearance
Hi CV,
when I go back to Canada, I am usually faced with the same problem of getting a CPIC check. When the jurisdictions find out I don't live there, they tell me to go away and that they can't do it because I need to live in the district. However, I have managed to find one office where they will do it - and to have had it done a few times over the past 8 or 9 years. Lucky me.
Try contacting the FBI directly and explain your problem and ask them how it might be expedited, or whether there is a fee one can pay to expedite it. Otherwise, get on it NOW and it should be ready by June!
when I go back to Canada, I am usually faced with the same problem of getting a CPIC check. When the jurisdictions find out I don't live there, they tell me to go away and that they can't do it because I need to live in the district. However, I have managed to find one office where they will do it - and to have had it done a few times over the past 8 or 9 years. Lucky me.
Try contacting the FBI directly and explain your problem and ask them how it might be expedited, or whether there is a fee one can pay to expedite it. Otherwise, get on it NOW and it should be ready by June!
Response
Yes, actually Ive seen as high as 26 week processing times. 3-4 month's is fairly typical. It will take even longer if your IS requires an apostile from the DOS.
The shorter though slightly more costly option is to use a third . channeler. These are third . organizations that are authorized to access the NCIC database and in doing so produce various reports. The problem is they are not titled in their header as coming from the FBi and they can not be apostiled by the DOS.
You may be jumping through the 'long' process, go back to your IS and see if they will accept a state or local CRB that contains a 'national' clearance as well. If they require the FBI clearance ask if they require an apostile, and if they dont look into one of the external channelers, processing time for them once they receive fingerprints is about a month.
You can typically obtain blank fingerprint cards from the embassy/consulate. Alternatively you can print out the finger print template on either paper or card stock, though these are less durable and may have scanning issues. Depending on where you are the embassy may be able to take the fingerprints directly, but usually there is a local or regional department of the local law enforcement that provides a service to have an officer or technician collect your finger prints. If you were in the US a number of providers take your fingerprints now with a scanner, and either digitally submit the prints or print out the cards directly. The cost is anywhere from a few dollars to about USD$100. Once you have the prints you mail the card and application with fee payment to the FBI (or channeler).
@SJ
There is no expedited process, and really no way to contact the FBI for customer service issues and questions.
The shorter though slightly more costly option is to use a third . channeler. These are third . organizations that are authorized to access the NCIC database and in doing so produce various reports. The problem is they are not titled in their header as coming from the FBi and they can not be apostiled by the DOS.
You may be jumping through the 'long' process, go back to your IS and see if they will accept a state or local CRB that contains a 'national' clearance as well. If they require the FBI clearance ask if they require an apostile, and if they dont look into one of the external channelers, processing time for them once they receive fingerprints is about a month.
You can typically obtain blank fingerprint cards from the embassy/consulate. Alternatively you can print out the finger print template on either paper or card stock, though these are less durable and may have scanning issues. Depending on where you are the embassy may be able to take the fingerprints directly, but usually there is a local or regional department of the local law enforcement that provides a service to have an officer or technician collect your finger prints. If you were in the US a number of providers take your fingerprints now with a scanner, and either digitally submit the prints or print out the cards directly. The cost is anywhere from a few dollars to about USD$100. Once you have the prints you mail the card and application with fee payment to the FBI (or channeler).
@SJ
There is no expedited process, and really no way to contact the FBI for customer service issues and questions.
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TeacherGal
- Posts: 128
- Joined: Sat May 14, 2016 8:51 am
Re: FBI police clearance
shadowjack wrote:
> Hi CV,
>
> when I go back to Canada, I am usually faced with the same problem of
> getting a CPIC check.
I've never heard of a CPIP check so I've Googled. When I return to Canada I often get an up to date police check for myself for the next round of recruiting. I apply for this at the local police station of the town where I live. There are a couple of different types I can get. I remember having a problem with obtaining one as you need to reside in the town at that time or something.
Shadowjack, which police check do you get for yourself? It's a shame the RCMP can not provide one that covers all of Canada. I think Interpol should get in on this. I know they would not have access to all police files but, someday, and even now it might hold some weight in many recruiters minds.
> Hi CV,
>
> when I go back to Canada, I am usually faced with the same problem of
> getting a CPIC check.
I've never heard of a CPIP check so I've Googled. When I return to Canada I often get an up to date police check for myself for the next round of recruiting. I apply for this at the local police station of the town where I live. There are a couple of different types I can get. I remember having a problem with obtaining one as you need to reside in the town at that time or something.
Shadowjack, which police check do you get for yourself? It's a shame the RCMP can not provide one that covers all of Canada. I think Interpol should get in on this. I know they would not have access to all police files but, someday, and even now it might hold some weight in many recruiters minds.
Discussion
@TeacherGal
They are the same thing, the CPIP is just another department of the horseman. Your local identification bureau is pulling from the same resource database (mostly), the CPIP just has a public access route of accessing the database directly (though minus the local data). The local branch wont do it for someone who isnt resident because doing so requires creating a record, and thats work.
The CISC can do a much deeper check as well and one thats tuly national and international, but they dont have a public route to obtain a report of such a search.
InterPol doesnt want the job, or the headache and would be a massive investment of resources, which they dont have the budget for, and implementation would not be self sustaining for many years, and it would require massive amount of LE cooperation that just doesnt exist.
They are the same thing, the CPIP is just another department of the horseman. Your local identification bureau is pulling from the same resource database (mostly), the CPIP just has a public access route of accessing the database directly (though minus the local data). The local branch wont do it for someone who isnt resident because doing so requires creating a record, and thats work.
The CISC can do a much deeper check as well and one thats tuly national and international, but they dont have a public route to obtain a report of such a search.
InterPol doesnt want the job, or the headache and would be a massive investment of resources, which they dont have the budget for, and implementation would not be self sustaining for many years, and it would require massive amount of LE cooperation that just doesnt exist.
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shadowjack
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am
Re: FBI police clearance
Forget what the acronym stands for. It was what it was called when I started teaching internationally a long time ago :-) Canadian Police Information Computer Network? Anyways, it is the one that the RCMP uses - and I ended up going through an RCMP detachment (after contacting and going to the city police in the jurisdiction my relatives live in and being told to get lost, and other RCMP detachments where I was told that they would love to help, but I didn't live there so they had no choice. Thank God for the one detachment I did find and which has continued to be my lifeline!
Ah! there we go - Canadian Police Information Center - CPIC - I knew it was that! Wikipedia lays it out quite nicely. It is the system the RCMP and other police forces access for your criminal records check.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_ ... ion_Centre
Ah! there we go - Canadian Police Information Center - CPIC - I knew it was that! Wikipedia lays it out quite nicely. It is the system the RCMP and other police forces access for your criminal records check.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_ ... ion_Centre
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shopaholic
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2017 11:42 pm
Re: FBI police clearance
I'm confused about this as well. I recently spoke on the phone with them about this and was told that if you apply electronically, the mailed copy goes out within two days after they receive your fingerprint card, which you have to mail to them along with the printed confirmation email of the electronic request and proof of payment. They also email you unofficial electronic results/report as soon as they get the fingerprint card, so you should get it much sooner (she said).
The person who told me this (mid-February) said the expected times on the website hadn't been updated. She said they had literally changed the policy the day before I called them.
But they still haven't changed the expected time frame on the website, so who knows. I've gotten incorrect information via phone from them in past years. I recently submitted the electronic request and payment and mailed my completed fingerprint card, so I should find out soon if the policy did indeed change.
The person who told me this (mid-February) said the expected times on the website hadn't been updated. She said they had literally changed the policy the day before I called them.
But they still haven't changed the expected time frame on the website, so who knows. I've gotten incorrect information via phone from them in past years. I recently submitted the electronic request and payment and mailed my completed fingerprint card, so I should find out soon if the policy did indeed change.
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shopaholic
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2017 11:42 pm
Re: FBI police clearance
Oh, also, you now CAN check the status of your request. I was emailed a pin and a link when I completed my electronic application and payment of $18. When I followed the link and put in the pin today, I saw that my status is "Insufficient" due to "Missing fingerprint card. Please send your completed fingerprint card along with a copy of your confirmation e-mail to..."
As I said, I've recently mailed the card, so it should arrive there early next week. I'm really hoping the person I spoke to on the phone was correct and the new process means the paper report arrives much sooner.
As I said, I've recently mailed the card, so it should arrive there early next week. I'm really hoping the person I spoke to on the phone was correct and the new process means the paper report arrives much sooner.
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chiliverde
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 8:45 am
- Location: Europe
Re: FBI police clearance
@shopaholic did you do the fingerprinting yourself? Any tips?
Re: FBI police clearance
You do not need to do paper copies and wait months. If you go to the FBI site and scroll down you will find the section on FBI Approved Channelers. Use them. You will find an office in your city no problem. You go in, they know exactly what you need. 1st you register through the channeler. They send you a code and you download their application. Make an appt, go in, get live scanned, wait a few days. Prints approved. Print your document, send into the school. Easiest process. If you are near ajor cities you will have no problem finding and office. https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/ident ... ubmissions
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chiliverde
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 8:45 am
- Location: Europe
Re: FBI police clearance
@Bas Thank you! Hopefully that helps someone; I'm not living in the US at the moment.
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shopaholic
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2017 11:42 pm
Re: FBI police clearance
@chiliverde, I had the prints done at my local Embassy.
Discussion
@chiliverde
You cant do the fingerprinting yourself, well i suppose you could and just have someone else sign it, either the prints are clear and match to you or they dont.
@Basmad6
You cant use a channeler if you need a DOS apostile. At best some channelers will notarize them, but that only will get you a state apostille. Channelers also cost more at least 2-3 times as much, but if the IS and the ministry except them its worth the extra cost, though its no uncommon for a ministry of labor or immigration to reject them and require them directly from the FBI.
You cant do the fingerprinting yourself, well i suppose you could and just have someone else sign it, either the prints are clear and match to you or they dont.
@Basmad6
You cant use a channeler if you need a DOS apostile. At best some channelers will notarize them, but that only will get you a state apostille. Channelers also cost more at least 2-3 times as much, but if the IS and the ministry except them its worth the extra cost, though its no uncommon for a ministry of labor or immigration to reject them and require them directly from the FBI.
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shopaholic
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2017 11:42 pm
Re: FBI police clearance
Do the Option 2 Electronic Submission. You fill out the application online, then mail your prints from whichever country you are living in now. When you complete the online application, it asks you to tick a box if you want a paper copy of the report mailed anywhere, and then you put in the address of your new school.
I did this and my new school had the paper copy of the report about 13 days after my prints arrived at the FBI. It was much easier and much, much faster than the old way.
They also email you an electronic copy of the report the day they receive your prints. It is the same as the paper copy they mail, but your school probably needs the paper copy.
I did this and my new school had the paper copy of the report about 13 days after my prints arrived at the FBI. It was much easier and much, much faster than the old way.
They also email you an electronic copy of the report the day they receive your prints. It is the same as the paper copy they mail, but your school probably needs the paper copy.