merylbaz

On 23rd March my OH had an email from the London office who are processing his application (I assume), asking for an explianation of 'No Live Trace' on his police certificate. We phoned up ACRO who said it was a charge in1994 of obstructing a police officer with a fine. Sent this straight off and today there is an email asking for a RCMP certificate and a link to how to obtain said certificate. But the he has never lived in Canada or even been there, so what is the point of them asking?
Any ideas?

mandymoochops

I would email them, and explain, and aso say that you will apply for a subject access record and forward it to them as soon as you get it (normally around 4 weeks)

merylbaz

Been checking and it seems to be a fingerprnt check. CIC gives you 60 days to reply, but for a start you have to send off to Canada for the form to take to the police station (not downloadable), then go to B'ham for prints, then send them off to Ottawa, and wait, and when we get it send back to London, could take 11 weeks according to website, This all seems very extreme, has anyone else had this happen.
We just seemed so close to the finishing post .

Siouxie

You can go to your local Police Station provided they use a similar form. Details here: http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cr-cj/fing-empr2-eng.htm

If they don't then you can email the RCMP and they will send you the form (perhaps by email?). Details here: http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cr-cj/c216-eng.htm

I believe the RCMP would send the results directly to CIC on written request.

I think it may be worth your while to email CIC and double check if they would accept a UK fingerprint service as your husband has never been in Canada and to make absolutely sure that is what they want. I suspect he has a similar name and birthdate to a known criminal and they want to ensure that he is not he!

As it asks you to give a full explanation of any law breaking on the application you are quite fortunate that they have not refused your application on the grounds that full disclosure wasn't given.

Jim Humphries

The likely explanation is that someone with the same name is in the Canadian criminal records.

merylbaz

Thanks for the most helpful replies, guys. Will follow them up.
Siouxie, we did disclose the information on the form, but guess we didn't go into as much detail as they wanted. But kinda thought from the 'spent' timescales that it was not too important.

merylbaz

After waiting over 3 weeks for a reply from London, got an email apologising and saying he didn't need a RCMP check. This is after OH spent 4 hours and £70 at Birminghan Police station getting fingerprints done for said certificate
All of which could have been sorted with a quick phone call, if it was allowed

Siouxie

Well I'm glad that it is sorted, as you say though it's a shame they couldn't have told you before you spent the money out!

Hopefully things will progress quickly now for you.