In Canada, background checks for applicants under 18 are only permitted for specific, approved purposes. Applicants under 18 may submit fingerprints to the RCMP only when the request falls within these approved categories. Any fingerprint submission outside of these categories will be rejected by the RCMP.
Below are the most common situations in which a background check for applicants under 18 is accepted.
1. Canadian Citizenship
Applicants under 18 seeking Canadian citizenship may receive a request letter from IRCC for fingerprinting. In such cases, they need to provide an RCMP fingerprinting background check. The results will be returned to the individual, who must then submit them directly to the IRCC for a background check for applicants under 18 years.
It is important to note that IRCC uses a standardized request letter format, which is applied to both applicants over and under the age of 18. As a result, the instructions in the letter may indicate that the RCMP background check results should be sent directly to IRCC.
However, there is an important procedural distinction for minors. Under RCMP regulations, criminal record check results for applicants under 18 years of age cannot be sent directly to IRCC, regardless of what is stated in the IRCC request letter. This requirement exists to protect the privacy and legal rights of minors.
In practice, the process works as follows:
- The minor’s fingerprints are taken and submitted to the RCMP
- The RCMP will issue the results and mail them to the parent or legal guardian’s home address
- The parent or legal guardian must then submit the results separately to IRCC, following the instructions provided in the request letter
Because of this policy, RCMP will not accept requests to send fingerprint results for minors directly to IRCC, even when the IRCC letter indicates otherwise. Our staff will explain this distinction during your appointment to ensure the fingerprinting and submission process is completed correctly and without delays.
2. Employment (Federal, Provincial & Municipal)
Youth applicants seeking employment with federal, provincial, or municipal government bodies may be required to complete an RCMP fingerprint-based background check.
In these cases, a background check under 18 is permitted, and fingerprints are submitted to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for processing.
3. Name Change (Alberta, BC, and Other Provinces)
In certain provinces, including Alberta and British Columbia, an RCMP background check is a required document for a legal name change application.
When provincial regulations require it, applicants under 18 are allowed to submit fingerprints to obtain the necessary RCMP background check under 18.
4. Privacy Act – Other (Provide Details)
Applicants under 18 can submit fingerprints under the “Privacy Act – Other” category, commonly referred to as a personal-use criminal record check. In situations where the need under the Privacy Act is not explicitly defined, specific details must be provided to justify the fingerprinting. Notably, US Immigration (for a US Green Card) includes this document in their checklist.
5. Privacy Act – For Non-Certified Criminal Information
Applicants under 18 are also allowed to request this type of check. It’s a Privacy Act Check for situations where non-certified criminal information is sought under the Privacy Act.
6. Employment in POLICE
Youth applicants seeking employment within police forces can submit their fingerprints to obtain an RCMP police certificate. This includes positions such as:
• RCMP Member
• RCMP Civilian Member
• Civilian Member
• Canadian Police Force
Please note: Any fingerprint submissions to the RCMP for applicants under 18 years of age that don’t fall within the reasons listed above will be rejected.
For any queries or further support, we’re just a call or visit away, ready to serve our community adeptly and professionally.
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Frontier One proudly offers a wide range of fingerprinting services for obtaining a Criminal Record Check from Canada (RCMP), the US (FBI FD-258/FD-1164), and other countries (C-216C).
These checks could be required for various applications, including but not limited to Permanent Residency (in Canada and other countries), Canadian Citizenship, US Immigration, Employment, Pardon, Visa/Border Crossing.
Visit us at: www.f1fingerprint.ca or call us now for assistance.
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