Applying for an RCMP Criminal Record Check from Manila? Here’s What Changes

Names can change, be shared by other people, or appear differently across official records. Fingerprints are unique to one individual. That's why Canada relies on fingerprint-based identity verification when identity must be confirmed with a higher degree of certainty. This also explains why an RCMP Criminal Record Check is sometimes non‑negotiable for immigration, professional licensing, and high‑trust employment.

For applicants in Manila, the process isn’t simply an overseas task. It’s a chain of precise steps: capturing prints that meet RCMP standards, choosing an accredited submission pathway, and ensuring the result reaches the requesting authority through the correct channel. This blog breaks down what you need to know and what you need to have ready before you begin applying for an RCMP criminal record check from Manila.

An RCMP Criminal Record Check is a fingerprint-based background check issued by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). For applicants in Manila, the need for an RCMP Criminal Record Check is usually linked to a connection with Canada rather than where they currently live.

Common situations where an RCMP Criminal Record Check may be requested include:

• Canadian immigration or citizenship applications where fingerprint-based verification is required.
• Employment in sectors that involve security screening or positions of trust.
• Professional licensing or registration for regulated occupations such as healthcare.
• Legal, adoption, or other administrative processes where a Canadian criminal record check is specifically requested.

In the Philippines, the term background check can refer to several different documents. Depending on the situation, it might mean an NBI Clearance, a Philippine National Police (PNP) Clearance, an employer-conducted background screening, or a fingerprint-based criminal record check issued by another country. Canadian organizations are usually much more specific.

Spending a few minutes reviewing the request can save you time, money, and the inconvenience of completing the wrong application.

1. Check the Exact Wording

Review the email, application checklist, request letter, or online portal carefully.

Look for phrases such as:

• RCMP Criminal Record Check
• Canadian Criminal Record Check
• Fingerprint-based criminal record check

If the instructions are unclear or use broader terms such as police certificate, certificate of good conduct, or background check, contact the requesting organization for clarification before proceeding.

2. Find Out Whether Additional Steps Are Required

For some applications, obtaining the RCMP Criminal Record Check is only one part of the process. Depending on the requesting organization or the country where you'll use the document, you may also need to:

• Have the document apostilled through Global Affairs Canada (where applicable under the Hague Apostille Convention).
• Obtain a certified translation if the receiving authority requires one.
• Send the completed criminal record check directly to the requesting organization instead of receiving it yourself.

Knowing these requirements before you apply allows you to plan the entire process. This can save you from discovering additional steps after your RCMP Criminal Record Check has already been issued.

Manila applicants have several options to get fingerprinted locally for RCMP Criminal Record Check requests:

Philippine National Police (PNP)

Enquire with the PNP's fingerprint identification unit, which handles fingerprint-related services.

One example is Finger Print Identification Division – Crime Laboratory Group, Philippine National Police at Camp Crame, EDSA, Quezon City 1111.

Before visiting, contact the office to confirm:

• Whether it currently provides fingerprinting for overseas civil applications
• Whether appointments are required
• What identification documents you should bring

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)

Although the NBI primarily issues NBI Clearances, some NBI offices may assist with fingerprinting for foreign applications. Policies may vary by location, so confirm availability before making a trip.

Major NBI locations in Metro Manila include:

• National Bureau of Investigation - Headquarters - NBI Main Building, 1000 Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila
• NBI Clearance Center - DoubleDragon - DoubleDragon Plaza, Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard, Pasay City
• National Bureau of Investigation - Cubao - General Romulo Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City

Private Fingerprinting Providers

Many applicants prefer working with private fingerprinting providers that regularly assist with international background checks. These providers are often familiar with fingerprint card requirements, identity verification, and coordinating submissions with RCMP-accredited fingerprinting companies in Canada.

If you're using a private provider, ask:

• Do you provide fingerprints suitable for RCMP Criminal Record Checks?
• Do you have the C-216C or equivalent RCMP-compliant card?
• Can you arrange international courier delivery if required?

These questions can help you avoid additional appointments later in the process.

Can't Make It to a Fingerprinting Office?

Skip the commute with mobile fingerprinting services across Metro Manila.

Travelling across Metro Manila for a single appointment isn't always practical. Heavy traffic, unpredictable travel times, and busy work schedules can turn a simple fingerprinting appointment into a half-day commitment.

Mobile fingerprinting offers an alternative. Instead of travelling to a fingerprinting office, a fingerprinting professional comes to your home, workplace, hotel, or another agreed location to capture your fingerprints. The fingerprinting process remains the same, but the appointment is built around your schedule.

Providers like Globeia Manila are making fingerprinting for international applications simple with doorstep fingerprinting. Trained fingerprint associates bring the required C-216C or other RCMP compliant forms and capture fingerprints with technical precision.

In case you want to learn more about fingerprinting, you can read:

• What Are the Steps for Fingerprinting?
• How Do You Get Fingerprints with Ink?

Your fingerprints aren't sent directly to the RCMP from Manila. They must first enter Canada's fingerprint processing system through an RCMP-accredited fingerprinting company. This company converts eligible paper fingerprint cards into the electronic format accepted by the RCMP before submitting the request for processing.

This is why many overseas applications involve more than just fingerprinting. Depending on your chosen provider and submission pathway, your fingerprint card may need to be securely couriered from the Philippines to Canada before the RCMP can begin processing your application.

Although you're applying from the Philippines, the criminal record check itself is processed in Canada. Here's what the journey typically looks like.

Keep in mind: Not every application follows exactly the same workflow. The submission method, delivery instructions, and any additional requirements depend on the organization requesting your RCMP Criminal Record Check.

What Documents Are Required for an RCMP Criminal Record Check from Manila?

Most applicants in Manila will need the following. The exact requirements can vary.

• Valid passport: Primary form of identification for most international applications.
• A secondary government-issued ID (if requested): Some fingerprinting providers may ask for an additional ID, such as a Philippine driver's licence, PhilSys National ID, or UMID card, to support identity verification.
• Request letter or email (if applicable):Bringing the request from your employer, immigration authority, licensing body, or government agency helps ensure the correct type of RCMP Criminal Record Check is completed and that any special instructions are followed.

Also Check: 

• How to Get a Canadian Criminal Record Check from Outside Canada
• Top 10 Reasons Your RCMP Criminal Record Check May Be Rejected in Canada

It depends on how well you plan. Working backwards from the date the document must be in someone’s hands, not the date you plan to start, is the only reliable way to build a Manila‑safe timeline.

Below is a worked example for a Manila applicant who needs an RCMP Criminal Record Check with an apostille, delivered to an address in Quezon City by October 31, using a digital submission path.

Note: The example below is a planning exercise, not an estimate of RCMP processing times. Every application is different, and actual timelines depend on the submission method, RCMP processing, courier services, and any additional document requirements.

*This example illustrates how to work backwards from a deadline using a straightforward application scenario. Actual RCMP processing times are determined entirely by the RCMP and may range from approximately 3 to 120 days, excluding mailing time. If your application falls at the longer end of that range, you should begin the process several months earlier.

If an apostille isn't required, you may be able to shorten the overall timeline by removing the authentication stage. But the total time will still depend on RCMP processing, courier transit, and your chosen submission pathway.

Disclaimer: Actual RCMP processing times are determined entirely by the RCMP and may vary depending on application volume, submission method, whether additional review is required, and other operational factors.

For many applicants, the challenge is about fitting the process into everyday life in Metro Manila.

A fingerprinting appointment can mean rearranging work commitments, coordinating international courier services, and making sure every document reaches the right destination in Canada. If you're unfamiliar with the RCMP process, it's easy to spend more time planning the logistics than preparing the application itself.

Globeia’s service model was designed to simplify those logistics.

Rather than asking applicants to coordinate multiple providers, Globeia brings the key stages of the process together. Your application begins online, fingerprinting is scheduled at a location that's convenient for you, and your fingerprints are securely mailed to Globeia Incorporated, our RCMP-accredited fingerprint company in Canada, for electronic conversion and submission to the RCMP.

What Your Appointment Can Include

Depending on your requirements, Globeia can assist with:

• Mobile fingerprinting at your preferred location in Metro Manila
• RCMP-compliant fingerprint cards prepared during your appointment
• Identity verification before fingerprint capture
• Secure international shipment to our Canadian office
• Electronic submission to the RCMP through Globeia Incorporated
• Coordination of apostille and certified translation services, where required
• Return delivery of your completed documents

Planning More Than One Application? Mention It Before Your Appointment

Many applicants don't realise they're preparing several fingerprint-based applications at the same time.

For example, you might need:

• an RCMP Criminal Record Check for Canada,
• an FBI Identity History Summary because you've lived in the United States,
• or fingerprint cards for another country's immigration or professional licensing process.

If you tell Globeia about all of your requirements before your appointment, your fingerprinting session can often be planned accordingly. In many cases, multiple fingerprint cards can be prepared during the same visit, helping you avoid additional appointments and unnecessary travel across Metro Manila.

Already Have Your Fingerprints?

If your fingerprints have already been taken on an RCMP-compliant fingerprint card, you may not need another appointment.

Simply mail your original fingerprint card to Globeia Incorporated in Canada for electronic conversion and submission to the RCMP. The impressions should be clear, complete, and suitable for processing.

Every application for an RCMP Criminal Record Check from Manila progresses on a series of small promises. The fingerprinting provider promises the prints are clear enough to be digitized. The courier promises the card reaches Canada intact. The accredited partner promises to convert and transmit the file electronically. None of these promises are guaranteed simply because you paid for them; they’re guaranteed when you confirm, before handing anything over, that the person on the other side has done this exact task for an RCMP application before. The applicants who get their report on time aren’t lucky. They just asked one more question than everyone else.

What this shows is that preparation matters just as much as fingerprinting itself. By the time your fingerprints leave Manila, you should already know exactly where they're going, how they'll get there, and what happens next.

Book Your Fingerprinting Appointment with Globeia Manila