How to Get an RCMP Criminal Record Check from Poland

Many Canadians and former Canadian residents living in Poland are surprised when a Polish immigration office, employer, or legal authority asks them to provide an RCMP Criminal Record Check. This often happens during residency permit applications, EU long-term residency processes, employment verification, or other official paperwork connected to time spent in Canada.

For many applicants in cities like Warsaw, Kraków, or Wrocław, the biggest question is usually the same- how do you obtain a Canadian Criminal Record Check while living outside Canada?

The process for applicants in Poland works differently from the process in Canada. Poland-based applicants cannot submit fingerprints directly to the RCMP themselves. Ink fingerprint collection must be completed through authorized providers first, and then the application must be submitted through an RCMP-accredited company in Canada.

In this blog, we will explain how the RCMP Criminal Record Check process works from Poland, what documents are required, how ink fingerprint collection works, and what applicants should know before starting their application.

Many Polish authorities may request a Canadian Criminal Record Check when applying for residency permits, work authorization, international adoption, or other legal processes involving time spent in Canada. In these situations, applicants are often asked to provide an RCMP Criminal Record Check as part of their documentation.

An RCMP Criminal Record Check is an official verification conducted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The search is completed using the CCRTIS database, which stands for Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services.

There are two types of searches that applicants often confuse:

Name-Based Check

Canadian Criminal Record Check

For applicants living in Poland, fingerprint-based verification is usually required because it provides a more accurate identity match.

RCMP-accredited companies in Canada receive the completed ink fingerprint cards mailed from abroad, digitize them, and submit them electronically to the RCMP CCRTIS for verification.

People living in Poland require an RCMP Criminal Record Check for many different reasons. In many cases, Polish authorities, employers, or international institutions request an official Canadian Criminal Record Check as part of the application process.

Common situations include:

• Canadian permanent residency or citizenship applications.
• Polish residence permit or work visa requirements.
• Employment with Canadian or international companies.
• Professional licensing in Canada.
• International adoption processes.
• Court-related or legal documentation requirements.

Many applicants assume they can visit a local office in Poland and directly request the document. However, the RCMP process for applicants outside Canada is somewhat different.

Applicants in Poland must first complete ink fingerprint collection in person using official C-216C forms. The fingerprint cards are then mailed to Canada, where an RCMP-accredited company in Canada can digitize and submit them electronically to the RCMP CCRTIS for verification for verification.

Applying for an RCMP Criminal Record Check from Poland involves several stages, including document preparation, fingerprint collection, mailing, and RCMP review in Canada. 

With Globeia, the process can look like this:

1. Start the Application Online

This helps organize the application before fingerprints are collected and reduces the chances of missing information later in the process.

2. Fingerprint Appointment in Poland

3. Sending the Documents to Canada

4. RCMP Review and Final Result

Applicants should also consider international courier or postal delivery time from Poland to Toronto, as this can affect the overall waiting period.

Some Poland-based applicants need an apostille after receiving their RCMP Criminal Record Check. This usually depends on where the document will be used. For example, Polish immigration authorities, international employers, or legal institutions may ask for it for additional authentication.

Apostille and authentication requirements are determined by the receiving authority. Applicants should always confirm requirements directly with the organization requesting the document.

All apostille coordination processes are completed through relevant government authorities, such as Global Affairs Canada and related authentication offices. Some applicants may also require a sworn translation into Polish, depending on the authority reviewing the document locally.

The important thing is confirming these requirements early. Many applicants only discover apostille or translation requirements after the RCMP result is already issued, which can create additional waiting time later.

Globeia Incorporated in Toronto is an RCMP-accredited company authorized to submit fingerprints electronically to the RCMP CCRTIS.

For applicants in Poland, trained associates coordinating under an MOU arrangement with Globeia handle in-person ink fingerprint collection before the documents are mailed to Toronto for submission.

The process is structured to help applicants understand what documents are required at each stage.

Globeia also provides a Letter of Identity Verification to confirm that the applicant’s fingerprints were collected by a trained associate following their strict identity verification protocols. 

At this point, most applicants might be trying to figure out how a Canadian Criminal Record Check can even be completed while living thousands of kilometers away from Canada, in cities like Warsaw, Gdańsk, or Kraków.

The good news is that the entire process can still be completed from Poland. From fingerprint collection and identity verification in Poland to mailing documents to Canada for RCMP submission, the process can be completed from abroad when working with an RCMP-accredited Canadian provider. Globeia helps coordinate this process through fingerprint collection in Poland, document review, and submission to the RCMP through Globeia Incorporated in Toronto.

Many applicants choose to work with them as they provide guidance on required documents, coordinate ink fingerprint collection in Poland, prepare consent forms, and arrange submission to the RCMP. If you need an RCMP Criminal Record Check from Poland, you can immediately start your application with Globeia today!