How Can I Get an RCMP Criminal Record Check from Chandigarh?

Walk into almost any household in Chandigarh, Mohali, or Panchkula, and there's a good chance someone in the family has spent time in Canada. Maybe a nephew who did his Master's in Toronto, a cousin who worked in Brampton on a PGWP, or a neighbour who moved there for a few years before returning home. Canada is practically a part of the extended family map for this region.

But that connection comes with a lot of paperwork, especially if you're now applying for PR, a spousal visa, or even a work permit to a completely different country. Immigration officers want proof of your background from every country you've lived in, including Canada. They will most definitely ask for an RCMP Criminal Record Check; keep in mind that this document isn't something your local police station in Chandigarh can issue.

Keep reading this blog to understand how you can obtain an RCMP Criminal Record Check from Chandigarh, what the process looks like step-by-step, and from where you can get it done smoothly!

An RCMP Criminal Record Check is a document issued by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police that verifies whether a person has a criminal record in Canada. It's based on your fingerprints rather than just your name, which makes it far more accurate and difficult to dispute. This is mostly required for Canadian immigration applications, employment in regulated or sensitive sectors, or when applying for certain long-stay visas, especially if you've previously lived in Canada. 

Fingerprint-Based vs Name-Based Checks

How does the issuing authority confirm the background check actually belongs to you? In Canada, this happens in one of two ways: by matching your fingerprints or by matching your name and personal details.

Name-based checks search records using your full legal name, any maiden names or aliases, and your date of birth. It is faster, but the downside is that two people can share the same name and birth date, which means a name-based search can result in a false positive. When this happens, the record will need to be manually cleared by submitting fingerprints anyway to prove it isn't a match.

Fingerprint-based checks remove that ambiguity entirely. Fingerprints are unique to you and impossible to confuse with someone else's. When the RCMP runs a fingerprint-based check, it's matching your actual physical identity against the National Repository of Criminal Records, not just a text record of your name.

Many people in Chandigarh look at the requirement of "Canadian Criminal Record Check" and assume it refers to the local Criminal Record Check issued by the province or city where they lived in Canada. A local Criminal Record Check issued by a Canadian city or provincial police department is usually a name-based check. It's a legitimate document that may be accepted and required in some situations, but it is not the same as a fingerprint-verified RCMP Criminal Record Check.

For example, if you've lived in provinces like Ontario or British Columbia, you might think a local Criminal Record Check from that province's police department is enough. It isn't, if the immigration process has specifically asked for an RCMP criminal record check.

The two are actually quite different in how they're verified, what they search, and how reliable they are.

RCMP Criminal Record Check vs Local Police Clearance Certificate

A Canadian criminal record check is required specifically from individuals who have lived in Canada for 6 to 12 months or longer, since the age of 18. If your stay in Canada was shorter than that, like, a short visit or a few weeks for a conference, you likely won't need one.

In Chandigarh, this comes up a lot, mainly because the city has a large number of individuals with past Canadian ties. These are the main groups in Chandigarh who need an RCMP Criminal Record Check:

• Former International Students Who Studied in Canada - Many students from Chandigarh go to Canada for higher education and later return to India. Sometimes after completing their studies or after a Post-Graduation Work Permit. They'll need an RCMP criminal record check for any future Canadian immigration application or even for immigration processes to other countries like Australia, the UK, or the US.
• Ex-Temporary Workers Who Held a Canadian Work Permit - People who moved to Canada for work and have since returned to Chandigarh need this check when applying for permanent residency later on, or when applying for jobs back in Canada.
• PR or Citizenship Applicants with a Canadian Background - Some Chandigarh residents may have previously held Canadian PR or lived in Canada as dependents, and are now reapplying for PR, citizenship, or sponsorship from India.
• Spousal or Family Sponsorship Applicants - If you're applying for a spousal or family sponsorship visa and you (or your spouse) previously lived in Canada, this check becomes a mandatory part of the application, regardless of which country you're applying from.
• Individuals Applying to Other Countries with Canadian Residency History - It's not just Canada-bound applicants who need this. If you're applying for immigration, a work visa, or PR to countries like Australia, New Zealand, or the UK, and you've lived in Canada for an extended period, immigration authorities in those countries may specifically ask for an RCMP criminal record check as part of their background verification process.

Now that you know it's specifically an RCMP Criminal Record Check you need, and not a generic Criminal Record Check, the next step is understanding how the process actually works from Chandigarh.

Step 1: Get Your Fingerprints Taken

The RCMP does not accept self-captured fingerprints; this isn't something you can do at home or through a generic scanning service. Your fingerprints must be rolled by a trained technician or authorized professional using the correct format and equipment.

Learn How to Give Your Fingerprints for an RCMP Criminal Record Check from Outside Canada

Local police stations in Chandigarh are technically an option, but most of them aren't set up to handle RCMP-specific requirements. They don't usually stock the materials needed for the process, including:

C216C or Equivalent Fingerprint Forms: The specific format required for RCMP submissions, which isn't the same as standard fingerprinting forms used for local verification purposes.

Third-Party Consent Forms: Required if you want your results submitted directly to the requesting authority (such as an immigration office or employer) rather than handed to you to forward yourself.

Because of these gaps, a reliable private fingerprinting provider is generally your best bet. A good provider will already be equipped with the correct forms, understand RCMP requirements, and can guide you through the entire process.

Step 2: Submit to an RCMP-Accredited Agency in Canada

Once your fingerprints are taken, they can't just be sent straight to the RCMP. They need to be processed, digitized, and submitted through a company that's officially accredited by the RCMP and based within Canada. So your job here is to find one of these accredited agencies and coordinate with them to get your application moving. They'll handle the actual submission on your behalf.

You can find the complete list of Private RCMP-Accredited Fingerprinting Companies in Canada here!

Step 3: Pay Required Fees

There are a few different charges bundled into the total cost here, so it helps to know what you're actually paying for. The federal processing fee payable to the Receiver General of Canada is $25 CAD for a Criminal Record Check*. On top of that, accredited companies can charge anywhere from $65 to $90 CAD for their part of the process, so plan your budget accordingly.

*Fees mentioned are accurate as of 2026 and may change; please confirm current rates with the RCMP or your accredited provider before submitting payment. 

Step 4: Wait For Results

Once submitted, the RCMP takes over and processes everything independently, running your fingerprints against the Canadian national criminal database to check for any matches. Most of the time, this comes back in around 3-5 business days. But if a criminal record shows up under your name, or if further verification is needed, it can take a lot longer, stretching out to as much as 120 days. This timeline does not include the international mailing and courier transit time.

Step 5: Apostille, Legalization or Translation (if required)

For your RCMP criminal record check to be valid for use in other countries, it usually needs to be authenticated first. What that authentication looks like depends on the receiving country.

• If it's a member of the Hague Convention, a Canadian apostille is usually enough.
• If it's not, you'll likely need to go through a more involved legalization process via that country's embassy or consulate.
• And if English isn't an official language where you're submitting the document, you'll also need to get it translated by a professional or certified translator.

If you're applying to move or immigrate from Chandigarh, chances are Canada isn't the only country in your history. A lot of applicants have also studied, worked, or lived in other popular destinations like the USA, Australia, UK, Singapore, and more. If that's the case for you, it's not enough to just get your RCMP criminal record check. You'll also need to request police clearances or background checks from each of those countries separately.

Since every country calls this document something different and issues it through a different authority, it helps to know what to look for before you start applying.

Read About Things to Know When Applying for a USA Background Check from India

Keep in mind that the process, fingerprinting requirements, documents needed, and turnaround times are different for each country. So you should look into the specifics for every one you've lived in rather than assuming they'll all work the same way.

Do You Need Police Clearance from India Too?

Many countries ask for proof of a clean background from every country you've lived in over the past several years, not just the one you're currently based in. So since you're in Chandigarh, you might also need to get an Indian Police Clearance Certificate (Criminal Record Check) along with your Canadian criminal record check.

As you can see, an RCMP criminal record check rarely stays limited to just one document. Fingerprinting, submission to accredited agencies, apostille or legalization, translations, and sometimes even clearances from other countries can all come into play along the way. With that many moving parts, having a reliable partner to help you through the entire process makes all the difference.

Doorstep Professional Fingerprinting Services

Globeia offers mobile fingerprinting in Chandigarh, where trained associates come to your location anywhere in the region, including areas like Sector 17, Sector 22, Sector 35, and Manimajra. Coverage is also available in Mohali and Panchkula, so you don't have to travel across the tricity to get your prints taken.

High Accuracy and First Time Acceptance

Every set of fingerprints goes through strict on-site quality reviews before the associate leaves your location, making sure they meet the standards set by the RCMP. They check for smudging, blurriness, or incomplete prints, and retake them on the spot if needed, so you don't run into rejections later in the process.

RCMP-Accredited Presence in Canada

Your fingerprints are couriered directly to Globeia Incorporated in Canada, which is RCMP-accredited and authorized to digitize and submit fingerprints on your behalf. This means there are no third-party agencies or unnecessary handoffs anywhere in the process.

And if you've already had your fingerprints taken by another provider, you can skip the fingerprinting step altogether and courier them directly to Globeia Incorporated for submission.

Additional Document Authentication Support

Globeia also helps with apostille of your criminal record check and other relevant documents through Global Affairs Canada, as well as other provincial authorities, depending on where your documents originate. Beyond that, they handle legalization requests through the relevant embassy or consulate on your behalf.

Live Tracking and Updates

Throughout the process, you get access to a centralized dashboard where you can track your application in real time, right from fingerprinting to final submission. You'll also receive regular status updates along the way, ensuring complete transparency and reliability.

Global Operational Network

With coordination teams and processing offices across the USA, Canada, Australia, Europe, and India, Globeia lets you get international background checks from multiple countries abroad through the same provider, instead of juggling different agencies for each one.

Applying for an RCMP criminal record check from outside Canada comes with its own set of rules from who's allowed to take your fingerprints, to which agency in Canada can actually submit them on your behalf. And for people in Chandigarh figuring out a process designed for a country you're no longer in, the entire process can easily become confusing.

Globeia happens to sit on both sides of this gap, with an RCMP-accredited office in Canada, and fingerprinting associates on the ground in Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula. So instead of your file passing through a local provider, then a separate Canadian agency, then back to you, it moves through one connected setup from the first fingerprint to the final apostille.