Obtaining an FBI Background Check from Canada Made Simple

US citizens and residents in Canada often need their FBI background checks for employment, legal, immigration, and business purposes. The most common use case for FBI checks in Canada is employment, wherein Canadian employers ask applicants to submit an FBI check to verify their criminal history. Canadian permanent residency and long-term stay visa applications require an FBI Check, particularly if you have spent extended periods of time in the US.

Moreover, getting your license from different Canadian professional bodies, such as the Canadian Psychological Association, the Medical Council of Canada, and Advocis might also require an FBI Check as part of the licensing process, especially for individuals with relevant US qualifications or experience.

While it is possible to apply directly via the FBI’s mail-in option, this method is usually the slowest and hardest to understand. Fortunately, you do not have to handle your FBI background check application alone.

We will discuss the FBI background check process in detail to give you an idea of what is required. The prime focus of this blog post is to help you understand the steps required in using a professional service to streamline the process.

The FBI uses the FD-1164 form for background check fingerprinting. This is similar to the RCMP’s C216-C form and can be downloaded directly from the FBI’s website. You must ensure that all of your fingerprints are eligible and there are no smudges on the form. Your other details, such as name, address, social security number, and date of birth must be filled in their respective fields. The person taking your fingerprints will add the date of the fingerprinting to the form and also sign it for the FBI’s reference. 

The second step of the process is getting a copy of the I-783 form and adding your details to it. The required details are similar to the FD-1164 form that you completed in the last step. The I-783 serves as your application form, giving the FBI permission to run a check on your fingerprints. Both of these forms must be mailed to the Criminal Justice Information Office’s address in Clarksburg, West Virginia. 

FBI’s fees are $18 per background check so you can calculate the total costs if applying for multiple family members. You will need to attach a credit card payment form if using this method of paying for your background check. 

The FBI can take 1.5-2 months to deliver your background check results. However, you do not have to wait for months because you can use our FBI fingerprinting service to get your results back in less than three weeks.

The FBI uses the FD-1164 form for background check fingerprinting. This is similar to the RCMP’s C216-C form and can be downloaded directly from the FBI’s website. You must ensure that all of your fingerprints are eligible and there are no smudges on the form. Your other details, such as name, address, social security number, and date of birth must be filled in their respective fields. The person taking your fingerprints will add the date of the fingerprinting to the form and also sign it for the FBI’s reference. 

The second step of the process is getting a copy of the I-783 form and adding your details to it. The required details are similar to the FD-1164 form that you completed in the last step. The I-783 serves as your application form, giving the FBI permission to run a check on your fingerprints. Both of these forms must be mailed to the Criminal Justice Information Office’s address in Clarksburg, West Virginia. 
FBI’s fees are $18 per background check so you can calculate the total costs if applying for multiple family members. You will need to attach a credit card payment form if using this method of paying for your background check. 

The FBI can take 1.5-2 months to deliver your background check results. However, you do not have to wait for months because you can use our FBI fingerprinting service to get your results back in less than three weeks.

Getting fingerprinted by a professional service reduces the chances of mistakes and helps you ensure that your FD-1164 form follows the FBI’s guidelines. Professionally fingerprinted forms are also scanned easily by the CJIS system, which further reduces the chances of getting a denial or delayed message. You can visit a fingerprinting facility near your location in Canada to complete your FD-1164 form.

Globeia offers a quick fingerprinting appointment for FBI background check applicants who are in the Greater Toronto Area. You can book your appointment by dialing +1-416-288-8070 or filling out the contact form on our website. One of Globeia’s fingerprinting specialists will help you transfer your fingerprint impressions to the form and also complete the rest of your application.

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) typically does not accept PDF versions of FBI background check reports so you will need to submit the hard copy version that you receive by mail. According to the IRCCs’ guidelines, the US criminal record check must also not be older than 3 months. 

Your permanent residency application in Canada may be denied if you submit your FBI clearance that has passed the 90 days expiry date. This is to ensure that the background checks are accurate before applicants can be given the Canadian PR. So we would recommend you not to apply too early as you might have to complete the process again if your certificate expires. 

Criminal Rehabilitation applications, on the other hand, accept FBI checks that are upto 6 months old. This condition remains the same whether you are applying for a Work visa, Express entry visa, or if your Canadian PR application is being sponsored by your spouse.