Digital Fingerprinting Services

Digital Fingerprinting, also known as Electronic or Live Scan fingerprinting, is an efficient, reliable and trustworthy method for capturing and transmitting fingerprint images. Using a LiveScan scanner at a designated capture station, your fingerprints are digitally recorded. These images, along with your application, are then submitted to the RCMP's Canadian Criminal Real Time Information System (CCRTIS) for further processing.

Key Features of Digital Fingerprinting include:

• Accurate and Clear Prints: Digital fingerprinting produces high-quality fingerprint images, reducing the chances of rejection due to poor quality.
• Efficiency: Digital fingerprinting eliminates the need for ink and physical cards, speeding up the submission process.
• Secure: All your data is encrypted and transmitted directly to the requesting agency (e.g. RCMP or FBI), ensuring privacy.
• Widely Accepted: Digital fingerprinting is commonly used for purposes like employment background checks, immigration applications, and professional certifications due to its convenience and reliability.

The key differences between Digital Fingerprinting and Traditional Ink & Roll Fingerprinting Services are as follows:

Process:

• Digital Fingerprinting: Captures fingerprints electronically using a digital scanner (also known as a Live Scan Machine)
• Traditional Ink & Roll Fingerprinting: Records fingerprints on a physical card using ink & roll techniques.

Submission:

• Digital Fingerprinting: Submits fingerprints electronically directly to the requesting agency.
• Traditional Ink & Roll Fingerprinting: Requires mailing the physical fingerprint card to the agency.

Tools Used:

• Digital Fingerprinting: Requires electronic scanners, such as a Live Scan machine.
• Traditional Ink & Roll Fingerprinting: Uses ink and roll techniques to obtain fingerprints on physical fingerprinting cards.

Error Handling:

• Digital Fingerprinting: Digital software flags unclear prints for immediate correction.
• Traditional Ink & Roll Fingerprinting: Technicians visually assess quality and may redo prints if needed. In some cases, the agencies might request new fingerprinting cards if the existing cards can not be processed.

Applications:

• Digital Fingerprinting: Typically used for employment, licensing, and immigration purposes where electronic submissions are accepted.
• Traditional Ink & Roll Fingerprinting: Used when digital submissions are not accepted, or if specific fingerprinting cards are required.

Both methods effectively capture fingerprints but differ in technology, tools, and use cases.

Criminal Record checks can be requested by a variety of organizations for several purposes. The most common reasons for being fingerprinted are Citizenship, Permanent Residency, other Immigration Applications, Employment, and Security Licensing Applications.

The digital fingerprinting process requires the client to be present at the office to provide their fingerprints. 

If you are unable to visit our office due to residency abroad, please visit our Out of Country Clearances page for more information on how an RCMP or FBI Clearance can be obtained without your physical presence in our office.

Our agency submits your criminal record check application, along with your digital fingerprints, directly to the RCMP for processing. 

Within 72 hours, the RCMP will cross-check your information against their database and issue a certificate confirming a clear criminal record. 

If you have a criminal record, the RCMP will issue your certificate, along with the details of the criminal record, within 120 days from the date of submission. 

You will receive your certificate directly from the RCMP via mail. NOTE: The above processing time does not account for delivery time. All fingerprinting results are shipped directly by the RCMP to your provided address via Canada Post.

The documents you need to bring to your appointment will vary based on which service you wish to avail. Generally, ALL our services require our clients to carry two pieces of valid, government-issued photo identification. A list of acceptable IDs is as follows:

• Passport
• Driver's License
• Permanent Resident Card
• Health Care Card (Must be a Provincial Health Care card which contains your Photo and Signature)

Please note that expired identification can not be accepted to obtain an RCMP Criminal Record check. 

For digital fingerprinting, our agency provides you with a confirmation document containing a Document Control Number (DCN) once your application has been submitted. Please ensure this document is kept safe until your hard copy results are received in the mail.

For ink-rolled fingerprints, the original fingerprinting card will be provided to you once the service has been completed. 

If our agency is processing your ink-rolled fingerprints as a part of your Out-of-Country Clearance service, a confirmation document containing your Document Control Number (DCN) will be shared within 72 hours of receipt of the originals in our office.

According to the RCMP, individuals with NO Criminal Record can expect their results to be printed and mailed within 72 hours of receiving the electronic submission. However, individuals with an EXISTING Criminal record can expect to wait up to 120 days to have their results processed by the RCMP.

NOTE: The above processing time does not account for delivery time. All fingerprinting results are shipped directly by the RCMP to your provided address via Canada Post.

Currently, there is no way to expedite the processing of your fingerprinting application. The RCMP processes fingerprints in the order in which they are received and mails them out using Standard Canada Post delivery.

Our office staff will try their best to provide you with the best quality fingerprints. However, if the quality is not acceptable, our staff will help you to find alternate routes to obtaining the results.

The general validity period of any fingerprinting results is between 3-8 months. We would suggest confirming the validity period directly with the accepting authority for your results.

Yes, our agency can assist you with obtaining a Police Clearance for Immigrating to the United States. Please inform our team members that you are requesting a Criminal Record Check for Immigration to the USA, as this result has to be generated under the PRIVACY ACT, and needs to include the "RCMP National Repository- Entire Holdings".

Unfortunately, our agency does not provide a Vulnerable Sector Check (VSS). If your accepting authority has specifically requested a VSS, we advise you to contact your Local Police Department for more information.