All applicants who are currently present in the USA or have stayed in the USA for six months or more must obtain Police Clearance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

1. First, have your full set of fingerprints taken by a recognized agency.

·         Fingerprints for US record checks should be taken on the FBI fingerprint form, but you should NOT CONTACT ANY FBI OFFICE FOR FINGERPRINTING.  You may request a blank fingerprint form by writing to the FBI at the address below.
 

·         In the USA, fingerprints can usually be obtained from a local police department. You may also be fingerprinted at a regional office of the Department of Motor Vehicles or from a private organization engaged in the fingerprinting business. 
(Consult your local directory for such an establishment.) Always specify that you require fingerprints for Canadian Immigration purposes.
 

·         When you appear for fingerprinting you will need photo identification, such as a passport, and a letter from the Canadian Consulate. Be prepared to provide fingerprinting agents with details of your full name (including maiden name) and any aliases, date of birth, sex, race, social security number, proof of your identity, and the reasons for requesting such a record, i.e. Canadian Visa purposes.

·         Fees for fingerprinting differ depending on location.

2. Fingerprints should be sent, along with a certified cheque or money order for US$18 made payable to the U.S Treasury, to:

FBI
Criminal Justice Information Services Division (CJIS Division)
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, West Virginia 26306
USA

The processing of these requests normally takes between six (6) and eight (8) weeks.

3. The FBI will send you the results of their check by returning your fingerprint card to you. That will be your police certificate.

You should send the card and any attached documents to the Regional Program Centre.  All police certificates must be ORIGINALS, photocopies will not be accepted by our office.

UNITED STATES STATE POLICE CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS

Alabama: State of Alabama, Department of Public Safety, Alabama Bureau of Investigation, Identification Unit, P.O. Box 1511, Montgomery, AL, 36192-1511 Require: 10 print Fingerprint form; Full Name, Race, Sex, Date of Birth and Social Security Number

Alaska: Department of Public Safety, Records & Identification Bureau, 5700 E Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99507. Require: Applicant's accurate address, reason for the request, Money order payable to the State of Alaska in the amount of US $35.00.

Arizona: Police certificates are not available.

Arkansas: Arkansas State Police, #3 Natural Resources Drive, Attention ID Bureau, P.O. Box 5901, Little Rock, Arkansas 72215 Tel: (501) 221-8233 Require: Name, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Aliases, Sex, Names of towns, present and past addresses, Fee US $15.00, Money Order/Certified cheque

California: California Department of Justice, Applicant & Public Service Section, P.O. Box 903417, Sacramento, CA 94203-4170 Tel: (916) 227-3822 Require: Fingerprints, Money order payable to California Department of Justice in the amount of US $32.00.

Colorado: Colorado Bureau of Investigation, 690 Kipling Street, Suite 3000, Denver, CO 80215 Tel: (303) 239-4300 Require: Fingerprints; Money Order US $12.00.

Connecticut: Department of Public Safety, State Police Bureau of Identification, RO.Box2794, Middleton, CT. 06457-9294, Tel: (860) 685-8480 Require: Fingerprints & letter stating why certificate is necessary.

Delaware: Delaware State Police, P.O. Box 430, Dover, Delaware 19903 Tel (302) 739-5900 Require: Set of Fingerprints, Money Order/Certified Cheque US $25.00

District of Columbia: Metropolitan Police Department, Attn: Mail Correspondence, 300 Indiana Avenue NW, Suite 2100, Washington DC 20001 Tel: (202) 727-4432 Require: Self addressed envelope; Money Order/Certified cheque US $5.00 made out to the DC Treasury.

Florida: Florida Department of Law Enforcement, RO. Box 1489, Tallahassee, FL 32302 Attention: Criminal Records Inquiry Section. Require: Full name, Race, Sex, Date of Birth, Social Security Number

Georgia: Georgia Crime Information Centre, Attention: Special Handling Unit, RO. Box 370748, Decatur, GA 30037-0748 Require: 2 Finger print cards, full name, race, sex, date of birth, Social Security Number, US $7.50

Hawaii: State of Hawaii, Department of Attorney General, Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Centre, Attention: CHRC Unit, Room 101, 465 South King Street, Honolulu Hi 96813 Require: Name, aliases, Date of Birth, Social Security Number, Reason for request, sex, fingerprints. Money Order/Certified Cheque US $15.00.

Idaho: Department of Law Enforcement, Criminal Identification Bureau, P.O. Box 55, Boise, Idaho 83707

Illinois: Illinois State Police, Fee Processing Centre, 260 N. Chicago Street, Joliet, IL 60431 -1075 Require: Certified Cheque/ Money Order US $14.00

Indiana: Indiana State Police - Record Division, 100 North Senate Avenue, Room 302, Indianapolis, IN 46204 Tel: (317) 232-8262 Require: Applicant must request for in writing, providing full name, date of birth, physical description and fingerprints.

Iowa: State-wide police certificates are not available. Applicants must apply to each local jurisdiction for local police certificates.

Kansas: Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Attention Records, 1620 SW Tyler Street, Topeka, Kansas 66612-1837 Tel: (913) 296-8200 Require: Return address in body of letter, reason for request, name, aliases, date of birth, place of birth and Social Security Number. Fee US $15.00

Kentucky: Department of State Police Records, 1250 Louisville Road, Frankfort, KY 40601, Tel: (502) 227-8700 Require: Full name, date of birth, social security number, past addresses in the State. Fee US $4.00 Money Order payable to State Treasury.

Louisiana: Louisiana State Police, Bureau of Identification, P.O. Box 66614, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70896 Tel: (504) 925-6095 Require: Full names, date of birth, aliases, Social Security Number, reason for request. Fee US $10.00

Maine: Maine State Police, Bureau of Identification, 36 Hospital Street, Augusta, ME 04330

Maryland: CJIS Central Repository, P.O. Box 32708, Pikesville, MD 21208-2708, Pikesville, MD 21208 Tel: (410) 764-4501 Require. Fingerprints, US $18 Certified Cheque/Money Order payable to CJIS Central Repository

Massachusetts: Commissioner of Probations, 1 Ashburton Place, Room 401, Boston, MA 02108

Michigan: Michigan State Police, Central Records, General Office Building, 7150 Harris Drive, Lansing, Ml 49813 Tel (517) 322-5531 Require: Fingerprints must be submitted on a standard fingerprint card on a standard fingerprint card available at local police stations. The RCMP fin- ger print form is not acceptable. US$15.OO Money Order payable to the State of Michigan.

Minnesota: Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, 1246 University Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104 Tel: (612) 542-0672

Mississippi: Police certificates are not available under state law. Records can only be provided to law enforcement agencies.

Missouri: Missouri State Highway Patrol, Crime Records Repository, 1510 E. Elm Street, Jefferson City, MO 651 01 Require: Fingerprints, Fee US $14.00

Montana: Montana Department of Justice, Identification Bureau, 303 Roberts, Helena, MT 59601 Require: Money Order/Certified Cheque US $5.00

Nebraska: Nebraska State Patrol, Criminal Investigation Division, Box 94637, State House Station, Lincoln NE 68509 Require: Application with money order/certified cheque US $10.00

Nevada: State police clearance letters are not available. Applicants who reside or have resided in Nevada obtain police clearance letters from the appropriate municipal police authorities.

New Hampshire: New Hampshire State Police, Criminal Records, 10 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301

New Jersey: New Jersey Records and identification Section, Attn: Criminal information Units, Box 7068, West Trenton, NJ 08628-0068 Require: Fingerprints and a fee US $12.00

New Mexico: Department of Public Safety, P.O. Box 1268 or 4491 Cerrilos Street, Attention: Records Section, Santa Fe, NM 87504-1628 Tel: (505) 827-9181

New York State: New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, Executive Park, Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, NY 12203 Tel (518) 457-6043 Require: Applicants must submit a letter stating shy the check is required, the name, date of birth, sex, race, social security number, current address, previous addresses and a return address. Fingerprints required. Fee US $50.00

North Carolina: North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Division of Criminal Information, 407 North Blount Street, Raleigh, NC 27601 -1009 Attn: Stan Lewis Require: Full name, race, sex, date of birth, social security number and purpose of the request.

North Dakota: Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Lock Box 1054, Bismark ND 58505

Ohio: State of Ohio, Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, P.O. Box 365, London, Ohio 43140 Tel: (614) 852-2556 Require: Full set of fingerprints; Waiver of release; Fee US $15.00

Oklahoma: Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, P.O. Box 11497, Attention: Criminal History Information, Oklahoma city, OK 73136 Telephone: (405) 848-6724 Require: US$ 10.00, Full name, aliases date of birth, social security number, sex and race and former addresss in the State.

Oregon: Dep't of State Police, Criminal Investigation Bureau, Public Service Building, 3772 Portland Rd, NE, Salem, Oregon 97310

Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State Police, Records & Identification Division, 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110 Tel (717) 783-5592 Require: Applicants must submit a "request for criminal check" form available through the Ohio State Police. Fee US $10.00 - Money Order or Certified cheque

Rhode Island: Chief Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Providence Superior Court House, 72 Pine Street, Providence, RI 02903

South Carolina: SLED Records, PO. Box 21398, Columbia, SC 29221 Require: Application must be made in writing providing name, race, sex, date of birth and social security number, Fee US $10.00

South Dakota: Division of Criminal Investigation, Criminal Justice Training Center, East Highway 34, c/o 500 East Capitol, Pierre SD 57501-5050

Tennessee: Police certificates are not available under state law. Records can only be provided to law enforcement agencies.

Texas: Department of Public Safety, Attention Crime Records Division, P.O. Box 15999, Austin, TX 78761-5999 Tel (512) 465-2079 Require: Applicants provide DPS fingerprint card, full name, social security number, date of birth, sex and drivers license number along with letter from applicant stating reason for requesting check. Addresses and towns in Texas in which the cient resided should also be provided. Fee: US $15.00 Money order/certified cheque.

Utah: State Bureau of Criminal Identification, Department of Public Safety, 4501 South 2700 Street West, Salt Lake City, Utah 84119. Tel: (801) 965-4445 Require: Fee US$ 10.00, Money order/certified cheque.

Vermont: Vermont Crime Information Centre, Department of Public Safety, P.O. Box 189, Waterbury, VT 05676

Virginia: Virginia State Police, Attention: Records Management Office, P.O. Box C-85076, Richmond VA 23261-5076, Tel: (804) 674-2024

Washington: Washington State Patrol, Identification Branch, P.O. Box 42633, Olympia, Washington 98504-2633, Tel (206) 705-5100 Require: Complete name (include maiden name) and date of birth. Fee: US $25.00, payable to Washington State Police.

West Virginia: West Virginia State Police, 725 Jefferson Road, South Charleston, W. VA 25309. Require: Application with Fee US $1 0.00.

Wisconsin: Wisconsin Department of Justice, Crime Information Bureau, attn: Record Check Unit, P.O. Box 2688, Madison, WI 53701-2688. Require: Application made by mail including name, date of birth, sex, and race of applicant. Fee: US $10.00.

Wyoming: State of Wyoming, Office of Attorney General, Division of Criminal Identification, Boyd Building, 4th floor, Cheyenne, WY 82002

Include your State Police Certificates and your FBI Results with your application for permanent residence.

CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION CANADA