Partner Sponsored Visa Application Process

I am looking for some info as with the floods going on in Brisbane, it is proving difficult to speak to someone.

Wondering if there is a difference between a Police Certificate and a Certified Criminal Record Verification. I do not have a criminal record and am wondering if I can avoid having to get finger printed as this seems extreme considering I also need to pay to have one done in Australia as well.

Also, is it worth having an agent help me.

Thanks Carly

Partner Visa is one of the most straightforward paths to entry, and as long as you're a thorough person you should not need an agent. It's really just a matter of getting all your information straight.

You do not have to submit a criminal record verification from the RCMP until it is requested by your case officer. You are not required or expected to provide at the time you lodge your application. My understanding, however, is that basically everyone ultimately has to get a record check done by the RCMP prior to having their Visa granted, and this will include fingerprinting... but again this is not done until your CO requests it.

It takes (according to the RCMP website) 4 months to get your criminal record verification back if you apply for it by mail. In reality, it took mine 6 months to come back (and I have no record). I also had to book in to get fingerprinting done here in Melbourne, and my appointment was a month after I rang.

My advice, do it now! Get your fingerprints done as soon as you can, and send them off to the RCMP. You'll need the check eventually, and at this point, it's going to be awhile until you get it! It's not at all expensive, I can't remember but I think it was like $25 Canadian or something, plus the postage, plus the fee at the bank because I had to get a money order in Canadian funds.

(if you have plans to be in Canada any time in the next 6 months, it'll be quicker to wait until you're there and get them done. They do them electronically, and you have your criminal record verification in 2 weeks)

Sorry to hijack this thread to ask a question, but I am the Aussie half of a couple who are trying to apply for Partner Visa in Oz. My partner is Canadian and he went home this week for a funeral and so he decided to apply for his RCMP criminal record check in person at home and save some processing time. However, they told him it is only valid for 90 days which doesn't help us much because it will be expired by the time they get around to looking at our application (minimum 6-10 months to process onshore at the moment) which we have yet to send in. Did any of you have this problem?? How did you get around it, did you just keep getting the RCMP check re-done??

Thanks in advance for any advice or information.

The criminal record check has to be less than 3 months old at the time you submit it. You don't have to keep submitting a new one every 3 months.

Ah, thank you so much for the clarification! My parter lives in a very small town and the woman at the RCMP wasn't very sure of the information she was giving him. I appreciate you taking the time to reply

One day I was walking in the shopping center near my home. I was there to do some errands before heading downtown Montreal to have my criminal record check and as I walk in I see a little shop with nothing in there but a pretty Russian girl who was taking finger prints for criminal records checks. I thought that was great. About a week later I got my letter back from them. I don't know why other people say it takes so long.

It only takes a week (or sometimes 2 weeks) if you are IN Canada. It takes 4 months (minimum, as I said, mine took over 6 months) if you apply for them OUTSIDE of Canada, by mail.