RCMP Certified Criminal Record Checks for Adoption

What do I do if I need a Certified Criminal Record Check for adoption?

Adopting a child is an exciting but complicated process that is much like a jigsaw puzzle with many pieces.

For international adoptions, you will be required to go through the adoption application process of Canada and the country you are adopting from, as well as the immigration process in Canada, to sponsor your adopted child. You will likely be asked to provide a police check from the RCMP as one piece of this puzzle, and you will also be required to provide your fingerprints to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). These are two different processes. The RCMP police check is performed by the RCMP and accredited fingerprint agencies like us, while the biometric scan for the CIC is taken at some Service Canada locations.

Both international and Canadian adoptions will usually involve obtaining a Certified Criminal Record Check, also known as a police check, from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). This police check includes a certificate stating whether or not a person has been charged or convicted of a crime in Canada.

For adoptions within Canada, you will also likely need to provide a check of local police records in addition to the Certified Criminal Record Check from the RCMP. While RCMP police checks can be obtained from the RCMP and accredited fingerprint agencies, the local police record check must be provided by a local police service in your home city or town.

How do I obtain certified copies of my official documents for international adoption?

As part of the process for international adoptions and Canadian sponsorship applications for your child, you will likely be asked to submit certified true copies of official documents such as birth and marriage certificates. A notary public can provide certified true copies of your original documents for you. You need to bring the originals to a notary public who can make copies and certify that they are true copies of the originals.

How can Red Seal Notary help?

Red Seal Notary is accredited by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to provide Canadian-certified criminal record checks. You can attend at one of our walk-in locations with two pieces of valid government-issued identification (not an Ontario health card or Canadian social insurance card) and our knowledgeable fingerprint technicians will be happy to assist you.

Red Seal Notary can also provide certified or notarized photocopies of any original document. Just bring in the original document and we will make copies for you. If you need to have any notarized documents authenticated by the Canadian government, contact our call center to learn how our professional staff can assist with your authentication and legalization needs