APRC Application Procedures (Official Checklist)

[Northcoast Surfer]

I just got a call from the TECRO in DC last night regarding the authentication of my documents. Apparently, they no longer authenticate the Chinese translations. They have to be authenticated locally by a Chinese notary public or court of law.

Wow! That really sucks ass! So, are you going to make it on time for your application? I know that you were running late and getting close to your cut off date for sliding in under the 2 years eligibility requirement as it pertains to your situation. Wasn't your two-year window somewhere around July 1st 2012?

Stupid TECRO in DC of course hasn't updated their web page with the pertinent information regarding this new requirement.

差 不 多 (chàbùduō) - Taiwan at its finest.....as usual!

[Northcoast Surfer]

I just got a call from the TECRO in DC last night regarding the authentication of my documents. Apparently, they no longer authenticate the Chinese translations. They have to be authenticated locally by a Chinese notary public or court of law.

So this means that the Chinese translation doesn't need to be sent to TECRO, or that it still needs to be but needs to be notarized first?

Well......I would ASS U ME, that now the following would be the correct procedures regarding the FBI background check.

1. Send the original FBI background check to the TECRO in DC to authenticate it. This document orginates from within the US, so it must be authenticated at the TECRO in DC and can't be authenticated here in Taiwan.

2. Translate the FBI background check here in Taiwan. Either do it yourself or have it translated by a reputable translation company. I'm guessing that it will probably have to be a reputable translation company because I doubt that a public notary or a district court would be willing to authenticate an English translation which they can't read themselves and which has been translated by the applicant. Too much room for "creative" translation! If it has been translated by a translation company with all the required "chops", then it will be a breeze to get it notorized. Many of my clients have used Megatrans to translate documents from English to Chinese and then Megatrans also had the document notorized for them as well. Kind of a one-stop shopping center.

3. Submit the authenticated original and the notorized Chinese translation with your APRC package.

If they don't authenticate the Chinese translation then that means we send 45 instead of the 75 USD?

I wouldn't ASS U ME it's only $45 for just the English FBI background check since they haven't updated their website with any recent information. I would call the TECRO right now and ask them how much it costs to authenticate the FBI background check by itself and also how much express mailing costs are today.

[jason242]

Personally I think you should get a T-Shirt made with your expression, I quite like it.

"I wouldn't ASS U ME"

If you do, be sure to put up some links of it.

I sent an email to TECRO's D.C. office. I am hoping they can give a very concise answer in terms of how the new changes affect us and how to get through the procedure while retaining a grain of sanity.

Something I noticed today though was in my passport I have re-entry permits for 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009, but nothing after that. Is this something I need to get before sending my copies of my passport in?

[Northcoast Surfer]

Personally I think you should get a T-Shirt made with your expression, I quite like it.

"I wouldn't ASS U ME"

If you do, be sure to put up some links of it.

I sent an email to TECRO's D.C. office. I am hoping they can give a very concise answer in terms of how the new changes affect us and how to get through the procedure while retaining a grain of sanity.

Something I noticed today though was in my passport I have re-entry permits for 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009, but nothing after that. Is this something I need to get before sending my copies of my passport in?

You only need to send them a copy of your main information page of your passport, not the whole thing. One piece of paper. I mean......up until today that's how it's always been.......now??????.........only the TECRO knows.....

台灣 = 差 不 多

[jason242]

Haven't received an email, so planning to call them tonight. I tried to search all of the links on their website. Found two potential hits http://www.boca.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=5753&ctNode=790&mp=2 and http://www.boca.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=5755&ctNode=790&mp=2 If you click them you will see they are both "updating" from 6/6. My Chinese ability isn't good enough to browse the Chinese version of the website. Perhaps they have some hidden treasure trove of information. Regardless, I'll try to call them if I haven't received an email from them by tonight.

[jason242]

Okay, just got off the phone with TECRO.

Here are the specifics:

When sending in the documents for authentications you need

Completed and signed Application form
The original FBI check
1 Copy of Picture page of passport
Cashier's Check for $53USD

The cost of the express shipping has gone up from 29.95 to 38USD, so you need to send $53USD in the form of a cashiers check.

I asked several times about the need for duplicates and she said it wasn't necessary. She said she could copy the FBI check for me. The only copy you need is a copy of the passport, since you don't want to send the original through the mail.

It seems like this way is more streamlined than it used to be.

She said once they are done authenticating it, they will send it to Taiwan, and from there I will need to authenticate the Chinese translation. I've been told the place to do this is at a Court Office. I'm not quite to that step but I will post my experience if no one else has by that time.

[Steve4nLanguage]

@Jason242, Thanks for documenting the process and providing updated info. I'll be applying for my APRC next year, so I appreciate everyone's input.

[jason242]

@Jason242, Thanks for documenting the process and providing updated info. I'll be applying for my APRC next year, so I appreciate everyone's input.

No problem Steve. I think we are all in the same boat here, just trying to stay ahead enough in the know that we don't get thrown to the fishes.

[delieadalish]

Ok, no flaming me I have searched and read a jillion things plus talked to others on the phone and I still have a question or two. I have been eligible for ages but I'm finally getting my APRC. I'm Canadian, and most of the info I'm finding is for Americans or it's out dated.

Is there anyway to speed up my Canadian criminal record check and has anyone done it (by mail from Taiwan recently?). And you think this would be obvious, but how much is it and where do I pay? I want to pay with visa but can't find any information about and how much. And belive it or not, I actually already called the Canadian Trade office (they told me to talk to the RCMP) and the RCMP and.. there was serious lack of anyone knowing anything... sigh.

So I'm hoping to get the Criminal record check submitted this week.. (I wanted to finish it today and ran into a wee road block) I don't want to send a money order because I've heard complaints that slows the process down, I've heard you can pay with a credit card but now I can't find out how to do that. ARG.

Any help or information would be greatly appreciated! Thanks (I may try to do the documenting of the whole process like that other fellow did for the states) just so there is an updated step by step for Canadians too .

[jason242]

Is there anyway to speed up my Canadian criminal record check and has anyone done it (by mail from Taiwan recently?). And you think this would be obvious, but how much is it and where do I pay? I want to pay with visa but can't find any information about and how much. And belive it or not, I actually already called the Canadian Trade office (they told me to talk to the RCMP) and the RCMP and.. there was serious lack of anyone knowing anything... sigh.

I just spent a few seconds doing a search "Canadian APRC". I got quite a few hits. I would highly recommend confirming all of this information by calling your Canadian Taiwanese De Facto consulate. But perhaps you can check out this Topic and see if there is any more info. https://forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?f=67&t=85082&hilit=Canadian+aprc

One example is ---

I have just gone through the process myself. The time frame was much less than 180 days, ~75 days.

Here is how I did it:

1. Fingerprints taken at NIA in Pingdong - didn't use the special form mentioned, just the one at the NIA.

2. Sent the fingerprints and other documentation to the rcmp in Ottawa (Feb 2). I sent a money order obtained from First Commercial Bank in Taiwan. I had the results sent to my mom in Vancouver.

3. When the paperwork arrived April 15 (it took far less than 180 days, to my dismay at the time since I couldn't apply for an APRC until June 1), I had her scan it in so that I could get it translated by a friend here.

4. Once I had the translation, I sent my mom the forms to get the criminal records check AND the translation authenticated. Then my mom got a money order to pay for the authentication AND the fedexing of it to Taiwan. Note that it costs $20 for the authentication PLUS $40 for the translation. I misunderstood and didn't send in enough money, so only my wife's translation was notorized. But both oirignals WERE authenticated. Note also that I didn't need an agent since I sent my mom the forms with my wife's and my signatures and she just mailed them in to the TECO in Ottawa.

5. That last step took a while since we were unprepared for the Criminal Record Check to come so quickly, however, we received the documents on May 31 so it was okay - it was still valid for another month which was plenty of time to apply for the APRC.

6. Since I had miscalculated the costs and hadn't had my translation notorized, I still needed to do that here. I went to the district court in Pingdong and it took maybe 15 minutes to get it notorized. It only cost $750, which is cheaper than the $40 TECO wanted, so I was happy.

7. Then I went to the NIA to apply for the APRC. Due to a misunderstanding on my part, only my wife was eligible (but not because of a problem with the Criminal Record Check), so I applied for her and she was notified that she was accepted on Monday (June 21). Yeah!

Here is the translation we used, if it helps. Just replace the english fields as appropriate.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police 檔案續號
1200 Vanier Parkway 1100710000XXXXXXXX
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0R2

2010-03-30

XXXX de Boer
Address
City, Prov
Postal Code



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由加拿大皇家警方提供的國際犯罪紀錄資料庫所顯示的指紋、姓名及出生年月日，證明其相關人士在聯邦法律所屬的犯罪證明中並無相關犯罪紀錄。

申請類別: 簽證 / 過境 /國外旅遊 / 工作
特殊申請:
指紋壓印日期: 2010-02-02

申請人全名: Last Name, First 出生日期: Birthdate 性別: 女性 (female in this case)

地址: Residential Address
Pingdong County
946
Taiwan ROC

犯罪記錄資料確認完成日期: 2010-03-29

Guylaine A. Dansereau
主管機關
加拿大即時犯罪資料認証服務

附註: 原始指紋樣本已銷毀 本文件內容依加拿大個人隱私法律規範處理