120 days for a criminal background check from Canada??

[.]

by the way, I just read on Ottawa's TECO site that they require a notarized and authenticated copy of the applicant's passport in order to be authenticated. So I do have to go up to the Canadian Consulate in Taipei to get a photocopy of my passport notarized, then over to BOCA to get it authenticated, then mail that to my sister in Canada, then have her mail my criminal record check from the RCMP along with my notarized and authenticated passport photocopy over to the TECO office in Ottawa. IS this correct? Is this what you guys did?

[shini]

1. A Money order from a bank in Taiwan is sufficient? Do you need to request anything specific?

This part proved to be a pain in the butt because they don't quite seem to have "money orders" here. Even with a Taiwanese husband in tote it still was confusing. Everywhere wanted to give me a "bank draft" which seemed fine except they said once the receiving end gets it, it would take a month before the funds would be released to them. I'm still confused by all this. Anyway finally went to MegaBank and they seemed to know what I needed.

2. Do I really need anything from the Canadian Trade Office? From my understanding (based on http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cr-cj/fing-empr2-eng.htm), I can submit a fingerprint form provided by a local police station (here in Zhongli) and provide the rest of my details on a separate piece of paper. I don't want to have to go up to Taipei if it's not necessary.

I can't really answer this with confidence. I'd just call the trade office to run it by them and maybe if you feel worried call the RCMP office and run it by them too? I think the problem would be that the fingerprints form that the Canadian Trade Office gives you would be all in English where the local one probably wouldn't be so that could cause problems.

I'll be in the Xinyi area on Thursday and could swing by to pick one up & could mail it to you if you PM me your mailing address.

[shini]

by the way, I just read on Ottawa's TECO site that they require a notarized and authenticated copy of the applicant's passport in order to be authenticated.

This doesn't sound familiar to me. Can you show me where on the website you found this? I didn't have any notarizing or authenticating done at the Canadian trade office at all. The only part they had in me getting my APRC was handing me my fingerprints form.

So I do have to go up to the Canadian Consulate in Taipei to get a photocopy of my passport notarized, then over to BOCA to get it authenticated, then mail that to my sister in Canada, then have her mail my criminal record check from the RCMP along with my notarized and authenticated passport photocopy over to the TECO office in Ottawa. IS this correct? Is this what you guys did?

Again this sounds strange. I only remember dealing with BOCA at the end and that was to hand them my notarized/authenticated police check with the translated version of the police check. My brain is kind of failing me right now since I was dealing with getting my APRC, getting married, and getting my baby's dual citizenship all in the same year and a half.

This thread should be tremendously helpful though:

viewtopic.php?f=67&t=80053&hilit=BOCA

[.]

by the way, I just read on Ottawa's TECO site that they require a notarized and authenticated copy of the applicant's passport in order to be authenticated.

This doesn't sound familiar to me. Can you show me where on the website you found this? I didn't have any notarizing or authenticating done at the Canadian trade office at all. The only part they had in me getting my APRC was handing me my fingerprints form.

I found it on this site: http://www.taiwanembassy.org/CA/fp.asp? ... 9737&mp=78

it says:

By Mail: the original or a notarized photocopy of the applicant’s valid passport or photo ID, for those who are living in Taiwan shall have the photocopy of their valid photo IDs or passports notarized first by their diplomatic/consular missions in Taiwan and then authenticated by the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei（www.boca.gov.tw）as proof of their identity. The original passport or photo ID will be returned to the applicant after the process.

I would LOVE to not have to do all that... I guess the only solution is to call.

Again, thanks for all the info. Plenty of people post or write about it, but yours was particularly clear

[bobbyanalog]

Any follow up on having to submit an authenticated passport when getting you rcmp check authenticated by Teco?
Also, it looks like you have the option of sending your actual passport instead.

[.]

Any follow up on having to submit an authenticated passport when getting you rcmp check authenticated by Teco?
Also, it looks like you have the option of sending your actual passport instead.

I e-mailed TECO but they haven't replied yet. I am not in a rush to call them because presumably it will take 11 weeks for the criminal record check to be completed (and that's AFTER I get my fingerprints and send it anyway).

I saw that you can send your passport, but I personally don't feel comfortable with that.

Do post if you hear anything more. I will do so as well.

[.]

Hi again all...

So I got my fingerprints done today (finally) and am ready to send them to the RCMP in Ottawa. BUT, I am stuck on the money order bit. Am I able to send my criminal record check application to my sister in Canada and have her get the money order there for me and then have her forward it on to the RCMP?

Or my only other option (and maybe ONLY option) is to go to MEgabank? Does anyone have any updated info on this procedure? I am in Zhongli. I went to Citibank in Taoyuan today and they had a cheque but nowhere on there did it say money order. I want to get this off ASAP as I am running out of time, but I just don't know where to go. I went to many banks around here (in Zhongli) and all they had were Bank Drafts.

Thanks for any input

[.]

Just in case anyone reads this in the future...

I called the RCMP in Canada last night and found out that a bank draft is the same thing as a money order. Maybe this seems innate to some, but it didn't to me. That's what my problem was, I was going around asking for a money order specifically and all the banks said all they had was a bank draft... I thought it had to have the title "money order"!

Anyway, the RCMP officer last night assured me that they are the same thing. So, jsyk, a bank draft is very easy to come by at almost any bank in Taiwan. I live in Zhongli, biked around the corner from my apartment (in a residential neighborhood) this morning and the the first bank I went into gave me one (in CAD) in about 15 minutes.

[.]

however... now for the waiting time. RCMP's website says 4 weeks for a processing time, but recorded message over the phone last night said 10 weeks, and I just read a post on another forum where people are posting about waiting times of 5 months or longer! (these posts are from November and December 2011)

hopefully the website is the most accurate... anyone have current info on processing times that are better than 5 months.. please do reply. Would love to hear it!

[bismarck]

however... now for the waiting time. RCMP's website says 4 weeks for a processing time, but recorded message over the phone last night said 10 weeks, and I just read a post on another forum where people are posting about waiting times of 5 months or longer! (these posts are from November and December 2011)

hopefully the website is the most accurate... anyone have current info on processing times that are better than 5 months.. please do reply. Would love to hear it!

Ha! So it's not just South Africa? They told me six weeks for a Police Clearance (same on their various websites), but it took more than 6 months, they lost it twice and sent it to the wrong place once.
My Renunciation Certificate was also supposed to take 6 weeks, but ended up taking 42 weeks, and when I finally got it, it still had to be returned to be authenticated, Apostilled and whatnot. Also, I got it in June 2011, and the date of issue was 12 December 2010.

Good luck with yours. Hope it gets here in record time.