Canadian Criminal Record Check in Costa Rica: Everything You Need to Know

Looking to apply for a Canadian Criminal Record Check in Costa Rica but not sure where to start? You're not alone. It comes up more often than people expect. Maybe you're applying for residency through DGME (Costa Rica's Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería). Maybe a job offer depends on it. Or maybe another legal or immigration step just asked you for one. Either way, the request itself is nothing unusual. Getting a Canadian document while living abroad is the part that actually makes most people anxious.

This blog covers the full process: what this document is and who issues it, how to apply for one from Costa Rica step by step, and what your options are if you already have fingerprints taken.

A Canadian Criminal Record Check, also known as an RCMP Criminal Record Check, is an official background verification conducted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Canada's national police service. It is one of the most widely recognised forms of criminal history verification in the country and is frequently requested by immigration authorities and organisations worldwide.

So what happens once you apply? Your application moves through several stages:

Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS).

This document comes up in more situations than most people expect. If you are a Canadian citizen, a former resident, or someone who previously lived, worked, or studied in Canada, you may be asked for an RCMP Criminal Record Check from Costa Rica in any of these situations:

Residency Applications in Costa Rica.

When you apply for temporary or permanent residency, DGME asks for a criminal record certificate from the countries where you hold citizenship or have recently lived. For anyone with Canadian history, that document is the RCMP Criminal Record Check, and the same requirement comes up in citizenship applications as well.

Moving to another Country.

Planning to relocate from Costa Rica to somewhere new? Work visas, digital nomad visas, family sponsorship, and long-term stay permits in many countries require a criminal record check from every country you have called home, and Canada is no exception.

Employment and Professional Licensing.

Employers, regulatory bodies, and licensing authorities may request the check before confirming a job offer or professional registration, especially in fields like education, healthcare, childcare, financial services, government contracting, and roles involving security or sensitive data.

Volunteering with Vulnerable Groups.

Organisations that work with children, seniors, patients, or other vulnerable individuals usually ask for criminal record verification before accepting volunteers, even for short community programmes. International volunteer organisations tend to be especially careful about this.

Adoption, Court, and Family Matters.

Adoption applications, custody cases, and similar legal proceedings can require proof of your criminal record history in Canada. The exact requirements depend on the authority handling your case.

Business and Investment Ventures.

Entrepreneurs, investors, and company directors are sometimes asked for the check when applying for business licences or investment-based residency programmes, or during corporate due diligence reviews.

If you find yourself in this list, you are in the right place. Whatever the reason behind the request, the application process itself is the same for everyone, and every step of it can be completed from Costa Rica.

Good news first: the document list is short. One item does almost all the work, and the rest takes minutes to arrange. Here is everything that goes into your application, starting with the one that matters most.

Documents Required for RCMP Criminal Record Check: Quick View

Document 1: Official Fingerprint Card

The most important document in your application is a set of ink fingerprints captured on the official C-216C or an equivalent form. The application requires the original physical card, so scans, photocopies, and emailed versions cannot be used.

Where can I get fingerprinted in Costa Rica?

The RCMP accepts fingerprints taken by authorised agencies in the country where you live, which includes local police services, government offices, and notaries public. In Costa Rica, that usually means asking at a police station or arranging the service through a notario público.

Availability varies from place to place, so call ahead and confirm that they offer fingerprinting for foreign documents before you visit. One thing to cross off your list early: the Canadian embassy in San José cannot take fingerprints for this application.

Can I just take my own fingerprints?

Yes, you can get fingerprinted without leaving Costa Rica, but taking the prints yourself is not an option. The card must be completed by an authorised agency, and the official who takes your fingerprints must sign it.

For the card to be accepted, it must:

• Be taken in black ink
• Show all ten fingerprints clearly
• State which agency took them, with its name and address
• Carry the name and signature of the official who rolled them

That last condition closes the door on self-fingerprinting. No authorised official can sign for prints they did not take, and the requirements are checked twice: first by the accredited company in Canada, which reviews each card before submission, and then by the RCMP. Missing signatures and agency details are among the common reasons applications are returned. The full list of conditions for cards from outside Canada is published on the RCMP's website.

Is choosing a fingerprinting company worth it?

For most applicants, yes. A professional fingerprinting company can have trained associates capture ink fingerprints on the correct form and review every impression for visible clarity before you leave, which can reduce avoidable quality issues. Companies that handle RCMP applications work with an accredited office in Canada to complete the submission.

Document 2: Identity Proof

Alongside the card, your application includes two pieces of valid government-issued identification, and at least one of them must carry your photo. For most people in Costa Rica, a passport does all the work, paired with a second ID such as a driver’s licence. Clear copies travel with your fingerprint card so the accredited company can verify your identity before submission.

To an RCMP-accredited fingerprinting company in Canada. The RCMP publishes its full list of accredited companies online, so you can pick from the official source rather than trusting advertisements. Reach out to your chosen company before you courier anything: they will confirm their intake requirements, service fee, and the exact mailing address, which saves you from a wasted shipment.

What goes inside the envelope?

• The original fingerprint card (never scans or photocopies).
•  Copies of your two pieces of government-issued ID, one carrying your photo.
•  A signed authorisation form, if a third party should receive your results.
• Payment details for the $25 federal processing fee payable to the Receiver General of Canada, where applicable, arranged the way the company instructs.

Note: Use a tracked courier service. If that envelope goes missing, there is no backup copy of your card.

What happens once it arrives?

•  The company evaluates the card: print quality, signatures, and agency details.
•  Approved cards are digitised and submitted electronically to CCRTIS.
• The RCMP then processes your application and issues the result.
   

A little preparation at the start saves weeks at the end. These are the points that decide whether an application moves smoothly or comes back for corrections.

• Details Must Match Your ID Exactly
  Your full name and date of birth are what the application runs on. Any difference between the form and your identification documents, even a small spelling variation, can hold up or derail processing.
• Fingerprint Quality Is Not Negotiable
  Unclear or incomplete impressions can prevent a submission from moving forward. Have your prints taken by an authorised person who reviews each impression for visible clarity before you leave.
• Send Only What the Process Requires
  The original fingerprint card, copies of your identification, and an authorisation form if a third party receives your results. Extra or incorrect documents slow the file down rather than strengthen it.
• Timing Belongs to the RCMP
  Apply well before your deadline. Processing times are determined entirely by the RCMP, and if a possible record match shows up, the review takes longer while it is confirmed.
• Know What the Requesting Authority Expects
  Some authorities, DGME included, ask for the check to be apostilled and accompanied by a certified Spanish translation. Confirm the requirements before you apply, not after the document is already in your hands.

If you are applying from Costa Rica, Globeia coordinates the stages it handles, from the initial application to electronic submission through Globeia Incorporated in Toronto.

1. Book your appointment through Globeia's online SmartForm

Enter your personal details, upload the required documents, and select any additional services you need, such as apostille coordination or certified translation. Payment is completed securely within the same flow, and the form identifies missing information upfront, helping reduce avoidable delays.

2. Mobile Fingerprinting Across Costa Rica

Globeia's trained associates come to you across Costa Rica, including San José, Alajuela, Heredia, Cartago, and Liberia, and collect your ink fingerprints on the official C-216C or an equivalent form. Every impression is reviewed for visible clarity before the appointment ends. Final acceptance and processing are determined by the RCMP.

3. Letter of Identity Verification

After your appointment, you receive an exclusive Globeia document confirming that your fingerprints were collected by a trained associate following rigorous identity verification protocols, complete with a unique encrypted QR code for tamper-proof authentication.

4. Submission Through Globeia Incorporated in Toronto

Your original fingerprint card and supporting documents are mailed to Globeia Incorporated in Toronto, Canada. Globeia Incorporated is accredited and certified by the RCMP to take and submit civil fingerprint verification requests to the RCMP for civil purposes. The team reviews your file, digitises the fingerprints, and submits them electronically to the RCMP's CCRTIS system.

Globeia Incorporated

5. SmartPortal Application Tracking

Available Globeia-handled stages appear in the SmartPortal, so you can follow the parts of the application managed by Globeia without repeated follow-up calls or emails.

6. Results Delivered Your Way

The RCMP issues the official Criminal Record Check directly. Its published processing estimate is three business days or less when there is no match, or up to 120 days when manual processing is required or there is a possible match. Processing times are determined entirely by the RCMP, and mailing time is additional. The result can be mailed to you, sent to an authorised third party such as an immigration consultant or lawyer when the required authorisation is provided, or returned through a secure courier arrangement.

7. Apostille and Certified Translation as the Next Step

If your document is intended for use in Costa Rica, authorities such as DGME may require an apostille and a certified Spanish translation.

Globeia coordinates these next steps after your check is issued by submitting the apostille request to Global Affairs Canada on your behalf and arranging certified translation through professional translators.

Please note that Globeia does not directly apostille official government documents and does not perform apostille services on behalf of any government authority. All apostille and authentication requests are submitted by our company to the designated competent government authority on your behalf.

Already Have Your Fingerprints Taken? You Can Start From Any Stage of the Application

You do not have to begin at step one. If your fingerprints were already taken at a police station or notario público in Costa Rica, that card may move straight to the submission stage, provided it has clear black ink impressions, the agency's name and address, and an authorised official's signature, and is accepted by the Canadian RCMP accredited company.

Direct submission to the RCMP is not possible, so your card is mailed to Globeia Incorporated in Toronto, Canada, which holds RCMP accreditation. The team reviews it, digitises the impressions, and submits them electronically to the RCMP's CCRTIS. Tracking for Globeia-handled stages continues on SmartPortal.

Often, but not automatically. An apostille is the standard way of authenticating a document between countries that belong to the Hague Apostille Convention. Costa Rica is a member, and the Convention entered into force for Canada in January 2024, so eligible Canadian documents intended for Costa Rica can follow the apostille route instead of embassy legalisation.

The exact requirement depends on the requesting authority. For DGME residency files, a foreign criminal record certificate generally needs to be duly apostilled or legalised and officially translated when it was issued in a language other than Spanish.

Applying for a Canadian Criminal Record Check in Costa Rica feels less stressful once you understand what the RCMP process requires: a properly completed fingerprint card, the right identification, and a submission route through an accredited office in Canada. From the Central Valley to Liberia and down to the southern Pacific zone, none of it requires a plane ticket to Canada.

And if any stage feels like too much to handle alone, Globeia is there to help!