Short answer: Yes – Canada requires background checks from every place you have lived, including foreign countries.
When applying for Criminal Rehabilitation to overcome inadmissibility to Canada, the Canadian government must confirm your complete criminal history worldwide. This means you must provide police certificates from:
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Every U.S. state you have lived in, if you lived there for 6 months or more singe age 18
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Any foreign country where you have lived for six months or longer since age 18
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Federal-level checks, such as the FBI Identity History Summary (for U.S. residents or citizens)
Why So Many Background Checks Are Required
Criminal Rehabilitation is a permanent solution, and Canadian immigration officers must be able to:
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Confirm that all convictions are properly disclosed
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Determine that you are no longer a risk to public safety
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Assess eligibility for rehabilitation based on complete records
Not Including a state or country background check can delay or even lead to refusal of your application.
What You Should Gather for a Complete Application
Applicants typically need:
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FBI criminal background check
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State police certificates from every state lived in for 6+ months
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Foreign police certificates for any country where you lived 6+ months
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Court records for each incident
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Proof of sentence completion
A fully documented record is essential for approval.
Final Thoughts
Yes – background checks from every U.S. state and every country you’ve lived in are required for Criminal Rehabilitation. Because Canada compares your history against the Canadian Criminal Code, missing documentation can cause delays or refusals. Working with a dual U.S.-Canada immigration lawyer helps ensure you collect the correct documents and prepare a complete application.
Schedule a Consultation with an Immigration Lawyer
We Can Help!
If you have questions regarding Entry to Canada, we invite you to contact our team at Richards and Jurusik for detailed guidance and assistance. We aim to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information to make your immigration process smoother and less stressful. The immigration lawyers at Richards and Jurusik have decades of experience helping people to work and live in the United States. Please read some of our hundreds of 5-star client reviews! Contact us today to assess your legal situation.
CHRISTINE JURUSIK is a Partner at Richards and Jurusik and Focuses her practice solely on U.S. Immigration law, with a specialized focus on advising families and individuals on the family-based immigration process and on obtaining U.S. Citizenship. She also handles Canadian Rehabilitation and DUI inadmissibility matters for U.S. Citizens seeking to overcome inadmissibility to Canada. (Full Bio)
