1. Acceptance of These Terms
These Terms and Conditions govern your use of the website of Global Background & Waiver Services Inc. (“Global Background,” “GBWS,” “we,” “our” or “us”), our appointment-booking system and the services we provide. By using the website, booking an appointment, requesting a quote, paying for a service or engaging us, you agree to these Terms as they apply to you. If you do not agree, please do not use the website or book a service.
A service-specific agreement, consent form or written quote may add terms for your file. If it conflicts with these Terms, the service-specific document governs that service, and mandatory law overrides both.
2. Our Services
We may provide or facilitate:
- fingerprinting and assistance with fingerprint-based criminal record checks;
- assistance with RCMP criminal record check submissions, where authorized;
- assistance with FBI Identity History Summary requests;
- background-screening and identity-verification services;
- preparation and administrative support for record suspension (pardon) applications;
- support with criminal rehabilitation and temporary resident permit applications;
- support with U.S. entry waiver applications (see Form I-192); and
- other services we expressly offer.
3. Nature and Limits of Our Services
We are not the decision-maker. Unless we state otherwise in writing and are legally authorized, we are not the government body that issues criminal record checks or decides record suspensions, visas, permits or waivers. The RCMP, FBI, police services, courts, the Parole Board of Canada, IRCC, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and other authorities make their own decisions on their own timelines.
No guarantee of outcome. Accepting an appointment or payment does not guarantee that any application will be accepted, approved or completed by a particular date, or at all.
Who can give immigration advice. Canadian law restricts who may give immigration advice or represent applicants for a fee (see section 91 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants). Immigration advice and representation at GBWS are provided only by [name], a licensed [lawyer / paralegal / RCIC, licence no. ____]. All other GBWS services are administrative: we help you prepare, organize, check and submit forms and documents. Administrative support is not legal advice. Information on this website is general in nature and is not a substitute for advice about your own circumstances.
These Terms do not create a lawyer-client relationship. Any professional retainer is set out in a separate written agreement.
4. Authorization and Client Responsibilities
Authorization. For services that involve acting on your behalf, you authorize GBWS to complete and submit your forms, communicate with the relevant authorities about your file, and, where your service requires it, transfer your file to a licensed representative whom we will identify to you first.
You agree to:
- give accurate, complete and truthful information, including prior applications, refusals, charges and convictions;
- provide valid identification and the supporting documents the service requires;
- confirm you are entitled to request the service, or are properly authorized to act for the person concerned;
- review all forms and declarations before you sign or authorize submission;
- give the consents needed for collecting, using and disclosing your personal information;
- attend appointments on time and follow identification and security procedures;
- tell us promptly about errors, changes in your circumstances (including any new police contact or charges) and missing information;
- keep your contact details current and respond to our requests for documents;
- pay the agreed fees; and
- treat our staff respectfully and not submit forged, altered or misleading documents.
5. Appointments and Booking
Appointments may be booked through our website, by telephone or by another channel we make available. A booking is confirmed only when we send you confirmation. Please check the date, time, location, service and identification requirements in your confirmation.
Please arrive on time with all required documents. If you are late or missing documents, we may need to reschedule. We may also reschedule or cancel an appointment because of equipment failure, staff unavailability, safety concerns or circumstances beyond our control. If we do, we will tell you and offer a new time or a refund of the fee you paid for that appointment.
6. Fees, Payments and Government Charges
Our fee for each service is shown on our website, in your quote or in your service agreement. The total you pay may include:
- the GBWS service or processing fee;
- government or authority fees (for example, Parole Board of Canada or RCMP fees);
- third-party charges such as courier, police-record or court-record fees; and
- applicable taxes.
- you disclose additional charges, convictions or police involvement after we gave you the quote, including offences listed in Schedule 1 of the Criminal Records Act that affect eligibility or the work involved;
- fingerprints are rejected and must be retaken;
- the authority returns your application and a resubmission is needed because of changed or incomplete information from you;
- your file becomes inactive and has to be reopened after [12 months]; or
- a payment is returned or reversed.
7. Cancellations, Rescheduling and Refunds
| Situation | What you can expect |
|---|---|
| Appointment cancelled or rescheduled at least [24 hours] before the start time | Full refund of the GBWS fee, or a free reschedule. |
| Appointment cancelled or missed with less than [24 hours] notice | You may reschedule once at no charge; after that, a new fee applies. |
| File-based service cancelled in writing within [7 days] of first payment, before substantial work has begun | Refund of the GBWS fee, less the value of any work already done. |
| File-based service cancelled later | Refund of the unused part of the GBWS fee, based on the work completed. |
| Government fees and third-party charges already paid to another organization | Generally not recoverable from us. We will help you request a refund from the authority where one is possible. |
| GBWS cancels or cannot perform the service | Full refund of the GBWS fee for the part not performed. |
We process approved refunds to the original payment method within [10 business days]. Nothing in these Terms removes a cancellation right or refund that applies to you under law, including the Ontario Consumer Protection Act, 2002.
8. Processing Times and Third-Party Decisions
Processing times depend on the type of service, how complete your application is, identity verification and the authority’s own workload. For example, the Parole Board of Canada publishes service standards for record suspension applications, and U.S. waiver decisions are made by U.S. authorities on their own schedules. Any time frame we give is a general estimate, not a promise, unless we commit to a specific date in writing. We do not control the schedules, systems or decisions of any authority and are not responsible for delays outside our reasonable control. If a delay occurs, we will give reasonable help within the scope of your service.
9. Criminal Record Checks and Fingerprinting
Fingerprinting and record checks follow the identification and submission rules of the receiving authority, such as the RCMP. You must give genuine identification and any consent the check needs. Fingerprint quality varies; if prints are rejected, we will explain the next steps and any charge before we do more paid work. A fingerprinting appointment is not itself a criminal record check, and we cannot guarantee a result.
The type of check you can obtain depends on your circumstances and purpose. Vulnerable sector checks are handled by the appropriate police service; GBWS does not issue them. The content, outcome and release of any report remain the responsibility of the authority.
10. FBI and Other Foreign Services
Requests to the FBI or other foreign authorities carry their own identity-verification, document, submission and payment requirements. We assist to the extent we offer and are authorized to offer the service. Foreign authorities apply their own laws, timelines and disclosure rules, and we cannot guarantee acceptance, a particular result or a processing time. You are responsible for confirming that the document you request is suitable for your purpose (for example employment, immigration or licensing).
11. Record Suspension, Immigration and Waiver Services
The scope of our work on record suspension, criminal rehabilitation, temporary resident permit and waiver files is set by the service description and any written agreement. You must disclose all relevant history, including previous applications, refusals, charges and convictions. Eligibility and approval are decided by the authority under the law and the facts of your case; we cannot guarantee approval. See section 3 for who may give immigration advice.
12. Suspension and Termination
We may suspend or end your service, with written notice, if you give false or misleading information, do not pay when due, do not provide required documents after reasonable requests, misuse our services or website, or treat our staff abusively. You may end a service at any time by written notice. On termination, section 7 governs any refund, and you remain responsible for fees for work already completed and for third-party charges already incurred. We will return or securely delete your documents as described in our Privacy Policy.
13. Privacy and Electronic Communications
Our Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain and protect your personal information, including fingerprints, criminal record information and immigration records. It forms part of these Terms and is linked in the website footer. By giving us your email address or phone number, you agree to receive service communications from us electronically, including email and text messages. You may opt out of marketing messages at any time. You agree that electronic signatures and consents have the same effect as paper ones.
No method of electronic storage or transmission is completely secure, and we do not promise that it is.
14. Website Use and Intellectual Property
The website’s text, graphics, logos, designs and other content are owned by or licensed to GBWS and protected by intellectual property law. You may use the website for lawful personal or business purposes connected with our services. You must not, without our permission: copy or distribute website content for commercial purposes; misuse our name, logo or branding; interfere with the website’s security or operation; introduce malicious code or try to access our systems without authorization; or use the website to submit fraudulent information. We may change, suspend or discontinue website content or features for business, technical, security or legal reasons.
15. Third-Party Websites and Services
The website links to third-party sites, government portals, booking platforms and payment providers. They have their own terms and privacy policies. We do not control them or guarantee their accuracy, availability or security, and a link is not an endorsement. Please read their terms before submitting information or payment to them.
16. Disclaimer
To the extent the law allows, the website and its general information are provided “as available.” We take reasonable care to keep information accurate and current, but we do not warrant that every page is complete, error-free or always available. Where we expressly agree to provide a service, the commitments in that agreement and in the law apply. Nothing here excludes a statutory warranty or professional duty that cannot lawfully be excluded.
17. Limitation of Liability
To the extent the law allows, GBWS is not liable for indirect or consequential loss, or for loss of opportunity, arising from the use of our website or services. For any claim relating to a paid service, our total liability is limited to the GBWS fees you paid for that service.
This section does not limit liability for fraud, wilful misconduct, gross negligence, breach of our statutory privacy obligations, professional negligence by a licensed representative, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be limited. It does not reduce your rights under consumer protection law.
18. Indemnity
To the extent the law allows, you are responsible for losses we directly suffer because you intentionally gave fraudulent information, used another person’s identity without authority, acted unlawfully or materially breached these Terms. You are not responsible for losses caused by our own negligence, misconduct or breach of law.
19. Events Beyond Our Reasonable Control
We are not responsible for a failure or delay caused by events beyond our reasonable control, such as natural disasters, widespread utility or internet failures, government system outages, emergency measures or major disruption at a processing authority. We will tell affected clients and discuss alternatives. This does not remove any refund or other right under section 7 or under law.
20. General
- Entire agreement. These Terms, our Privacy Policy and any quote or service agreement make up the whole agreement between you and GBWS about the service.
- Assignment. You may not transfer your rights under these Terms to anyone else without our written consent. We may transfer ours to a successor of our business, and will protect your information as described in our Privacy Policy.
- Severability. If any provision is found invalid or unenforceable, it is limited or removed to the minimum extent needed and the rest stays in effect.
- No waiver. If we do not enforce a right immediately, we do not give it up.
- Notices. We may give you notice by email, phone, text message or through the website, using the contact details you gave us.
21. Governing Law and Disputes
These Terms are governed by the laws of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada that apply there. Subject to mandatory jurisdiction rules and your consumer rights, the courts of Ontario have jurisdiction over disputes. Nothing here stops a consumer from using a forum that the law gives them.
22. Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms to reflect changes in our services, operations or the law. The new version will be posted with a new “Last Updated” date and applies from then on. Changes do not alter a service you have already paid for, unless the law requires it or you agree.
23. Contact
Global Background & Waiver Services Inc.
30-6981 Millcreek Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5N 6B8, Canada
Phone: 647-450-6000
Privacy questions: privacy@globalbackground.ca
Further information
- Parole Board of Canada: record suspensions
- Criminal Records Act
- RCMP: criminal record checks
- FBI: Identity History Summary Checks
- IRCC: overcoming criminal convictions
- USCIS: Form I-192
- College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants
- Ontario Consumer Protection Act, 2002
Global Background and Waiver Services Inc.
Pardon, waiver and fingerprinting support to help you move forward with confidence.