criminal records from all countries I've lived in?

[Canaswiss]

Hi there

I am in the middle of the process to get my application (family sponsor) ready to be sent to Paris. I am applying from Switzerland and I got a question. In the application form it's requested to send criminal records of all the countries you've lived in since your 18th birthday. I have lived in Austria for two years.

On the homepage where I can order my Swiss criminal record it says that a Swiss criminal record contains all the crimes comitted from a Swiss person in- and outside of the country. Do I really need to go to the Austrian embassy to get another criminal record or is the Swiss one sufficient?

Also have I lived in Canada under a stagiaire visa for 18 months. However I was never considered a Canadian residence because the permit was only temporary and I stayed registered in Switzerland for that time.

I guess the criminal record has to be notarized? (it's 20 bucks extra for notarized criminal records.)

Thanks in advance

[Baloo]

I have lived in Austria for two years.

You need a police check from Austria.

On the homepage where I can order my Swiss criminal record it says that a Swiss criminal record contains all the crimes comitted from a Swiss person in- and outside of the country. Do I really need to go to the Austrian embassy to get another criminal record or is the Swiss one sufficient?

And a Swiss one.

I guess the criminal record has to be notarized? (it's 20 bucks extra for notarized criminal records.)

For the police checks that I submitted CIC wanted the originals; I guess that if the document is not in English or French the translated version may need to be notarized, it certainly has to come from an accredited translator - no doubt others here will comment.

From the CIC web site.
Who needs a police certificate?

In general, you and everyone in your family who is 18 years of age or over need to obtain a police certificate. You must obtain a police certificate from each country or territory where you have lived for six consecutive months or longer since reaching the age of 18.

The certificate must have been issued no more than three months before you submit your application.

If the original certificate is neither in English nor in French, submit both the certificate and the original copy of a translation prepared by an accredited translator with your application.

[Canaswiss]

Thank you Baloo.

That answers my questions about Switzerland and Austria. I also just looked at a sample of a Swiss criminal record and found out that they are in four languages (English included) anyways. So no need for a translation there.

What about my time in Canada, where I worked under the Stagiaire Agreement but was considered a Swiss resident for that time? Does anybody know?

M

[scylla]

No - you don't need one for Canada.

[canada_555]

for nations u have lived in for more than 6 months

[Canaswiss]

Thank you Scylla

 @  canada_555 I did read Baloo's post about the 6 months.... Fact is that I've lived and worked in Canada under the Stagiaire Contract for 18 months (the longest you can stay under that visa)....

[scylla]

Canaswiss -

To provide you with a bit more info...

The Canadian police certificate is never required as part of the original application (even if you've lived in Canada more than six months). I'm assuming this is because immigration officials have access to this information and are able to perform their own searches.

There have been a few occassions where a Canadian police certificate is requested later on in the process. However these are very few and far between.

Long story short: You definitely don't need a Canadian police certificate. But make sure you include the other two (Switzerland and Austria).

[Canaswiss]

Thank you Scylla, good to know.

I already ordered the other two criminal records.

I'm surprised how usefull this forum is and will probably come with more questions later on :-)