I should probably already know this (re: medicals and police records) but...

[concrete]

hello all

i just wanted to know if it's ok to get medicals and/or police records done just PRIOR to submitting the application? in other words, i'm going to join my husband in nigeria in about two months and want to gather all the necessary info before coming back to canada and submitting to mississauga.

do i need to wait for them to request it before getting them done? or can i send them with the entire application before they even have to ask?

thanks in advance

[HoneyBird]

For my region..I am from Trinidad and Tobago, the request was to have both medical and police certificate completed and submitted with the application. I suspect that this will be the case for other regions but you can check the website and check your region specifics. Your husband should also check the processing time for the police certificate in Nigeria, for instance I know for Trinidad it takes two weeks. Whatever the time line, you should have him at least start the process so that you get it in time for when you leave. Remember the police certificate is valid for a specified time, I believe its three months so you want to also ensure that by the time it reaches cic, its still valid. As for the medical, valid for a year. A form is given to you to submit with your application

[concrete]

thank you so much!!

[bobshynoswife]

Do them both while you are there. Police Certificate can only be done in person at a specific location in Lagos. You just show up, give them your ID, pay a bit of money (5,000 naira, I think?) and then come back to pick it up a couple of hours later. While we waited we went to the National Museum which is not far away.

As for medical, it can be done in Abuja or in Lagos, but will be cheaper in Lagos because there are 2 doctors and thus some competition.

One more idea for you...after we were married we went to the Canadian High Commission in Lagos (on Victoria Island, not far from the police headquarters) and paid for them to make a notarized copy of the certificate. Actually, we paid for 2.  I can't remember for sure, but I think it was around $20 cdn per copy. I think this is very important for making sure your application goes smoothly. Someone else on this forum had to have his MC authenticated in Abuja before his interview in Accra, yet we were not asked to, and I wonder if it's because we sent a notarized copy from the Canadian High Commission.

Oh, I almost forgot! I found out about this later but wish I had known. When you're at the police headquarters, you can go to the passport office (not far away) and if you bring your passport and your marriage certificate, you will receive a special type of visa for Niger Wives. It costs nothing, and will allow you to travel to Nigeria without obtaining a visa. Basically a free 'mini citizenship' for women married to Nigerian men. It's valid for as long as your passport is valid.

All of that should keep you busy for a day!

Hope this helps. PM me if you have any other questions.

[concrete]

Do them both while you are there. Police Certificate can only be done in person at a specific location in Lagos. You just show up, give them your ID, pay a bit of money (5,000 naira, I think?) and then come back to pick it up a couple of hours later. While we waited we went to the National Museum which is not far away.

As for medical, it can be done in Abuja or in Lagos, but will be cheaper in Lagos because there are 2 doctors and thus some competition.

One more idea for you...after we were married we went to the Canadian High Commission in Lagos (on Victoria Island, not far from the police headquarters) and paid for them to make a notarized copy of the certificate. Actually, we paid for 2.  I can't remember for sure, but I think it was around $20 cdn per copy. I think this is very important for making sure your application goes smoothly. Someone else on this forum had to have his MC authenticated in Abuja before his interview in Accra, yet we were not asked to, and I wonder if it's because we sent a notarized copy from the Canadian High Commission.

Oh, I almost forgot! I found out about this later but wish I had known. When you're at the police headquarters, you can go to the passport office (not far away) and if you bring your passport and your marriage certificate, you will receive a special type of visa for Niger Wives. It costs nothing, and will allow you to travel to Nigeria without obtaining a visa. Basically a free 'mini citizenship' for women married to Nigerian men. It's valid for as long as your passport is valid.

All of that should keep you busy for a day!

Hope this helps. PM me if you have any other questions.

wow!!! thanks for all that info very useful

[Alabaman]

Can anybody walk into the Canadian high commission to notarize? Was this doen for you because you are a citizen of Canada?

One more idea for you...after we were married we went to the Canadian High Commission in Lagos (on Victoria Island, not far from the police headquarters) and paid for them to make a notarized copy of the certificate. Actually, we paid for 2.  I can't remember for sure, but I think it was around $20 cdn per copy. I think this is very important for making sure your application goes smoothly. Someone else on this forum had to have his MC authenticated in Abuja before his interview in Accra, yet we were not asked to, and I wonder if it's because we sent a notarized copy from the Canadian High Commission.