Police Certificate for foreign country?

[donutbox]

What if I am unable to provide a Police Certificate for a country that I have been living in for over 6 months?



This is my situation:

(a) I am planning on applying for a Temporary Work Permit.

(b) I have however been (legally) living & working in a foreign country for the past 2.5 years (traveling back and forth to my country of birth for vacation etc). I have spent more than 6 consecutive months in the foreign country.

(c) I have since left the foreign country and I am now back in my country of birth.


Based on my country of birth (and current residence), the Kingston, Jamaica VO would be responsible for my application.

Based on the Kingston, Jamaica VO requirements, I will (also) need to provide a police certificate for the foreign country I have been working in for the past 2.5 years.



My question is, since I am no longer living & working in the foreign country and it is not possible for me to obtain a police certificate for the time I spent in the foreign country, how do I proceed with my visa application?


(There doesn't see to be any provision in the application process for this particular of situation)

[bsrk68]

Hi Donutbox:

The Police Certificate requirement is Non-Negotiable. Onus is on you to produce them. Here's a link how to obtain them from any country:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/index.asp

Believe me, this process is easier than you think.

Hope this helps.

[kayal]

I am an Indian citizen living in a foreign country. Since I am still living there, I had to approach the Ministry of Foreign Affairs division and obtain PCC for my stay here ever since I landed their country.

Since you are not living there anymore, you can approach that resp. foreign country embassy in your present country and arrange for PCC thru them - or they may be able to guide you how to do so.

[donutbox]

I am no longer living or working in the foreign country. Even if I was to go back to the foreign country just for the police record they would not be able to produce one simply because they are not capable of doing so (it was one of those "3rd world countries").

This foreign country does not have an embassy in my home country either.


(I can only produce the record for my "home country")

[bsrk68]

I am no longer living or working in the foreign country. Even if I was to go back to the foreign country just for the police record they would not be able to produce one simply because they are not capable of doing so (it was one of those "3rd world countries").

This foreign country does not have an embassy in my home country either.


(I can only produce the record for my "home country")

THAT country is not in this list?

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/index.asp

If yes, they WILL have an embassy covering Jamaica (not necessarily located in Jamaica). You have to apply there. If not, then you have to write a good submission cover letter with your application why it is impossible to obtain one. Remember, this is a Non-Negotiable requirement.

[donutbox]

THAT country is not in this list?

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/index.asp

If yes, they WILL have an embassy covering Jamaica (not necessarily located in Jamaica). You have to apply there. If not, then you have to write a good submission cover letter with your application why it is impossible to obtain one. Remember, this is a Non-Negotiable requirement.

Yes, the country is in the list.

I will start trying to formulate a (good) cover letter to explain. Hopefully it will be good enough.

[jes_ON]

Yes, the country is in the list.

I will start trying to formulate a (good) cover letter to explain. Hopefully it will be good enough.

Without knowing which country, it is not possible to provide useful advice.

[donutbox]

Without knowing which country, it is not possible to provide useful advice.

Lets say the foreign country I am referring to is Somalia (I have already been to this link http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/africa/somalia.asp )

[MCBoy]

try contacting these ppl:

Embassy of Somalia in New York, United States

425 East 61st Street, Suite 702, NY 10021 New York
United States
Phone:
212-6889410
212-6885046
Fax:
212-7590651

[jes_ON]

Lets say the foreign country I am referring to is Somalia (I have already been to this link http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/africa/somalia.asp )

Yeesh, that may be even worse than demanding a PCC from Iraq...

Well, for what it's worth, for Somalia, the US State Dept. is on your side:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/fees/fees_4881.html?cid=3671

"Documents

Unavailable. There is no competent civil authority in Somalia. The Government of Somalia ceased to exist in December of 1990. Since that time the country has undergone a destructive and brutal civil war, in the course of which most records were destroyed. Those few records not destroyed are in the hands of private individuals or are otherwise not retrievable. There are no police records, birth certificates, school records etc., available from Somalia. There are no circumstances under which immigrant visa applicants can reasonably be expected to recover original documents held by the former Government of Somalia."

[donutbox]

Yeesh, that may be even worse than demanding a PCC from Iraq...

Well, for what it's worth, for Somalia, the US State Dept. is on your side:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/fees/fees_4881.html?cid=3671

"Documents

Unavailable. There is no competent civil authority in Somalia. The Government of Somalia ceased to exist in December of 1990. Since that time the country has undergone a destructive and brutal civil war, in the course of which most records were destroyed. Those few records not destroyed are in the hands of private individuals or are otherwise not retrievable. There are no police records, birth certificates, school records etc., available from Somalia. There are no circumstances under which immigrant visa applicants can reasonably be expected to recover original documents held by the former Government of Somalia."

This is the reality on the ground in some of the countries I have been to. The Canadian immigration authorities think that if someone wants a PCC in Somalia, all the individual has to do is:

"Applicants located in Somaliland or Puntland should apply to the local police authority."


But as you can see (from no less of an authority,) the US Government clearly indicating that:

"There is no competent civil authority in Somalia."..."There are no circumstances under which immigrant visa applicants can reasonably be expected to recover original documents held by the former Government of Somalia."



While I do understand why the Canadian immigration authorities would request a PCC for countries an individual has stayed in for 6 months, they shuld understand that for some countries, it is not as simply as applying to the "local police authority." In some cases it is just not possible.


Also, even it is has simple has applying to your "local police authority", what am I to do if I am no longer living in the country? Am I to fly back to the country just to apply for a PCC or fly to the country's nearest embassy to apply for a PCC.

The point I am making is that there are practical/legitimate reasons why someone would not be able to get a PCC. I guess it is for these situations why they indicated this on their website:


"If you are unable to obtain a police certificate from a country because you are a refugee from that country or for any other reasons, please provide a written explanation."




Maybe I should quote to the Canadian immigration authorities what the US State Government said about PCC for some of the countries I have been to (maybe this would not be such a good idea though)

[bsrk68]

Well hence the need for a good cover letter (with clippings from the web) as evidence. It might be a good idea to just put in a PCC request at the nearest "Somalian Embassy" (not necessarily it will bear fruit) and add that as an evidence to your cover letter that you DID try.

Good luck!!

[donutbox]

Well hence the need for a good cover letter (with clippings from the web) as evidence. It might be a good idea to just put in a PCC request at the nearest "Somalian Embassy" (not necessarily it will bear fruit) and add that as an evidence to your cover letter that you DID try.

Good luck!!

Yes, thanks. I get the strong impression I will need the "good luck".

I think that's the approach I will have to take, I will need to show that I did try to get the PCC but I was unsuccesful.