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PCC from Saudi for Citizenship Application

beebop

Member
Mar 4, 2021
18
1
Hi Members and Experts,

I will be filling my Citizenship application in the coming days and I wanted some guidance on:
Q10 (b): In the past four (4) years, were you in a country or territory other than Canada for 183 days or more in a row (since the age of 18)?

My timeline for my last 4 years is as below: March 04, 2017 to March 04, 2021
  • March 4, 2021 to March 4, 2018: Canada
  • Jan 10, 2018 to March 03, 2018: India (I am Indian citizen - Country of Origin)
  • March 04 2017 to Jan 09, 2018: Saudi Arabia (I use to work in Jeddah [work visa], I did travel few times to India during this time frame, but lets presume more than 183 days)
During the PR Application process, I had provided KSA PCC, but now Do I have to provide Saudi PCC? I believe that would be impossible to get hold now. Even the IRCC website states as below:

If you do not have current legal residence status in Saudi Arabia, you are not required to provide a Saudi Arabian police certificate. If you are asked for a police certificate from Saudi Arabia, write: “I cannot provide a police certificate for the time I spent in Saudi Arabia because certificates are only available to people who have current legal residence status.”

Can members / experts who have been in this similar situation provide some feedback? or Experts based on their knowledge give some guidance.
 

engray

Champion Member
Jul 20, 2018
1,043
635
Hi Members and Experts,

I will be filling my Citizenship application in the coming days and I wanted some guidance on:
Q10 (b): In the past four (4) years, were you in a country or territory other than Canada for 183 days or more in a row (since the age of 18)?

My timeline for my last 4 years is as below: March 04, 2017 to March 04, 2021
  • March 4, 2021 to March 4, 2018: Canada
  • Jan 10, 2018 to March 03, 2018: India (I am Indian citizen - Country of Origin)
  • March 04 2017 to Jan 09, 2018: Saudi Arabia (I use to work in Jeddah [work visa], I did travel few times to India during this time frame, but lets presume more than 183 days)
During the PR Application process, I had provided KSA PCC, but now Do I have to provide Saudi PCC? I believe that would be impossible to get hold now. Even the IRCC website states as below:

If you do not have current legal residence status in Saudi Arabia, you are not required to provide a Saudi Arabian police certificate. If you are asked for a police certificate from Saudi Arabia, write: “I cannot provide a police certificate for the time I spent in Saudi Arabia because certificates are only available to people who have current legal residence status.”

Can members / experts who have been in this similar situation provide some feedback? or Experts based on their knowledge give some guidance.
That's exactly what you need to do. Include a letter with the exact wording.
 
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beebop

Member
Mar 4, 2021
18
1
@engray
I have another doubt about this, the Police Clearance Requirement states that the stay should be greater than or equal to 183 days in a Row.

For my stay in Saudi:
  • From March 04 2017 to Jan 09, 2018: Saudi Arabia (I use to work in Jeddah [work visa], I did travel few times to India (some times for 5 days, sometimes 10 days or more) and other countries due to work. However during this time frame, I never stayed for 183 days at a stretch in Saudi Arabia as I had to frequently travel.
  • How do I answer this? Shall I say No or do I have to say Yes because I had Residency status of Saudi and I visited other countries?
  • Even if I say yes, I cant provide the PCC.
Please advice.

Explanation of CIC website:
Example 1

You lived in France for one year (365 days) before you became a permanent resident 3 years ago. You did not travel to France after you became a permanent resident. You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from France if you did not provide one with your immigration application. If you provided a police certificate from France with your immigration application, tell us this in the box provided at Question 10b.

Example 2

You became a permanent resident 3 years and 9 months ago. In the past 4 years, you lived in Brazil for 3 months (90 days) before you became a permanent resident and you returned to Brazil to visit family for 4 months (120 days) after you became a permanent resident. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide a police certificate from Brazil because you did not spend 183 days or more in a row in Brazil.

Example 3

In the past 4 years, you took 10 trips to the United States of America (USA). Each trip lasted 3 weeks, for a total of 210 days. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide a police certificate from the USA because you did not spend 183 days or more in a row in the USA.

Example 4

In the past 4 years, you travelled to Singapore four times for work. The first trip was for 30 days; the second trip was for 200 days; the third trip was for 60 days; and the fourth trip was for 120 days. While in Singapore, you took a trip to Malaysia (10 days) and Thailand (10 days). You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from Singapore because your second trip was more than 183 days in a row. You would not need to provide police certificates from Malaysia or Thailand.

Example 5

In the past 4 years, you took 1 trip to Europe where you visited Portugal (5 days), Spain (7 days), France (10 days), Belgium (3 days), Netherlands (3 days), Germany (21 days), Switzerland (7 days) and Italy (21 days). You took a second trip to Europe where you visited Ireland (14 days), Scotland (14 days) and England (21 days). You went to Germany for a business trip that lasted 60 days. The total time you were outside of Canada was 186 days but you were not in a single country for 183 days or more in a row. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide police certificates from any of the countries.
 

engray

Champion Member
Jul 20, 2018
1,043
635
Hi @beebop,

I'm not a lawyer nor an expert, but the question is clear. If you stayed more than 183 days in a row in a country in the past 4 years, then you need to provide a police certificate.

My previous reply was assuming that you need to provide a certificate, and since you can't provide one, you will need to attach a letter with the exact wording from IRCC.

However, it seems that you never stayed in a country for more than 183 days in a row.

Good luck
 

dr-kk

Hero Member
Jun 20, 2014
355
16
Category........
Visa Office......
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Pre-Assessed..
Can some one please provide a template as an explanation letter for inability to collect saudi pcc as we r not residing now
 

SAU443

Star Member
Mar 22, 2024
99
41
@engray
I have another doubt about this, the Police Clearance Requirement states that the stay should be greater than or equal to 183 days in a Row.

For my stay in Saudi:
  • From March 04 2017 to Jan 09, 2018: Saudi Arabia (I use to work in Jeddah [work visa], I did travel few times to India (some times for 5 days, sometimes 10 days or more) and other countries due to work. However during this time frame, I never stayed for 183 days at a stretch in Saudi Arabia as I had to frequently travel.
  • How do I answer this? Shall I say No or do I have to say Yes because I had Residency status of Saudi and I visited other countries?
  • Even if I say yes, I cant provide the PCC.
Please advice.

Explanation of CIC website:
Example 1

You lived in France for one year (365 days) before you became a permanent resident 3 years ago. You did not travel to France after you became a permanent resident. You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from France if you did not provide one with your immigration application. If you provided a police certificate from France with your immigration application, tell us this in the box provided at Question 10b.

Example 2

You became a permanent resident 3 years and 9 months ago. In the past 4 years, you lived in Brazil for 3 months (90 days) before you became a permanent resident and you returned to Brazil to visit family for 4 months (120 days) after you became a permanent resident. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide a police certificate from Brazil because you did not spend 183 days or more in a row in Brazil.

Example 3

In the past 4 years, you took 10 trips to the United States of America (USA). Each trip lasted 3 weeks, for a total of 210 days. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide a police certificate from the USA because you did not spend 183 days or more in a row in the USA.

Example 4

In the past 4 years, you travelled to Singapore four times for work. The first trip was for 30 days; the second trip was for 200 days; the third trip was for 60 days; and the fourth trip was for 120 days. While in Singapore, you took a trip to Malaysia (10 days) and Thailand (10 days). You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from Singapore because your second trip was more than 183 days in a row. You would not need to provide police certificates from Malaysia or Thailand.

Example 5

In the past 4 years, you took 1 trip to Europe where you visited Portugal (5 days), Spain (7 days), France (10 days), Belgium (3 days), Netherlands (3 days), Germany (21 days), Switzerland (7 days) and Italy (21 days). You took a second trip to Europe where you visited Ireland (14 days), Scotland (14 days) and England (21 days). You went to Germany for a business trip that lasted 60 days. The total time you were outside of Canada was 186 days but you were not in a single country for 183 days or more in a row. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide police certificates from any of the countries.
Hi..@BeeBop,

I am also in the same situation and submitted a covering letter thru webform explaining that a police clearance certificate is not required for non-citizens who does not have legal residence status and not residing in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, I received the acknowledgement receipt of the document by IRCC but the status tracker is still showing send us additional information "waiting on you" status for about two months now.

So, could you kindly share your experience with what supporting documents you supplied to overcome the police clearance certificate from Saudi Arabia and whether it got accepted by IRCC without any more steps such as fingerprints, etc.?