IEC- Police Statements

[faiziaf]

I was wondering if anyone had some input.

I have looked at the FAQs on the IEC page for the working holiday in Canada. It says if you have spent more than 6 months in a country other than Canada since your 18th birthday you have to provide a police statement from that country. In late 2006 I went to Russia as part of my degree where I had to spend 10 months. However, I did 4 months, went home for a one month break and then back again for 5 and returned. Last year I did an internship in Central Asia for 8 months but again it wasn't 8 consecutive months, it was 4 month, 1 month break and then back again for 3. So I have had visas which lasted a while for these countries but I never actually spent a consecutive 6 months in either- instead it was cumulative. Would I be right in assuming that no police check is needed (trying to get one for either country would be difficult anyway)? I guess it would be no different to someone who has spent 1 month every summer for the past 6 years going to the same place on holiday.

Apologies if this sounds silly but the bureaucracy of any visa application means I'd like to be 100% sure and although I emailed the IEC address they must get hundreds a day and I don't expect an answer any time soon.

Thanks in advance to you all.

Best
Faiz

 

[gta-tor-etob]

Hi,

I am not expert in this, but as I understand their writing, if you spent 6 or more months in any contry. So I would suggest contact the local Headoffice police depart. and request a copy of PCC. The common docs you can send by mail/fax/email and can use CC for payment. Its better to hasttle now instead in the middle of your file processing which can easily delay your file for 6 months rather getting those docs in 4-6 weeks!

Good Luck!

 

[CEC2013]

Agree with what GTA said and think that you should obtain the PCCs. The language does not speak to whether your residence was intermittent, compounded or anything otherwise - it just requires you to obtain a PCC from the place of residence, where you had spent 6 months or more.

You don't necessarily have to wait for the PCC to apply, but from what I've read, the VO would more than likely ask you for one at a later stage, which would then result in delays. I'm in the same boat as you and it is quite frustrating going through the process of obtaining these, but thats the procedure.

 

[Johnny31]

From the CEC guides, it does say "6 consecutive months or more" and since you didn't stay in both countries for 6 consecutive months, you wouldn't need a PCC from those countries. If CIC has any doubts, your entry/departure stamps on your passport can prove that.

 

[CEC2013]

"In late 2006 I went to Russia as part of my degree where I had to spend 10 months."

If his student visa shows that it was for 10 months and he only went home for a break, then it will be assumed that he had residency longer than 6 months. While this may be semantics, none of us can know what the VO will assume, and thus its better to be on the safe side. Waiting until they request something will potentially delay the process, while you save pennies in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Johnny31]

"In late 2006 I went to Russia as part of my degree where I had to spend 10 months."

If his student visa shows that it was for 10 months and he only went home for a break, then it will be assumed that he had residency longer than 6 months. While this may be semantics, none of us can know what the VO will assume, and thus its better to be on the safe side. Waiting until they request something will potentially delay the process, while you save pennies in the grand scheme of things.

For my situation, I went to Paris for 8 months for an exchange program and I traveled to various countries during my 8 months stay. And because I didn't stay in France for 6 consecutive months, I wasn't asked to provide a PCC for my stay in France.

Maybe the VOs will treat it differently, but I thought the rules were pretty straight forward and CIC thought so as well I guess.

I didn't write any letter to explain my situation because I didn't want to complicate things to make them think otherwise. I provided the exact dates of my travels on my "Supplementary Travel Form" proving that I was never in France for 6 months consecutively.

Good Luck

 

[CEC2013]

Fair enough! Just making the point that the possibility exists.. And coming from a country not unlike Russia, I know how long it can take to obtain a PCC. Even FBI took 4 months to get back to me with a certificate. So, there in lies my worry. But I understand your point as well about not complicating things.

 

[Johnny31]

Fair enough! Just making the point that the possibility exists.. And coming from a country not unlike Russia, I know how long it can take to obtain a PCC. Even FBI took 4 months to get back to me with a certificate. So, there in lies my worry. But I understand your point as well about not complicating things.

Agreed. I had to get a FBI clearance letter from the United States and I was not fun going through the waiting. If he wants to play it safe, I would recommend getting the PCCs as long as they don't rip him off by asking him to pay hundreds of dollars.

 

[CEC2013]

Stands to reason.. Hopefully, he's got some local folks to help him out in that respect. For an advanced agency, the waiting endured from the FBI is just utter bollocks! And the worst part, the certificates expire within 3 months, if not submitted to CIC.

 

[faiziaf]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I still think that if I didn't spend 6 months consecutive there then why would that be different from someone going to the same place once a year for a month for 6 consecutive years since they were 18. If 6 months is the limit then why should someone holidaying for a month or traveling for 2 months in one country be different to me being there 4. I understand the point about not complicating things, however, I have written to them saying this and hopefully I get a straight answer. If not I will just provide them with my information and fill in the details accurately on my supplementary travel form as Jonny did for France.

Fingers crossed.

 

[faiziaf]

It has been so long that I actually looked up my old tickets (I don't have my old passport anymore as that was stolen) and it turns I went back and forth 3 times over that time and some of those were for month long plus breaks in London (university holiday time)- so it's probably safe to assume I'm OK. Guess I'll cross that bridge with the VOs if or when I come to it.

 

[CEC2013]

Good luck mate..