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PCC from Iraq - expat experience in Basra

Agrouga

Newbie
Nov 16, 2018
9
3
Greetings to everyone.

Just sharing my own experience as the information on Iraq PCC's is limited in the web. Hopefully, someone will find my post helpful.

After receiving an ITA, I found with great surprise that the system was asking for a PCC from Iraq being my current country of work. Theoretically, I did not need one as with my rotation-based schedule no single trip I made to Iraq exceeded 6 months in a row. Moreover, as per IRCC website, a PCC from Iraq is not needed unless they ask for one.
Nevertheless, my next shift in Iraq had just begun at that moment and I preferred not to miss the opportunity to apply for a PCC. Getting it turned to be a big load of pain :confused:

In the middle of February I and a local colleague of mine visited Basra Police Headquarters to apply for the document. I was pretty naive to believe I would get it quickly as for Iraqi nationals it doesn't take more than a couple of working days. How wrong was I :D

For expats all PCC requests are processed in Baghdad. It would be fine if Basra Police were making use of modern digital technologies to process this paperwork online, but that is not how it turned out.
All the applications for PCC are manually delivered to Baghdad, manually processed and then ready PCC's are manually brought to Basra. :eek::eek:
They promised the PCC to be ready in 3 weeks. As a matter of course, I didn't actually believe in it.

They took 5 or 6 passport size photographs, a copy of my passport, a file of their government format with a couple of questionnaires (bought right there in the police HQ) and 25000 Iraqi dinars in cash. They gave no receipt to me saying that the fees were intended to be paid Baghdad where the entire file is sent.
When asked if they need my visa copy, they answered no.

We further proceeded to a small building where my fingerprints were taken in an old-school way with ink.
I came back to my work location and started waiting.

In two weeks after my visit they suddenly realized that my visa copy was actually needed and called my local mate who was with me during the submission. Seems that for those two weeks my application had just remained idle until they finally sent it for processing :mad::mad::mad:

My Iraqi buddy gave them a visa copy and we continued waiting. My shift ended, I left home but there were no news from Basra Police. As the EE application submission deadline was close, I submitted the documents without the Iraqi PCC having attached an LoE instead.
Eventually, after more than two months after the submission, my local mate messaged me that the PCC had been ready for collection.

The adventure wasn't over yet. For collecting the ready document they needed my personal attendance. I waited until my next shift, visited the Police HQ again and understood why they needed me to come in person. Prior to giving a PCC to the applicant, they take fingerprints again and put them on the reverse side of the original certificate.
In total it took 3 months from the day of submission till collecting the ready PCC. They issued it with mistake making a typo in my date of birth :(

Here's a brief summary of what I have learned:


1. The only place in Basra where you can get a PCC is Criminal Records Section in Basra Police Headquarters. As many companies restrict the movement of their expat personnel and condition it by mobile security escort, visiting this place might be a kind of challenge
2. It is highly recommended to have a local resident aware of their procedures assisting you. Even if you can speak Arabic yourself.
3. The requirements are copies of your passport, valid visa, five personal photos and 25k Iraqi dinars paid in cash. Plus few more local money to buy the file with questionnaire forms, I can't recall how much exactly.
4. No cash receipt will be given to you so if you need an evidence of your efforts, try taking copies of the application forms you submit.
5. Personal attendance is mandatory for both requesting and collecting your PCC.
6. Iraqi PCC's are valid for three months from the date of issue. Note that the date of issue is the day when the document is made in Baghdad. In my case the document was delivered to Basra for collection one month after the date of issue.
7. As the processing time is extremely long, it might be faster to use another pathway which is going to the nearest Iraqi diplomatic mission to give your biometrics there and make an authorization letter to someone in Iraq who will submit your application directly in Baghdad. This option suggested to me by Iraqi consulate in Dubai will work only if you have a reliable person to ask for such a favour. I didn't have one :(
 

francofmy

Newbie
Jul 22, 2019
2
0
Hi Agouga,

How are you doing?
My name is Franco Yassoyama, I am Brazilian and I worked in Basra/Iraq for 3.5 years on shifts too.
I just received an ADR requesting the Iraq PCC. I contacted the embassy and even some friends in Baghdad and they told me that the PCC is only emitted for Iraq Nationals or Expats that hold a Permanent Residency Visa.
Did you have a Permanent Visa?
I had only Temporary Work Visas for 6 months or one year.
If you want to contact via whatsapp to be easier to talk, feel free: +5521997770033
Thanks a lot in advance for your help.

Regards,
Franco Yassoyama
 

Agrouga

Newbie
Nov 16, 2018
9
3
Hi Agouga,

How are you doing?
My name is Franco Yassoyama, I am Brazilian and I worked in Basra/Iraq for 3.5 years on shifts too.
I just received an ADR requesting the Iraq PCC. I contacted the embassy and even some friends in Baghdad and they told me that the PCC is only emitted for Iraq Nationals or Expats that hold a Permanent Residency Visa.
Did you have a Permanent Visa?
I had only Temporary Work Visas for 6 months or one year.
If you want to contact via whatsapp to be easier to talk, feel free: +5521997770033
Thanks a lot in advance for your help.

Regards,
Franco Yassoyama
Hi Franco,

No, just like you, I hold an ordinary six-month working visa and Basra Police found no problem to accept my request.
It seems that there's a huge mess in Iraqi diplomatic missions with each having its own vision of issuing PCC's to expats. While their Consulate General in Dubai offered me to process one the way I described in my earlier message, another buddy who approached Iraqi embassy in Moscow with the same inquiry was told there was no such a service available with them.
It seems that your solution can only be getting a written evidence of your efforts with a convincing LoE attached. If you have further questions, please check your PM, I am sending my number registered in WhatsApp there.

Regards
 

Tier_1

Member
Jul 23, 2019
13
0
Hi Argouga,

Thanks for the details. Am in the same boat as you and I wish I have read your thread prior receiving ITA.
How did it go with the LoE? did you attach it on same field where PCC for Iraq is requested?
Furthermore, what is your application status? did you submit the PCC after receiving it?

Thanks for sharing
 

Agrouga

Newbie
Nov 16, 2018
9
3
Hi Argouga,

Thanks for the details. Am in the same boat as you and I wish I have read your thread prior receiving ITA.
How did it go with the LoE? did you attach it on same field where PCC for Iraq is requested?
Furthermore, what is your application status? did you submit the PCC after receiving it?

Thanks for sharing
Hi mate,

How did it go with the LoE? did you attach it on same field where PCC for Iraq is requested? - Yes, on the same field
Furthermore, what is your application status? - it is still under process and there's no update since I gave my biometrics in May.
did you submit the PCC after receiving it? - Yes I did it using the web form. The document never showed up in my profile thereafter but when I called IRCC, they confirmed that they had it on file.

I hope my answers help.
 

Tier_1

Member
Jul 23, 2019
13
0
Hi mate,

How did it go with the LoE? did you attach it on same field where PCC for Iraq is requested? - Yes, on the same field
Furthermore, what is your application status? - it is still under process and there's no update since I gave my biometrics in May.
did you submit the PCC after receiving it? - Yes I did it using the web form. The document never showed up in my profile thereafter but when I called IRCC, they confirmed that they had it on file.

I hope my answers help.
Thank you very much .. and good luck on your application
 

naija2canadapr

Full Member
Jul 17, 2019
44
48
Hi Agrouga,
Thank you for your detailed breakdown. Have you gotten your PPR now? My husband is in the exact same situation. He's working in Basra on a rotational basis too. In our case, we just got ITA on 19/12/19 and we cannot submit without the PCC as they have requested for it immediately. Time is ticking seriously. We want to try our best to get the PCC but it is quite confusing and not so straight forward.
What do you advise?



Greetings to everyone.

Just sharing my own experience as the information on Iraq PCC's is limited in the web. Hopefully, someone will find my post helpful.

After receiving an ITA, I found with great surprise that the system was asking for a PCC from Iraq being my current country of work. Theoretically, I did not need one as with my rotation-based schedule no single trip I made to Iraq exceeded 6 months in a row. Moreover, as per IRCC website, a PCC from Iraq is not needed unless they ask for one.
Nevertheless, my next shift in Iraq had just begun at that moment and I preferred not to miss the opportunity to apply for a PCC. Getting it turned to be a big load of pain :confused:

In the middle of February I and a local colleague of mine visited Basra Police Headquarters to apply for the document. I was pretty naive to believe I would get it quickly as for Iraqi nationals it doesn't take more than a couple of working days. How wrong was I :D

For expats all PCC requests are processed in Baghdad. It would be fine if Basra Police were making use of modern digital technologies to process this paperwork online, but that is not how it turned out.
All the applications for PCC are manually delivered to Baghdad, manually processed and then ready PCC's are manually brought to Basra. :eek::eek:
They promised the PCC to be ready in 3 weeks. As a matter of course, I didn't actually believe in it.

They took 5 or 6 passport size photographs, a copy of my passport, a file of their government format with a couple of questionnaires (bought right there in the police HQ) and 25000 Iraqi dinars in cash. They gave no receipt to me saying that the fees were intended to be paid Baghdad where the entire file is sent.
When asked if they need my visa copy, they answered no.

We further proceeded to a small building where my fingerprints were taken in an old-school way with ink.
I came back to my work location and started waiting.

In two weeks after my visit they suddenly realized that my visa copy was actually needed and called my local mate who was with me during the submission. Seems that for those two weeks my application had just remained idle until they finally sent it for processing :mad::mad::mad:

My Iraqi buddy gave them a visa copy and we continued waiting. My shift ended, I left home but there were no news from Basra Police. As the EE application submission deadline was close, I submitted the documents without the Iraqi PCC having attached an LoE instead.
Eventually, after more than two months after the submission, my local mate messaged me that the PCC had been ready for collection.

The adventure wasn't over yet. For collecting the ready document they needed my personal attendance. I waited until my next shift, visited the Police HQ again and understood why they needed me to come in person. Prior to giving a PCC to the applicant, they take fingerprints again and put them on the reverse side of the original certificate.
In total it took 3 months from the day of submission till collecting the ready PCC. They issued it with mistake making a typo in my date of birth :(

Here's a brief summary of what I have learned:


1. The only place in Basra where you can get a PCC is Criminal Records Section in Basra Police Headquarters. As many companies restrict the movement of their expat personnel and condition it by mobile security escort, visiting this place might be a kind of challenge
2. It is highly recommended to have a local resident aware of their procedures assisting you. Even if you can speak Arabic yourself.
3. The requirements are copies of your passport, valid visa, five personal photos and 25k Iraqi dinars paid in cash. Plus few more local money to buy the file with questionnaire forms, I can't recall how much exactly.
4. No cash receipt will be given to you so if you need an evidence of your efforts, try taking copies of the application forms you submit.
5. Personal attendance is mandatory for both requesting and collecting your PCC.
6. Iraqi PCC's are valid for three months from the date of issue. Note that the date of issue is the day when the document is made in Baghdad. In my case the document was delivered to Basra for collection one month after the date of issue.
7. As the processing time is extremely long, it might be faster to use another pathway which is going to the nearest Iraqi diplomatic mission to give your biometrics there and make an authorization letter to someone in Iraq who will submit your application directly in Baghdad. This option suggested to me by Iraqi consulate in Dubai will work only if you have a reliable person to ask for such a favour. I didn't have one :(
 

Agrouga

Newbie
Nov 16, 2018
9
3
Hi Agrouga,
Thank you for your detailed breakdown. Have you gotten your PPR now? My husband is in the exact same situation. He's working in Basra on a rotational basis too. In our case, we just got ITA on 19/12/19 and we cannot submit without the PCC as they have requested for it immediately. Time is ticking seriously. We want to try our best to get the PCC but it is quite confusing and not so straight forward.
What do you advise?
Hello,

I am afraid my reply as a bit late as I don't log in here frequently and noticed your post only now.
Nevertheless, here's the answer as it might help others in the same situation.
  • I have no PPR so far as my application is under comprehensive security screening. Criminality and eligibility passed.
  • The field for uploading a PCC from Iraq in your document checklist is not an 'immediate request'. It is generated automatically based on the information you filled to the questionnaire. PCCs from Iraq are never requested immediately as IRCC needs to review your application first before deciding if you need to provide one.
    You may therefore feel free to attach an LoE instead explaining that you don't need a PCC from Iraq according to the official guidelines. Later, during your criminality checkup, if an officer finds it necessary to obtain an Iraqi PCC, you will get an ADR.
    This is exactly what I did and my application passed the completeness check easily. I got no ADR, but when the PCC was ready I sent it proactively via IRCC Web Form.
 

pri91

Full Member
Feb 14, 2020
22
3
Hello guys, we have similar query but we are located in India and my husband needs a PCC for Iraq. Do someone knows a lawyer or a consultant who can help us.... Thanks