Question about Police Certificate for Citizenship Application

[gen_z]

Hi everyone,

I'm starting to look into applying for Canadian citizenship. I landed in Canada a little over 3 years ago.

One of the questions on the application asks if I've stayed in any other country for more than 183 days within the past 4 years. I did spend about 8 months in my home country within that period.

When I immigrated, I remember having to get a police certificate from my home country. This certificate would have been issued roughly 2 months before I landed in Canada.

My question is: Can I use this police certificate for my citizenship application, even though there would be a 2-month gap between its issuance date and my landing date in Canada?

Getting a new police certificate from my home country while I'm in Canada seems like it could be quite difficult, as it usually requires an in-person application.

Alternatively, I could wait another 3 months, and at that point, I wouldn't have stayed in another country for more than 183 days within the past 4 years. I'm wondering if this would be the simpler and potentially less problematic route to take.

Any advice or insights on whether my existing police certificate would be acceptable, or if waiting is the better option, would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[armoured]

Hi everyone,

I'm starting to look into applying for Canadian citizenship. I landed in Canada a little over 3 years ago.

One of the questions on the application asks if I've stayed in any other country for more than 183 days within the past 4 years. I did spend about 8 months in my home country within that period.

Do I udnerstand correctly that this 183 day period was BEFORE you became a PR? If so, read carefully - you don't have to provide if the 183 days / time in country of origin was all before you became a PR.

Alternatively, I could wait another 3 months, and at that point, I wouldn't have stayed in another country for more than 183 days within the past 4 years. I'm wondering if this would be the simpler and potentially less problematic route to take.

It's possible this would be easier. Despite the above, mistakes happen on their side, too.

note though: IRCC CAN ask for a PCC if they decide it's necessary, so neither route 100% removes the possibility. That said, it's not at all common, as far as I'm aware.

 

[gen_z]

Do I udnerstand correctly that this 183 day period was BEFORE you became a PR? If so, read carefully - you don't have to provide if the 183 days / time in country of origin was all before you became a PR.



It's possible this would be easier. Despite the above, mistakes happen on their side, too.

note though: IRCC CAN ask for a PCC if they decide it's necessary, so neither route 100% removes the possibility. That said, it's not at all common, as far as I'm aware.

Thanks, I am filling this out online, and it says

' In the past 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)?'

and then 'Provide a police certificate for each country or territory'.


I didnt find anything regarding 'not having to provide if the 183 days / time in country of origin was all before you became a PR.'

 

[abbas.pasha]

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...ication/application-forms-guides/cit0002.html
The police certificate question for the online application is similar to paper application. The link above provides examples (which I have shared below) that helps you to determine if you need PCC or not

Police certificate(s)

You need to provide a police certificate from each country, other than Canada, if you were there

• in the past 4 years
• for 183 days or more in a row
• since the age of 18

Indicate in the chart the name of each country and provide a police certificate.

You don’t need to provide a police certificate if

• you were in your country of origin immediately prior to becoming a permanent resident and landing in Canada, and
• this time falls within the past 4 years
• 
  If you can’t get a police certificate, tell us why in the explanation box.
  
  To be valid, the police certificate must be either issued
  
  • after the last time you were in that country, or
  • no more than 6 months before the date you sign your citizenship application
• 
  We may request a police certificate at any point during processing, even if you submitted a valid certificate with your application.
  
  Find out how to get a police certificate
  
  See the following examples to help you answer this question.
  
  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.

 

[armoured]

Thanks, I am filling this out online, and it says

' In the past 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)?'

and then 'Provide a police certificate for each country or territory'.


I didnt find anything regarding 'not having to provide if the 183 days / time in country of origin was all before you became a PR.'

I'm borrowing the text that @abbas.pasha provided (for which I'm grateful):
"You don’t need to provide a police certificate if you were in your country of origin immediately prior to becoming a permanent resident and landing in Canada, and this time falls within the past 4 years"

I believe this fits your case.

 

[gen_z]

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...ication/application-forms-guides/cit0002.html
The police certificate question for the online application is similar to paper application. The link above provides examples (which I have shared below) that helps you to determine if you need PCC or not

Police certificate(s)

You need to provide a police certificate from each country, other than Canada, if you were there

• in the past 4 years
• for 183 days or more in a row
• since the age of 18

Indicate in the chart the name of each country and provide a police certificate.

You don’t need to provide a police certificate if

• you were in your country of origin immediately prior to becoming a permanent resident and landing in Canada, and
• this time falls within the past 4 years
• 
  If you can’t get a police certificate, tell us why in the explanation box.
  
  To be valid, the police certificate must be either issued
  • after the last time you were in that country, or
  • no more than 6 months before the date you sign your citizenship application
• 
  We may request a police certificate at any point during processing, even if you submitted a valid certificate with your application.
  
  Find out how to get a police certificate
  
  See the following examples to help you answer this question.
  
  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.

thanks so much, I really appreciate it.

So should i just write in the explaination box that " I was in my country of origin immediately prior to becoming a permanent resident and landing in Canada, and this time falls within the past 4 years", hence I dont need to provide a police certificate.

 

[armoured]

thanks so much, I really appreciate it.

So should i just write in the explaination box that " I was in my country of origin immediately prior to becoming a permanent resident and landing in Canada, and this time falls within the past 4 years", hence I dont need to provide a police certificate.

Yes.

 

[gen_z]

Yes.

thanks a lot, appreciate it.