Police certificate for citizenship application

[Yelsew]

The instruction guide states: "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 am helping a couple with their adult citizenship applications, and would just like clarification of the meaning of "country of origin". They have not left Canada since becoming permanent residents three years ago. For the full year before they immigrated, they were both living in UAE and did not travel anywhere else. However they are "originally" from Syria, so does that mean they are expected to get police certificates from Syria? That could be very difficult. They provided acceptable police certificates from UAE to IRCC with their PR applications, and these certificates were dated October 2018. We just want to be sure that these same certificates will be valid for their citizenship application.

 

[canspire]

The instruction guide states: "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 am helping a couple with their adult citizenship applications, and would just like clarification of the meaning of "country of origin". They have not left Canada since becoming permanent residents three years ago. For the full year before they immigrated, they were both living in UAE and did not travel anywhere else. However they are "originally" from Syria, so does that mean they are expected to get police certificates from Syria? That could be very difficult. They provided acceptable police certificates from UAE to IRCC with their PR applications, and these certificates were dated October 2018. We just want to be sure that these same certificates will be valid for their citizenship application.

PCC is not required in this case.

 

[Yelsew]

Thank you. However, I just noticed on the bottom of my friend's 2018 UAE police certificate it says "valid for three months." So now we are not so sure, and wondering if anyone else could advise. I have tried twice today to get through to the IRCC call centre for clarification, and both times there were so many callers ahead of me that I was not even placed in the queue. It would be nice if the IRCC would clearly define "country of origin", which is the phrase used on the citizenship application. Their online glossary of terms lists "country of citizenship", "country of nationality" and "country of residence", but not "country of origin."

 

[canspire]

PCC is not required in this case.

Hey, please disregard this answer. I am not sure whether your friend will need it or not. Wait for responses from other members. Sorry if caused you any confusion.

 

[Qrios1]

In my humble opinion it is not needed. The UAE is was their country of residence before they came to Canada. In the examples on the official guide, they talk about someone born in India and lived in the USA before moving to Canada. In both examples a PCC is not needed. Although it is valid for three months only. So to answer that question they would tick “yes” they were not in Canada for 4 years before the date of their application but in the explanation box, comment that they were in UAE before coming, that they submitted PCC with PR application process and that they were in Canada since becoming PRs. This is luckily not a complicated case.

 

[canspire]

Hey, please disregard this answer. I am not sure whether your friend will need it or not. Wait for responses from other members. Sorry if caused you any confusion.

In my opinion though, I still think that it is not required. The reason is, they already have the PCC in file from the last time they were in that country for more than 6 months. The earlier PCC (2018 version) has already been accepted during the PR process, so why would they want another?

If, however, your friend had returned and stayed, after becoming a PR, for another 183 days straight, then a fresh PCC would be required.

 

[Goldenita]

Thank you. However, I just noticed on the bottom of my friend's 2018 UAE police certificate it says "valid for three months." So now we are not so sure, and wondering if anyone else could advise. I have tried twice today to get through to the IRCC call centre for clarification, and both times there were so many callers ahead of me that I was not even placed in the queue. It would be nice if the IRCC would clearly define "country of origin", which is the phrase used on the citizenship application. Their online glossary of terms lists "country of citizenship", "country of nationality" and "country of residence", but not "country of origin."

If your UAE Police Clearance Certificate is issued after you left UAE and did not go back for 183 days or more you can still use it

 

[dpenabill]

The instruction guide states: "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 am helping a couple with their adult citizenship applications, and would just like clarification of the meaning of "country of origin". They have not left Canada since becoming permanent residents three years ago. For the full year before they immigrated, they were both living in UAE and did not travel anywhere else. However they are "originally" from Syria, so does that mean they are expected to get police certificates from Syria? That could be very difficult. They provided acceptable police certificates from UAE to IRCC with their PR applications, and these certificates were dated October 2018. We just want to be sure that these same certificates will be valid for their citizenship application.

See example 1 in the guide, in the section for completing question 10.b)
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-0002-application-canadian-citizenship-under-subsection-5-1-adults-18-years-older.html

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.

This appears to apply in all respects for UAE, except it is about France rather than the UAE. Since a PCC was provided, no need to include a PCC from UAE but, rather, follow the instruction: "If you provided a police certificate from [UAE] with your immigration application, tell us this in the box provided at Question 10b."

As for Syria, it appears they were not in Syria much if at all during the preceding FOUR years, so they would not need to list that country, and do not need a PCC. Only list countries in which the applicant spent 183 days or more within the FOUR years prior to making the application.

 

[Yelsew]

Thank you all for your replies, much appreciated. The consensus seems to be that a police certificate will not be needed. The only thing is, nobody mentioned 'country of origin' in their replies. The semantics were really tripping us up because IRCC does not give a clear definition of what that means. In their own glossary they define 'country of citizenship', 'country of nationality' and 'country of residence', but not 'country of origin.'

 

[Goldenita]

Just as an example for my daughters application I did not submit a police clearance certificate from Dubai as she was a minor when we left Dubai. Applied for Canadian citizenship for her after she turned 18. Along with her AOR IRCC asked for a police clearance certificate from Dubai. Tried raising several webforms to explain she was a minor when leaving the country, her application did not move. Finally as her application was not progressing applied for Dubai pcc after getting fingerprints done from here as Dubai did not have finger prints. Long story short even when IRCC says no need for police clearance they still ask. After providing her police clearance in April and after several webforms she now has test scheduled this month. Application sent May 2021

 

[iceman55]

The instruction guide states: "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 am helping a couple with their adult citizenship applications, and would just like clarification of the meaning of "country of origin". They have not left Canada since becoming permanent residents three years ago. For the full year before they immigrated, they were both living in UAE and did not travel anywhere else. However they are "originally" from Syria, so does that mean they are expected to get police certificates from Syria? That could be very difficult. They provided acceptable police certificates from UAE to IRCC with their PR applications, and these certificates were dated October 2018. We just want to be sure that these same certificates will be valid for their citizenship application.

If they have not traveled back to the UAE after the date the certificate was issued, just include it.

 

[Neuro]

• Stayed in India( the country of Origin) before landing in Canada as a PR and then stayed for 1110 days in Canada.it was a continous stay in Canada and no exit to any country. Received AOR for citizenship app. and also another email asking for police certificate from India.It is mentioned in the instructions that it is not required if you lived in the country of origin immediately before landin in Canada as a PR.
• I replied yes to whether lived outside Canada for more than 183 days in a row and then wrote reason in the space as mentioned above that why i am not uploading PCC.
• Shall i send the LOE again?

 

[OmarSarfraz]

I have been in Canada for the past 3 years and before been living in Saudi Arabia. I have visited Saudi for 2 weeks in these 3 years. Do I need to provie a new Police certificate from Saudi Arabia? As it has still not been 4 years that I am in Canada. It has been 3 years.

 

[abbas.pasha]

I have been in Canada for the past 3 years and before been living in Saudi Arabia. I have visited Saudi for 2 weeks in these 3 years. Do I need to provie a new Police certificate from Saudi Arabia? As it has still not been 4 years that I am in Canada. It has been 3 years.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/medical-police/police-certificates/how/saudi-arabia.html
To obtain a police certificate from outside Saudi Arabia

Only non-citizens currently residing in the KSA can obtain a police certificate. For non-citizens who left the KSA on a final exit visa, it may not be possible to get one. You can contact the embassy of your country of nationality in the KSA to see if the embassy is able to assist you.


Saudi citizens oversees can go through the Saudi Embassy to get a police certificate; however, this method may take several weeks.


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.”

 

[OmarSarfraz]

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/medical-police/police-certificates/how/saudi-arabia.html
To obtain a police certificate from outside Saudi Arabia

Only non-citizens currently residing in the KSA can obtain a police certificate. For non-citizens who left the KSA on a final exit visa, it may not be possible to get one. You can contact the embassy of your country of nationality in the KSA to see if the embassy is able to assist you.


Saudi citizens oversees can go through the Saudi Embassy to get a police certificate; however, this method may take several weeks.


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.”

Thank you for your response. I have the legal residence (Iqama). Then to do I need to provide PCC?