I am a bit confused with the statement below and would appreciate if someone can help me on that.
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 past four years window is from Oct 2019 to Oct 2023. I stayed in India (my Origin) from July 2019 to Jan 2020. Thus 3 months falls within the 4 years window but more than 183 days in a row if I consider more than four years. Do I need to say "Yes" or "No"?
If I select Yes, I guess they would ask me to provide police clearance. I have already submitted PCC for this time period when I filed PR on Sept 2020. But travelled twice to India after getting PR in 2022 for 1 month vacation. Can any one suggest what should be done in this case?
Response from
@forw.jane is correct. But beside the point.
For clarification, the reason you answer "
no" (to question 10.b) in the application) is because no, you did not spend 183 days in a row in another country during the preceding four years. That is a fact question. Either
YES you spent that period in another country (even if your home country) within the preceding four years, or
NO you did not spend that period of time in another country.
And because you answer no, no PCC is required with the application (IRCC can request a PCC from applicants later in the process; this is not common but may depend on the amount of time spent in another country -- that is, even if a PCC was not required to make a complete application, IRCC can request PCC to verify the applicant has no prohibitions related to criminal charges the applicant has spent time in during the relevant four years).
The answer to the question about whether the applicant spent 183 days or more in a row in another country does NOT depend, in any way, on whether or not the applicant needs to submit a PCC to make a complete application. IN particular, there are various circumstances in which the truthful (factual) answer to this question is "yes" but the applicant still does not need to include a PCC.
@forw.jane cites the most common one: it was time in home country immediately prior to becoming a PR. If applicant was in their home country for more than six months within the relevant four years, and that was just before they became a PR, they still answer "
yes" in response (this is question 10.b) in the application), list the country in the chart, select "no" in the drop down chart (as in "
no" I will not provide a Police Certificate), and then give an explanation why not . . . which in this example would be to simply say "
period of days in XXX country was time in my home country immediately preceding becoming a PR." For other examples see those set out in the guide. Additionally, if there is some reason why the applicant cannot provide a PCC, they can check "
no" in the drop down and state why they cannot get a PCC in the explanation box.
So, typically there is no need to submit any supplemental explanation or LoE when the applicant checks "
yes" to 10.b) but is not submitting a PCC with the application -- the explanation should be short enough to fit in the box provided in the form (allows up to 200 characters I think).
