Need help calculating the timeframe for police certificate

[cic86]

Hi Guys. Could someone please explain when does the past 4 years timer start? So, lets say I submit my application today (April 7,2025) then is "in the past 4 years" April 7, 2021 or is it Jan 1,2021? If IRCC consider past 4 years as simply Jan 1, 2021 then I've stayed in my home country for 183 days or more so I'll have to get a police certificate. If they calculate it as April 7, 2021 then I won't need to get a police certificate. Has anyone faced this issue or know how IRCC calculate this period? Also is there a way of contacting IRCC? Does anyone have their customer care number where I can talk to an IRCC agent? Thanks.

 

[Seym]

The past 4 years immediately prior to signing your application. So, April 7 2021.
Also, it doesn't really matter given the above answer, but just FYI : were you in your home country while waiting for PR, or did you return to it after you got PR? In the first case, you wouldn't need a PCC even if you were there more than 183 days in the past 4 years prior to landing in Canada.
Finally, please note that "needing or not needing a PCC" here is only in regard to having a complete citizenship application. IRCC is free to ask for one at any point un the process, although they don't do it for the overwhelming majority of applicants.

 

[cic86]

The past 4 years immediately prior to signing your application. So, April 7 2021.
Also, it doesn't really matter given the above answer, but just FYI : were you in your home country while waiting for PR, or did you return to it after you got PR? In the first case, you wouldn't need a PCC even if you were there more than 183 days in the past 4 years prior to landing in Canada.
Finally, please note that "needing or not needing a PCC" here is only in regard to having a complete citizenship application. IRCC is free to ask for one at any point un the process, although they don't do it for the overwhelming majority of applicants.

Thanks for replying. I returned to my home country after I got my PR so looks like I need a PCC.

Will it be ok to get my PCC done through a friend in my home country (where I was for a little more than the 183 days) or do I need to do it from my country's councillate in Canada?

Also if I delay my citizenship by another month and file in May then I won't need to apply for a PCC because then it would be less than 183 days or should I do my PCC instead of delaying filing for citizenship?

 

[Seym]

Thanks for replying. I returned to my home country after I got my PR so looks like I need a PCC.

That's not what I said.
Had you returned after PR and spent 183 days there in the past years, you would have needed it, but you didn't according to your first message.
Although that seems to contradict your most recent message where you speak of needing being in may to be under 183 instead of april. Make your calculations and draw your conclusions I guess...
And can't answer how you should get your PCC. IRCC probably doesn't care but who knows.

 

[cic86]

That's not what I said.
Had you returned after PR and spent 183 days there in the past years, you would have needed it, but you didn't according to your first message.
Although that seems to contradict your most recent message where you speak of needing being in may to be under 183 instead of april. Make your calculations and draw your conclusions I guess...
And can't answer how you should get your PCC. IRCC probably doesn't care but who knows.

I did a soft landing in Canada and got my PR and then returned home and returned to Canada after nearly 2.5 years so that my PR status didn't expire. Since they're asking for the past 4 years instead of three, it seems the 183 consec days falls in the time period where I was back home. The thing is if I file in May this year instead of April then I'm outside the 183 consecutive days window so thats why I was wondering if I should scramble to get my PCC done or should I just wait till May to file.

On a side note, I wish they asked for 3 years instead of 4 years since you only need 3 years of physical presence to be eligible for citizenship. Not sure I follow their logic for asking for the past 4 years instead of 3. Oh well