+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

Police Certificate

jeffmoonchop

Full Member
Jan 16, 2017
21
3
My wife is Canadian and I'm British. For the spouse visa, they have asked me for police certificates. In the letter it states I need one from:

1) The country where you currently live, if you have lived there for six months or more;
and
2) The country where you have spent most of your adult life since the age of 18.
You must also provide this for every family member (whether accompanying you to Canada or
not) who are aged 18 or older.

I take this to mean that if I lived in Canada 2007-2009 and have not lived there since I only need a British police certificate. However, when following a few links on the CIC website it mentions that I would need one from Canada too in that situation.

The last part about providing for every family member I would assume I need one for my wife for the UK where she's lived for the last 2 years and Canada where she lived since birth. BUT I have seen somewhere that Canadian citizens don't need to get them at all. Following the link, there isn't actually an option for Canadian citizens to request them.

Some of the information on the website conflicts with what the letter says.

Has anyone been in a similar situation recently? It could be that the information on the website is still catching up with recent changes to the simpler Visa processing.

many thanks.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
95,900
22,143
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
You're misunderstanding the requirement. Only you need to provide PCCs as the applicant - not your sponsor. The family member reference is regarding anyone who is a dependent in the application (i.e. who isn't already a Canadian citizen or PR).
 

jeffmoonchop

Full Member
Jan 16, 2017
21
3
Yes thats what I assumed but the letter isnt exactly clear about that. Do you have any insight to whether I'd need one from Canada having lived there for two years ending 8 years ago?
 

kcward7

VIP Member
May 4, 2017
3,788
1,436
Yes thats what I assumed but the letter isnt exactly clear about that. Do you have any insight to whether I'd need one from Canada having lived there for two years ending 8 years ago?
If you need one from Canada, they will ask separately. My husband is Irish and has lived in Canada and we were sent a request letter for an RCMP check and prints after we submitted.
 

heather.rajat

Star Member
Jul 20, 2017
52
3
My wife is Canadian and I'm British. For the spouse visa, they have asked me for police certificates. In the letter it states I need one from:

1) The country where you currently live, if you have lived there for six months or more;
and
2) The country where you have spent most of your adult life since the age of 18.
You must also provide this for every family member (whether accompanying you to Canada or
not) who are aged 18 or older.

I take this to mean that if I lived in Canada 2007-2009 and have not lived there since I only need a British police certificate. However, when following a few links on the CIC website it mentions that I would need one from Canada too in that situation.

The last part about providing for every family member I would assume I need one for my wife for the UK where she's lived for the last 2 years and Canada where she lived since birth. BUT I have seen somewhere that Canadian citizens don't need to get them at all. Following the link, there isn't actually an option for Canadian citizens to request them.

Some of the information on the website conflicts with what the letter says.

Has anyone been in a similar situation recently? It could be that the information on the website is still catching up with recent changes to the simpler Visa processing.

many thanks.
hi, just wondering if the request letter from Cic regarding PCC states the specific countries you would need it from? The guide states that you need it from any country where you have lived most of your adult life since the age of 18. I lived in my home country only for 10 months before I came to canada in 2012. Been here since then. So would I need one from my home country or just canada? What did you guys end up doing?