Help with Returned application

[dmB4237]

Hey guys.

My wife and I sent our in-land application at the beginning of March and a few days ago it was returned because we didn't include my wife's police certificate. The CIC police certificate section of their online website said that police certificates from Japan don't need to be included since they will be requested after we submit our application, but the message when we got our application returned says that police certificates are expected to be upfront now as of mid-February.

I don't know where I could have gotten this update, and I'm now a little anxious about submitting the application again in fear that I'm missing even more information. For example, since we submitted the first time, we have received the Certificate of Criminal Record from Japan, and planned to submit again. The certificate is even addressed to "The Authorities Concerned Canada". But, the website concerning Japanese police certificate states the following:

"Do I need to provide a Police Certificate with my Application for Permanent Residence? No. Citizenship and Immigration Canada will send you a letter requesting a police certificate after you send your Application for Permanent Residence. You must bring that letter when you apply for a Police Certificate."

Is the expectation here that I can only submit a police certificate ONLY AFTER they send a letter requesting it? Would sending the police certificate I have now not be valid? Do I have to send them a letter instead saying that I am not submitting it because their website instructs us that we are expecting a letter requesting a police certificate first?

I hate overthinking this because it seems obvious that I should just hand in the police certificate we have now. But, it also seemed obvious to not include the police certificate the first time since the CIC website says what I quoted above. Can anyone offer any advice?

As well, I still am not sure where in the website it states that they changed the rules, and that a police certificate has to be submitted upfront. Can anyone guide me towards that bit of info and wherever I can look for updates on the application process?

 

[Wakki]

Hey guys.

My wife and I sent our in-land application at the beginning of March and a few days ago it was returned because we didn't include my wife's police certificate. The CIC police certificate section of their online website said that police certificates from Japan don't need to be included since they will be requested after we submit our application, but the message when we got our application returned says that police certificates are expected to be upfront now as of mid-February.

I don't know where I could have gotten this update, and I'm now a little anxious about submitting the application again in fear that I'm missing even more information. For example, since we submitted the first time, we have received the Certificate of Criminal Record from Japan, and planned to submit again. The certificate is even addressed to "The Authorities Concerned Canada". But, the website concerning Japanese police certificate states the following:

"Do I need to provide a Police Certificate with my Application for Permanent Residence? No. Citizenship and Immigration Canada will send you a letter requesting a police certificate after you send your Application for Permanent Residence. You must bring that letter when you apply for a Police Certificate."

Is the expectation here that I can only submit a police certificate ONLY AFTER they send a letter requesting it? Would sending the police certificate I have now not be valid? Do I have to send them a letter instead saying that I am not submitting it because their website instructs us that we are expecting a letter requesting a police certificate first?

I hate overthinking this because it seems obvious that I should just hand in the police certificate we have now. But, it also seemed obvious to not include the police certificate the first time since the CIC website says what I quoted above. Can anyone offer any advice?

As well, I still am not sure where in the website it states that they changed the rules, and that a police certificate has to be submitted upfront. Can anyone guide me towards that bit of info and wherever I can look for updates on the application process?

The IRCC spousal sponsorship checklist was recently updated in 2018 and spousal sponsorship applicants are now required to submit Police Certificate (PCC) up-front, except instructed otherwise.......refer checklist.
https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/pdf/kits/forms/imm5533e.pdf

You are not required to submit PCC up-front for Japan.....
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/medical-police/police-certificates/how/japan.html

I would say review your sponsorship application package to ensure you have all the forms and documents as requested in the 2018 version of the checklist.

Include the Certificate of Criminal Record from Japan you currently have in your sponsorship package, and then include a Note to IRCC, that although its stated that PCC is not required up-front from Japan, you application was earlier returned because you didn't include your wife's police certificate, hence you included the PCC earlier obtained in the re-submitted application package.

Also, state that you have no problem if IRCC wants you to re-obtain the PCC later and they should please not return your application.....inlcude the letter that accompanied your earlier returned application for IRCC reference.

Note:................according to the checklist, PCC is required from.........
1. The country where you (i.e., PA) currently live, if you have lived there for six months or more; and
2. The country where you have spent most of your life since the age of 18.

 

[foxhound57]

Hey guys.

My wife and I sent our in-land application at the beginning of March and a few days ago it was returned because we didn't include my wife's police certificate. The CIC police certificate section of their online website said that police certificates from Japan don't need to be included since they will be requested after we submit our application, but the message when we got our application returned says that police certificates are expected to be upfront now as of mid-February.

I don't know where I could have gotten this update, and I'm now a little anxious about submitting the application again in fear that I'm missing even more information. For example, since we submitted the first time, we have received the Certificate of Criminal Record from Japan, and planned to submit again. The certificate is even addressed to "The Authorities Concerned Canada". But, the website concerning Japanese police certificate states the following:

"Do I need to provide a Police Certificate with my Application for Permanent Residence? No. Citizenship and Immigration Canada will send you a letter requesting a police certificate after you send your Application for Permanent Residence. You must bring that letter when you apply for a Police Certificate."

Is the expectation here that I can only submit a police certificate ONLY AFTER they send a letter requesting it? Would sending the police certificate I have now not be valid? Do I have to send them a letter instead saying that I am not submitting it because their website instructs us that we are expecting a letter requesting a police certificate first?

I hate overthinking this because it seems obvious that I should just hand in the police certificate we have now. But, it also seemed obvious to not include the police certificate the first time since the CIC website says what I quoted above. Can anyone offer any advice?

As well, I still am not sure where in the website it states that they changed the rules, and that a police certificate has to be submitted upfront. Can anyone guide me towards that bit of info and wherever I can look for updates on the application process?

Hi, new here, similar thing happened to us:

Sent application for PR and OWP on March 2,
Application arrived March 5,
It was sent back to us on April 16

Reason for rejection was the same as above, failed to include the Police Certificate (Mexico), even though it clearly states on the website: "Do I need to provide a Police Certificate with my Application? No. We will send you a letter requesting a police certificate after you send your application for permanent residence or citizenship. You must bring that letter when you apply for a police certificate."

I understand they changed the rules regarding police certificates on February 14 of this year, but it seems like it has left some of us caught in a contradiction. As of now, I don't know how one is supposed to get a Police Cert. for my country without Canada's request letter, which I don't have.

The only thing I can think of is that we used the new forms, including the updated checklist (as our consultant suggested...) Perhaps it would've been better to stick to the old ones, since we sent this before the March 15 cutoff date.

You read about the changes here:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/application-kit-spousal-sponsorship.html?_ga=2.158048122.1117801627.1524010688-973981955.1488967108

 

[Wakki]

Hi, new here, similar thing happened to us:

Sent application for PR and OWP on March 2,
Application arrived March 5,
It was sent back to us on April 16

Reason for rejection was the same as above, failed to include the Police Certificate (Mexico), even though it clearly states on the website: "Do I need to provide a Police Certificate with my Application? No. We will send you a letter requesting a police certificate after you send your application for permanent residence or citizenship. You must bring that letter when you apply for a police certificate."

I understand they changed the rules regarding police certificates on February 14 of this year, but it seems like it has left some of us caught in a contradiction. As of now, I don't know how one is supposed to get a Police Cert. for my country without Canada's request letter, which I don't have.

The only thing I can think of is that we used the new forms, including the updated checklist (as our consultant suggested...) Perhaps it would've been better to stick to the old ones, since we sent this before the March 15 cutoff date.

You read about the changes here:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/application-kit-spousal-sponsorship.html?_ga=2.158048122.1117801627.1524010688-973981955.1488967108

Based on the previous version of the checklist.....PCC were not required to be submitted up-front.....and based on the IRCC post below, applicants were encouraged to use the new checklist......so if PCC were not required upfront based on the previous checklist and is also not required for Japan and Mexico as instructed on the IRCC site.....don't see why application should be returned.......something is not right........contact IRCC to clarify.

"If you have been filling out an application using the previous version of the checklists (identified in the bottom left hand corner by version code 10-2017), we will still accept your application using that previous version until March 15, 2018. However, we encourage you to use the new checklist, guides and processes right away."
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/application-kit-spousal-sponsorship.html?_ga=2.158048122.1117801627.1524010688-973981955.1488967108

PCC is not required up-front for Mexico and Japan......will advice that your Sponsor call IRCC 1-888-242-2100 to clarify before you re-submit your application based on the new checklist........best time to start to call IRCC is 7:55am EST.

 

[foxhound57]

Based on the previous version of the checklist.....PCC were not required to be submitted up-front.....and based on the IRCC post below, applicants were encouraged to use the new checklist......so if PCC were not required upfront based on the previous checklist and is also not required for Japan and Mexico as instructed on the IRCC site.....don't see why application should be returned.......something is not right........contact IRCC to clarify.

"If you have been filling out an application using the previous version of the checklists (identified in the bottom left hand corner by version code 10-2017), we will still accept your application using that previous version until March 15, 2018. However, we encourage you to use the new checklist, guides and processes right away."
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/application-kit-spousal-sponsorship.html?_ga=2.158048122.1117801627.1524010688-973981955.1488967108

PCC is not required up-front for Mexico and Japan......will advice that your Sponsor call IRCC 1-888-242-2100 to clarify before you re-submit your application based on the new checklist........best time to start to call IRCC is 7:55am EST.

Yup, that's what makes this situation.. unique.

I understand why such a change (submitting police certs upfront) would apply to all countries, but when the individual process for each is not updated at the same time (in my and the OP's case: apparently we need a request letter from IRCC to be able to even get the certificate in the first place) what is an applicant supposed to do?

Anyway, my consultant has advised me to visit the consulate, and possibly get the letter from them instead in order to continue with the process and re-submit.

If that doesn't work, I guess we will have to include some sort of explanation detailing why we can't submit the police certificate upfront, unless there's a new way of doing it for my specific country that I don't know about.

I will post updates, maybe this can help or inform somebody stuck in a similar situation. Hopefully it's just an anomaly.

 

[sheviteija]

Hey guys.

My wife and I sent our in-land application at the beginning of March and a few days ago it was returned because we didn't include my wife's police certificate. The CIC police certificate section of their online website said that police certificates from Japan don't need to be included since they will be requested after we submit our application, but the message when we got our application returned says that police certificates are expected to be upfront now as of mid-February.

I don't know where I could have gotten this update, and I'm now a little anxious about submitting the application again in fear that I'm missing even more information. For example, since we submitted the first time, we have received the Certificate of Criminal Record from Japan, and planned to submit again. The certificate is even addressed to "The Authorities Concerned Canada". But, the website concerning Japanese police certificate states the following:

"Do I need to provide a Police Certificate with my Application for Permanent Residence? No. Citizenship and Immigration Canada will send you a letter requesting a police certificate after you send your Application for Permanent Residence. You must bring that letter when you apply for a Police Certificate."

Is the expectation here that I can only submit a police certificate ONLY AFTER they send a letter requesting it? Would sending the police certificate I have now not be valid? Do I have to send them a letter instead saying that I am not submitting it because their website instructs us that we are expecting a letter requesting a police certificate first?

I hate overthinking this because it seems obvious that I should just hand in the police certificate we have now. But, it also seemed obvious to not include the police certificate the first time since the CIC website says what I quoted above. Can anyone offer any advice?

As well, I still am not sure where in the website it states that they changed the rules, and that a police certificate has to be submitted upfront. Can anyone guide me towards that bit of info and wherever I can look for updates on the application process?

To me this is weird. I sent in my application March 26th, 2018 (outland) and did not send in any police certificates upfront. They’ve requested me to upload them via. online. My application was not returned.

 

[kcward7]

To me this is weird. I sent in my application March 26th, 2018 (outland) and did not send in any police certificates upfront. They’ve requested me to upload them via. online. My application was not returned.

What do you find weird

 

[sheviteija]

What do you find weird

Just that the application was returned because of it, but mine wasn’t. Anyways no matter.

 

[kcward7]

Just that the application was returned because of it, but mine wasn’t. Anyways no matter.

It's up to the officer who receives it. Some do it, some don't

 

[foxhound57]

To me this is weird. I sent in my application March 26th, 2018 (outland) and did not send in any police certificates upfront. They’ve requested me to upload them via. online. My application was not returned.

My only guess is that since we used the updated guides, they went by the updated criteria... even though we were "in" before the grace period ended. Anyway, the app was returned with a paper indicating that the missing police check was the reason. It took me roughly a month to get, and we sent off the application again last week. We'll see how it goes.

 

[maypassion89]

To me this is weird. I sent in my application March 26th, 2018 (outland) and did not send in any police certificates upfront. They’ve requested me to upload them via. online. My application was not returned.

Hello Sheviteija,

How long did it take since AOR for CIC to request you for the PCC?
Is it a PDF sent by email?? Thanks in advance.

 

[sheviteija]

Hello Sheviteija,

How long did it take since AOR for CIC to request you for the PCC?
Is it a PDF sent by email?? Thanks in advance.

I got AOR on May 3rd.
I got the request on May 10th.

They sent me an email saying I had new messages in my "sign in partner" account. When I went into the account they had sent me a PDF with the request and instructions.

 

[maypassion89]

I got AOR on May 3rd.
I got the request on May 10th.

They sent me an email saying I had new messages in my "sign in partner" account. When I went into the account they had sent me a PDF with the request and instructions.

Thank you for your reply, I really hope proceeding time has improved and your case wasn't only lucky.