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PCC in the past 4 years or since age of 18?

uppperkut

Hero Member
Jan 28, 2017
942
236
Somewhere in ON
Hey everyone,

A friend of mine is applying for her citizenship and we had a debate about the PCC(s) she needs to get for her application. I looked at form CIT0002E and it says:

10) b) 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)?

If yes, list each country or territory in the chart below. You must provide a police certificate for each country or territory where you have been present for 183 days or more in a row (since the age of 18). If you cannot get a police certificate, tell us why below.
My questions are:

1. It's a bit strange the way this question is being asked. Is it in the past 4 years or since the age of 18? In the second paragraph, it says since the age of 18 only.

2. She lived in Qatar in the beginning of 2016, meaning that her primary address was in Qatar at that time. However, she travelled a couple of times for visits from Qatar and that broke the "183 days in a row" rule in the last 4 years. Given that she will mention her address in Qatar in the address history in 10) a), would it be better that she gets a PCC for Qatar? Obviously the address history excludes visits outside the country.

P.S. No issues about the 3 years she spent inside Canada. She didn't travel anywhere for more than 3 weeks in a row.

Cheers.
 

JPBless

Hero Member
May 14, 2018
206
75
Hey everyone,

A friend of mine is applying for her citizenship and we had a debate about the PCC(s) she needs to get for her application. I looked at form CIT0002E and it says:



My questions are:

1. It's a bit strange the way this question is being asked. Is it in the past 4 years or since the age of 18? In the second paragraph, it says since the age of 18 only.

2. She lived in Qatar in the beginning of 2016, meaning that her primary address was in Qatar at that time. However, she travelled a couple of times for visits from Qatar and that broke the "183 days in a row" rule in the last 4 years. Given that she will mention her address in Qatar in the address history in 10) a), would it be better that she gets a PCC for Qatar? Obviously the address history excludes visits outside the country.

P.S. No issues about the 3 years she spent inside Canada. She didn't travel anywhere for more than 3 weeks in a row.

Cheers.

1. Here's what IRCC said
In the past four (4) years, if you spent 183 days or more in a row (since the age of 18) in a country (other than Canada), you must provide a police certificate from each country. Indicate in the chart the name of each country and provide a police certificate. If you can’t get a police certificate, tell us why. The following examples may help you answer this question

Simply; the rule does not apply if under 18 years of age (conversely the rule kicks in from age of 18)

2. Simply again; if your friend spent total of 183 days or more in one country (this is the sum of days spent in that country in the last 4 years... even if the journeys were made at different times); yes police is certificate is required
 

uppperkut

Hero Member
Jan 28, 2017
942
236
Somewhere in ON
1. Here's what IRCC said
In the past four (4) years, if you spent 183 days or more in a row (since the age of 18) in a country (other than Canada), you must provide a police certificate from each country. Indicate in the chart the name of each country and provide a police certificate. If you can’t get a police certificate, tell us why. The following examples may help you answer this question

Simply; the rule does not apply if under 18 years of age (conversely the rule kicks in from age of 18)

2. Simply again; if your friend spent total of 183 days or more in one country (this is the sum of days spent in that country in the last 4 years... even if the journeys were made at different times); yes police is certificate is required
1. I know there's no PCC required for anyone under 18 years of age, however the instructions (in the second paragraph) I quoted in my original post say: "You must provide a police certificate for each country or territory where you have been present for 183 days or more in a row (since the age of 18).", which contradicts the requirement of 4 years before the application mentioned in the first paragraph. She's 34, so does she need PCCs since the age of 18 or just the past 4 years?

2. That's not the case as it says 183 days in a row.

To illustrate her case better:
- The 4 years pre-dating her application will start from November 1st 2015.
- She lived in Qatar from 2012 and moved to Canada on July 1st, 2016.

This means that she lived in Qatar 183 days during the 4 year period, however she was out of Qatar on a couple weeks visits during her last few months in Qatar, so the 183 days are not in a row anymore. This is what I'm trying to ask, does she need a Qatar PCC since her stay in Qatar was interrupted by short visits outside the country?
 
Last edited:

JPBless

Hero Member
May 14, 2018
206
75
The
1. I know there's no PCC required for anyone under 18 years of age, however the instructions (in the second paragraph) I quoted in my original post say: "You must provide a police certificate for each country or territory where you have been present for 183 days or more in a row (since the age of 18).", which contradicts the requirement of 4 years before the application mentioned in the first paragraph. She's 34, so does she need PCCs since the age of 18 or just the past 4 years?

2. That's not the case as it says 183 days in a row.

To illustrate her case better:
- The 4 years pre-dating her application will start from November 1st 2015.
- She lived in Qatar from 2012 and moved to Canada on July 1st, 2016.

This means that she lived in Qatar 183 days during the 4 year period, however she was out of Qatar on a couple weeks visits during her last few months in Qatar, so the 183 days are not in a row anymore. This is what I'm trying to ask, does she need a Qatar PCC since her stay in Qatar was interrupted by short visits outside the country?
The 183 days does not have to be in a row.
 

JPBless

Hero Member
May 14, 2018
206
75
But I just showed you something straight out of the most recent citizenship application form. :rolleyes:
IRCC Examples....
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.
Example 2
You became a permanent resident three years and nine months ago. In the past 4 years, you lived in Brazil for 3 months (90 days) before you became a permanent resident and you returned to Brazil to visit family for 4 months (120 days) after you became a permanent resident. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide a police certificate from Brazil because you did not spend 183 days or more in a row in Brazil.
Example 3
In the past 4 years, you took 10 trips to the United States of America (USA). Each trip lasted 3 weeks, for a total of 210 days. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide a police certificate from the USA because you did not spend 183 days or more in a row in the USA.
Example 4
In the past 4 years, you travelled to Singapore four times for work. The first trip was for 30 days; the second trip was for 200 days; the third trip was for 60 days; and the fourth trip was for 120 days. While in Singapore, you took a trip to Malaysia (10 days) and Thailand (10 days). You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from Singapore because your second trip was more than 183 days in a row. You would not need to provide police certificates from Malaysia or Thailand.
Example 5
In the past 4 years, you took one (1) trip to Europe where you visited Portugal (5 days), Spain (7 days), France (10 days), Belgium (3 days), Netherlands (3 days), Germany (21 days), Switzerland (7 days) and Italy (21 days). You took a second trip to Europe where you visited Ireland (14 days), Scotland (14 days) and England (21 days). You went to Germany for a business trip that lasted 60 days. The total time you were outside of Canada was 186 days but you were not in a single country for 183 days or more in a row. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide police certificates from any of the countries.
 

trk1

Hero Member
Jul 15, 2014
561
95
1. I know there's no PCC required for anyone under 18 years of age, however the instructions (in the second paragraph) I quoted in my original post say: "You must provide a police certificate for each country or territory where you have been present for 183 days or more in a row (since the age of 18).", which contradicts the requirement of 4 years before the application mentioned in the first paragraph. She's 34, so does she need PCCs since the age of 18 or just the past 4 years?

2. That's not the case as it says 183 days in a row.

To illustrate her case better:
- The 4 years pre-dating her application will start from November 1st 2015.
- She lived in Qatar from 2012 and moved to Canada on July 1st, 2016.

This means that she lived in Qatar 183 days during the 4 year period, however she was out of Qatar on a couple weeks visits during her last few months in Qatar, so the 183 days are not in a row anymore. This is what I'm trying to ask, does she need a Qatar PCC since her stay in Qatar was interrupted by short visits outside the country?
The new rule as I understood says 183 days in a row as the basis for PCC along with application.. So default is not required if not in a row. But, I have read in forum where CIC has asked for PCC later as exceptions though the 183 day in a row was not breached. So, prudent probably to apply for one, and keep it ready, if there is an ask later.
 

uppperkut

Hero Member
Jan 28, 2017
942
236
Somewhere in ON
The new rule as I understood says 183 days in a row as the basis for PCC along with application.. So default is not required if not in a row. But, I have read in forum where CIC has asked for PCC later as exceptions though the 183 day in a row was not breached. So, prudent probably to apply for one, and keep it ready, if there is an ask later.
Thanks, my gut feeling tells me that they would require one as she lived in Qatar before moving to Canada. There's no travel history part of the citizenship process when I checked, so if they see that she had an address in Qatar (which is specified in 10) a)), they will not know about her visits outside Qatar that broke the 183 days in a row rule.
 

uppperkut

Hero Member
Jan 28, 2017
942
236
Somewhere in ON
IRCC Examples....
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.
Example 2
You became a permanent resident three years and nine months ago. In the past 4 years, you lived in Brazil for 3 months (90 days) before you became a permanent resident and you returned to Brazil to visit family for 4 months (120 days) after you became a permanent resident. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide a police certificate from Brazil because you did not spend 183 days or more in a row in Brazil.
Example 3
In the past 4 years, you took 10 trips to the United States of America (USA). Each trip lasted 3 weeks, for a total of 210 days. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide a police certificate from the USA because you did not spend 183 days or more in a row in the USA.
Example 4
In the past 4 years, you travelled to Singapore four times for work. The first trip was for 30 days; the second trip was for 200 days; the third trip was for 60 days; and the fourth trip was for 120 days. While in Singapore, you took a trip to Malaysia (10 days) and Thailand (10 days). You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from Singapore because your second trip was more than 183 days in a row. You would not need to provide police certificates from Malaysia or Thailand.
Example 5
In the past 4 years, you took one (1) trip to Europe where you visited Portugal (5 days), Spain (7 days), France (10 days), Belgium (3 days), Netherlands (3 days), Germany (21 days), Switzerland (7 days) and Italy (21 days). You took a second trip to Europe where you visited Ireland (14 days), Scotland (14 days) and England (21 days). You went to Germany for a business trip that lasted 60 days. The total time you were outside of Canada was 186 days but you were not in a single country for 183 days or more in a row. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide police certificates from any of the countries.
Yes I saw that. None of these cover her case.
 

JPBless

Hero Member
May 14, 2018
206
75
Thanks, my gut feeling tells me that they would require one as she lived in Qatar before moving to Canada. There's no travel history part of the citizenship process when I checked, so if they see that she had an address in Qatar (which is specified in 10) a)), they will not know about her visits outside Qatar that broke the 183 days in a row rule.
The problem is you phrased your questions incorrectly.
This answers your question

Note: If you were in your country of origin immediately prior to becoming a permanent resident and landing in Canada and this time falls within this four year period, you are NOT required to provide a police certificate. Please indicate this in the explanation box.


Your friend does not not need police certificate from Qatar on account of the above
 

uppperkut

Hero Member
Jan 28, 2017
942
236
Somewhere in ON
The problem is you phrased your questions incorrectly.
This answers your question

Note: If you were in your country of origin immediately prior to becoming a permanent resident and landing in Canada and this time falls within this four year period, you are NOT required to provide a police certificate. Please indicate this in the explanation box.


Your friend does not not need police certificate from Qatar on account of the above
Country of origin is her passport country or where she lived? She's not a Qatar citizen.
 

trk1

Hero Member
Jul 15, 2014
561
95
Country of origin is her passport country or where she lived? She's not a Qatar citizen.
I just re-read. So I am convinced, by default, along with application, as per June 2019 form, PCC not required if 183 day in a row is not breached.
 

uppperkut

Hero Member
Jan 28, 2017
942
236
Somewhere in ON
I just re-read. So I am convinced, by default, along with application, as per June 2019 form, PCC not required if 183 day in a row is not breached.
I understand that, but If she's lived in a country (her address is in that country for over 183 days) and only traveled on short visits out of that country, does this break the 183 days in a row rule?
 

trk1

Hero Member
Jul 15, 2014
561
95
I understand that, but If she's lived in a country (her address is in that country for over 183 days) and only traveled on short visits out of that country, does this break the 183 days in a row rule?
Since it is not her country of Origin, and in a row she has not stayed 183 days or more since she was 18 years old...as I understood PCC is not required during application.
 

uppperkut

Hero Member
Jan 28, 2017
942
236
Somewhere in ON
Since it is not her country of Origin, and in a row she has not stayed 183 days or more since she was 18 years old...as I understood PCC is not required during application.
Wouldn't that contradict her address history mentioned in 10) a)? She will put her Qatar address since 2012 as it falls in the 5 year eligibility period.