How to obtain police certificate without flying back to the foreign country?

[CanadianWife13]

My husband and I both worked in Mozambique for more than 6 months. A police certificate is required. We both live in the US. According to the CIC website, non - residents of Mozambique may "designate a local resident who can submit the request at Criminal Records Headquarters in Maputo on your behalf. Proxy forms and applications are available at the same office. In the case of overseas residents, fingerprints are not required. The designation must bear the signature of two witnesses, and the proxy representative is authorized to collect the certificate from Criminal Records once available."

We do not know of any local residents who could submit this request. Has anyone been through this process before? What should we do? We can't possibly fly back. When I applied for my green card to come to the US, it was understood that it was impossible to get a police certificate from Mozambique if you were not residing there. Writing a letter explaining this was sufficient.

I would hate for this to hold up our application. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[zardoz]

You could get a local lawyer to act as your representative?

 

[bartjones]

You may want to contact the nearest Mozambique consulate. They will probably be able to help.

My wife has this problem last month and needed a Korean background check, but we're here in Canada. She called the Korean consulate and they provided us with the forms necessary to appoint a representative in Korea to obtain the search on her behalf. I realize that you don't have a representative in Mozambique to do it for you, but the consulate may be able to help with that too.

 

[CanadianWife13]

We contacted the Mozambican Embassy in Washington DC this morning and unfortunately, they said that they would not be able to help. They realize how impossible this would be to do from over here. To tell you the truth, even if we were still living in Mozambique we would probably find it difficult to get a police certificate because of the way things work over there. Anyone who has lived in Mozambique might understand what I am talking about.

I have sent emails to lawyers in Maputo to see if it would be possible to help with this. I'm sure their fees would be astronomical and there would be no way to ensure that we would get the documents after having wired fees.

I would like to speak to a live person from CIC who deals with permanent residency applications outside of Canada but I cannot find any phone numbers. If anyone has these can you please post?

Thanks again

 

[bartjones]

You can try the call center 1-888-242‑2100.

Maybe you can try a call to the Canadian Embassy in Mozambique (011 258) 21 492 623 or email mputo@international.gc.ca ???. It's a long shot but they might be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[CanadianWife13]

Thanks. I tried the 1-888-242-2100 number but since I am living in the US it won't work. I think that number is only for those within Canada. That is a good idea, I will try the Canadian Embassy in Mozambique. I have to try everything....

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thanks. I tried the 1-888-242-2100 number but since I am living in the US it won't work. I think that number is only for those within Canada. That is a good idea, I will try the Canadian Embassy in Mozambique. I have to try everything....

You're not the first person to be unable to get a police cert. Provided you can show you really tried to get it, CIC usually accepts that. Document your efforts, get a letter from the Mozambique Embassy in Washington saying that they are unable to do it, email responses from authorities and the Canadian embassy in Mozambique, the Maputo lawyers etc. Include a letter in the app explaining step by step what you did to try to get the certificate and include your proof.

Another forum member who was unable to get a police cert asked their former employer in that country to write a letter stating that to their knowledge, the person had no legal issues or criminal record in the country.

 

[CanadianWife13]

Thank you thank you for listing those ideas. We will definitely document all of our attempts at hope that the CIC that along with a letter from our former employer. My husband and I were racking our brains yesterday trying to think of how we can go about getting this police certificate. I haven't heard back from lawyers in Maputo and the Mozambique Embassy in Washington told us that there was no way for us to get it unless we know someone in Maputo.

 

[kyc221]

How long ago did you work in Mozambique? I think that influenced my case.

I needed a police certificate from the Czech Republic when I applied to my Working Holiday Visa, and even though I could get it from the Czech Consulate in my country, it would take several months since the Consul was not in Chile at the moment. I emailed my VO and explained the situation when applying to the WHV, stating that I had spent a year in the Czech Rep 7 years ago. I was told I wouldn't need to add the police certificate and to add the email instead.

When I applied to the PR, I printed the same email conversation. I added a page explaining that I had been in the Czech Rep 9 years ago, so I decided to not attach the police certificate this time either, but that I would upon request from the VO. They never requested the police certificate...

 

[CanadianWife13]

We were there up until December 2010 and have been living in the US since then.

Thanks for this information. It is really helpful to know what others have done and what has worked. We will keep trying until we exhaust all of our options. I will see what else we can do over the next two weeks and if we still can't seem to get anywhere we will send in our application with documentation of our efforts to get the police certificate as well as a formal letter from our previous employer stating that my husband does not have a criminal record.

 

[rosy324]

My husband worked in Mozambique for 7 months in 2009. I have applied for Canada PR and trying to find a way to get Police Clearance Certificates from Mozambique. But could not. Does anyone know how to get PCC from Mozambique? In CIC website, they mentioned that need to submit plc application through local residents. But we do not know anyone in Mozambique.Can anybody help me with the info please?