Just sent request for police certificates... may I send PR application while I am waiting for them?

[Cell]

Hi everyone,
I currently live and work in Canada under a valid work permit and I just got an invitation to apply (ITA) for PR through the CEC program about 10 days ago. As for many of you guys, my main issues is get police certificates for the countries where I have been living for more than six months, which in my case are Italy and United States (based on what I have read, I don't need them for Canada even if I've been here for more than a year). I sent requests for those police certificates only early this week via FedEx, so I have tracking numbers and Fedex receipts that can prove the addresses where I sent the requests and that the requests arrived.

As many of you guys know, getting police certificates takes a long time, especially for the US, where it can take about 3 months, based on what I read. However, I don't want to wait too long before sending out my application, because in a few months my company is probably going to relocate me out of Canada, and I would like to get PR before that time.

Do you think it may be worth to start sending out my PR application without police certificates, and sending only proof that I sent applications for those criminal records? My hope is that IRCC would start assessing my other documents (university certificates, employment, language skills, etc), so that once I get the police certificates, they would be able to assess them just in a few days. And if there is a problem with any of my other documents, they may at least start telling me to gather additional documents in the meantime. Based on your personal experience or on what you read online, do you think this may really save me some time?

Also, notice that if my application gets rejected for lack of police certificates, I don't think I would have troubles getting a new ITA, as my Express Entry score is pretty high (about 550).

Thanks!

 

[jes_ON]

Hi everyone,
Do you think it may be worth to start sending out my PR application without police certificates, and sending only proof that I sent applications for those criminal records?
No, the PCCs are supposed to be submitted with your application (there are some exceptions). That is one reason they extended the time to submit the eAPR from 2 months to 3, to allow applicants more time to get the PCCs.

My hope is that IRCC would start assessing my other documents (university certificates, employment, language skills, etc), so that once I get the police certificates, they would be able to assess them just in a few days.
No, if they review your application for completeness without the PCCs (and without a valid reason), your application will most likely be returned as incomplete.

And if there is a problem with any of my other documents, they may at least start telling me to gather additional documents in the meantime.
LOL, it does not work that way! It is your responsibility to submit a complete application, if you do not, it will be returned, and you will have to start all over. IRCC has to do it this way to cut down the processing times.

Also, notice that if my application gets rejected for lack of police certificates, I don't think I would have troubles getting a new ITA, as my Express Entry score is pretty high (about 550).
It's up to you : ) Good luck -

 

[Cell]

Hey jes_ON,
thanks for your reply! The fact that the I have 3 months to apply, doesn't mean it's enough time for me to gather documents, as many people sending the request for US police certificates reported processing times that are around or above 3 months + time to deliver the police certificates. That's why I was saying I may not have anything to lose by just sending the application, as I guess my ITA will anyway become invalid while I wait for those police certificates. I don't know what kind of message IRCC sends when an application is rejected, but I believe they may say "you are missing X, Y, and Z document".

And my reason for sending just the receipt of the submission for police certificate is based on something I read on IRCC website when it says:

Once you have applied for a Police Certificate from a country, it is beneficial to upload evidence that you have applied in order to ensure that your application is not rejected as incomplete (examples of proof might include payment receipts, tracking numbers, etc.)

Has anybody tried to apply with only a proof that police certificates have been requested rather than the police certificate themselves?

 

[jes_ON]

Hey jes_ON,
Has anybody tried to apply with only a proof that police certificates have been requested rather than the police certificate themselves?

Yes, lots of people do, but they normally wait to see if they will get it by the deadline (per IRCC instructions).

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/intro.asp

"If you are an Express Entry candidate, and you are invited to apply, you will only have 90 days to submit your police certificate. To make sure you have enough time, you should apply for your police certificates as early as you can.

If you know that a country takes longer than 90 days to issue a police certificate, you should apply for one even if you don’t have an Invitation to Apply yet. Find out how to get a police certificate for a specific country or territory.

If you applied for a police certificate, but do not have it by the deadline to submit your online application, write or type your explanation on a blank piece of paper and upload it in the Police Certificate section. You must also upload supporting documents that prove you applied for it, such as a confirmation receipt, payment receipt, delivery notice, tracking number, etc."

 

[SwanTanya]

Same here. I am almost in identical situation. Have requested US police certificate and don't want to wait.

So, I already have passed medical exam and I'm afraid my med will expire if I submit the profile in late September. I have passed it this week, it'll be three month old in September.

And also, I literally have every single document other than PC from US (I was certain that CIC meant 6 month continuous, but as I've recently figured out, I was wrong).

That seems so wrong to wait for a PC without even being sure that I will receive it by the deadline. On FBI website it says 10-12 weeks. So, in my case it will be from mid to late September, and tge deadline if ITA is 27th.

They probably would want to see fresh bank statements by then, and I will have to use almost half of my savings soon :/

 

[Cell]

It was my same worry, SwanTanya. I just got a certificate from my bank, and I think they may want a fresh one if I apply in 2-3 months. Same for my employment letter. Sometimes, when I ask this kind of non-standard documents it almost seems like people are making me a favour, and I don't want to write them every couple of months to get an updated one. That's why I was wondering if I can just apply, as I know almost for sure that I won't get my police certificates by the three months.

If I had known in advance that I needed them, I would have applied for them much earlier, while I was studying for my IELTS test. But until before I applied for the Express Entry, I thought the only documents required were the English test results and the ECA.

I guess I will have to wait to get at least a bit closer to the deadline as per jes_ON's message. Maybe I should try to call IRCC to see if they can advise something on the situation.

 

[SwanTanya]

Yeah I think I would have to wait till september too. I knew I needed Police certificates, but I did only from my home country and haven't thought I might need one from the States since I haven't been there 6 consecutive months.

I'm going to apload every single document now with dates as I have them, and once I get the PC from US I'll apload that one. I bet they will see the dates and figure it out from there. I'm probably going to explain this situation in Letter of explanation.

I've found yesterday in FAQ on CIC this:


Exceptional cases
In rare cases, you may not be able to get a police certificate despite your best efforts. (For example, you applied in the first week after we invited you to apply, but it did not arrive within the 90-day timeframe).

If this happens, you need to upload, with your complete application:

• proof that you applied for a police certificate, and
• a letter of explanation.

Proof includes things like receipts that prove you submitted paperwork and any fees related to your request.

You must show that you made your best efforts to get all the documents you needed.

If you need a police certificate from a country where we must request it from them, upload a letter of explanation that explains this.

There is no guarantee we will accept a letter of explanation in place of any required document, including a police certificate. We consider each application under Express Entry on its own merits.

If you did not submit a police certificate with your application, only proof that you applied for one, please do not send the police certificate when you get it. Only send it to us once we ask you to through your account.

We will send you new instructions on how to submit them.

 

[SwanTanya]

If you are in Canada, there may be some FBI-approved channelers who can expidite the process. I know one in Winnipeg. They cost ~200$ and they said they can do it faster than FBI, because they do half of the job for them. If I remember correctly, it takes about a couple of weeks, rather than 10-12. But since you are looking into Italian certificate as well, I'm not sure if this makes sense.

I might look into it though. But damn! It's another $200 :/

 

[Cell]

I wouldn't try the channelers, as IRCC website says they are available only for US citizens and green card holders, so I wouldn't like IRCC to reject my application because I used some kind of non-standard process.

Anyway, if my police records request will really take 3 months, it means I will get them in October... then the application takes in average a couple of months according to IRCC website, so I may be able to get PR in January, which can be too late for me as on that months my work permit expire and my company would like to move me out of Canada before that. What a situation!

 

[SwanTanya]

It actually takes 6 months as per IRCC website... but once you apply for PR you can apply for the bridge permit and it will be an open work permit for a year.

 

[Cell]

It actually takes 6 months as per IRCC website... but once you apply for PR you can apply for the bridge permit and it will be an open work permit for a year.

I think 6 months is the maximum time for the application process, but according to their website, the processing time when they receive a complete application package is 61 days as of today:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGLIsh/information/times/index.asp

I believe this is an average time in case there is no interruption due to missing documents and they don't need anything else from you.

 

[SwanTanya]

I'm not sure where you got this because in "processing times" on CIC (following the link you posted) it says:

Canadian Experience Class

Submitted online via Express Entry on or after January 1, 2015

6 month(s) ?

Once you have submitted a complete application package.

View your application status in your account

 

[Cell]

I'm not sure where you got this because in "processing times" on CIC (following the link you posted) it says:

Oh, yeah, I didn't check properly, yes, it says 6 months.

 

[Cell]

Hi SwanTanya,
I have very good news for you. I just called IRCC, and they told me that they are very well aware of the issue with US police certificates from the FBI. They said you don't need to wait for those to submit or until your ITA is about to expire to justify their absence. However, they said that usually the FBI sends at least a letter of acknowledgment after you send your application for criminal records. They would like you to be able to attach at least that letter of acknowledgment, if you have it, along with a cover letter where you explain the issue. If you don't even have the acknowledgment letter, they would anyway still accept your application (just provide them with all other proofs you may have that you send the application along with a cover letter).

The above "informal" process is valid only for US police records. For my criminal records from Italy, for instance they said I should still try to wait for them, as I am expecting them to take only a few weeks. If you have issues with any other criminal records, you may try to contact IRCC directly, as they know which country doesn't easily provide criminal records.

Does anybody know how long does it take to the FBI to provide this letter of acknowledgment?

 

[jes_ON]

It was my same worry, SwanTanya. I just got a certificate from my bank, and I think they may want a fresh one if I apply in 2-3 months.

Ummm... you posted in the CEC forum, you do realize that you don't need proof of funds if you apply under the CEC program?

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=1145&top=29

"Note: You do not have to meet the funds requirement if you were invited to apply under the Canadian Experience Class.

The system currently asks all applicants to provide a proof of funds document. If you don’t need to provide proof of funds, you must upload a letter explaining either that you have been invited to apply under the Canadian Experience Class, or that you have a valid job offer."