PCC/BC Question

[Sralf]

Hi all:

I am trying to understand the PCC process in Shanghai, China. I am currently in Canada and I called the local police station yesterday and the officer told me that I need to go to the station myself to get the certificate (no third-party representatives allowed) and the process takes about a week, after getting the original certificate I must go to the notary office to get the original certificate translated and this process takes another week. My concern is there will be a time period which I am not covered during my stay in China. E.g: If I go back to SH on Mar.1st and go to the police station on 2nd, tentatively around Mar. 9th I will be able to get the certificate, and I will bring the certificate to the notary office later to get it translated. The final date in which I will get the translated PCC should be around Mar. 20th, after that I will fly back to Canada on Mar. 21st. However, the valid time frame of this certificate will be from when I was born to Mar.2nd (the date in which I go to the police station office), which leaves a gap between Mar. 2nd and Mar. 20th and there is no document to prove I have no criminal record between Mar.2nd and Mar. 20th. Will CIC find this a trouble and should I provide an explanation letter?

Also in terms of Birth Certificate, is it a mandatory document? (I am a 25 year-old single male, without any children).

 

[Sralf]

Any suggestions guys?

 

[jes_ON]

Also in terms of Birth Certificate, is it a mandatory document? (I am a 25 year-old single male, without any children).

No. But if you don't have one, it might be good to get for your own records.

 

[jes_ON]

I am trying to understand the PCC process in Shanghai, China. I am currently in Canada and I called the local police station yesterday and the officer told me that I need to go to the station myself to get the certificate (no third-party representatives allowed) and the process takes about a week, after getting the original certificate I must go to the notary office to get the original certificate translated and this process takes another week. My concern is there will be a time period which I am not covered during my stay in China. E.g: If I go back to SH on Mar.1st and go to the police station on 2nd, tentatively around Mar. 9th I will be able to get the certificate, and I will bring the certificate to the notary office later to get it translated. The final date in which I will get the translated PCC should be around Mar. 20th, after that I will fly back to Canada on Mar. 21st. However, the valid time frame of this certificate will be from when I was born to Mar.2nd (the date in which I go to the police station office), which leaves a gap between Mar. 2nd and Mar. 20th and there is no document to prove I have no criminal record between Mar.2nd and Mar. 20th. Will CIC find this a trouble and should I provide an explanation letter?

If you can only apply in person, include a letter of explanation with your PCC. But that's just to CYA. Any PCC will be valid for at least 6 months.

HOWEVER - I am surprised you were told that you have to apply in person. If you are planning to travel anyway, you might as well apply in person. However, there are services that can do it for you, and while not cheap, it would cost less than a plane ticket. Rules can change, but it might not hurt to check it out. For example:

http://www.visainchina.com/nocriminal.htm

BTW - this is not a recommendation, I have no experience applying for a PCC from Shanghai.

Good luck -

 

[Sralf]

If you can only apply in person, include a letter of explanation with your PCC. But that's just to CYA. Any PCC will be valid for at least 6 months.

HOWEVER - I am surprised you were told that you have to apply in person. If you are planning to travel anyway, you might as well apply in person. However, there are services that can do it for you, and while not cheap, it would cost less than a plane ticket. Rules can change, but it might not hurt to check it out. For example:

http://www.visainchina.com/nocriminal.htm

BTW - this is not a recommendation, I have no experience applying for a PCC from Shanghai.

Good luck -

Hey Jes: Thank you so much for answering my questions again. Yeah it is weird that big cities in China like Shanghai and Beijing do not allow any third-party representatives. What do you suggest to write on the explanation letter? I mean this is definitely "gray area" that CIC may or may not care at all.

 

[ContactFront]

Are you a Chinese citizen? Not sure if the process is different if you are not.

My family is in Shanghai and they were able to order me a certificate without any issue. Notary office first, the police station.

 

[Sralf]

Are you a Chinese citizen? Not sure if the process is different if you are not.

My family is in Shanghai and they were able to order me a certificate without any issue. Notary office first, the police station.

Yes I am I called the local police station and they told me I need to apply in person and for notary office, I can appoint my parents to get the translated certificate for me. Anyway I alrdy pmed you, plz check ur inbox

 

[ContactFront]

Yes I am I called the local police station and they told me I need to apply in person and for notary office, I can appoint my parents to get the translated certificate for me. Anyway I alrdy pmed you, plz check ur inbox

Sorry I don't use wechat. Follow the instructions on CIC website. It's exactly what my family did.
www dot cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/asia-pacific/china.asp

In a nutshell, You need to write your representitive an authorization letter. They should to tell notary office you need a police certificate for immigration purpose. Notary office will issue a letter which your representitive takes to police station. Police station will then process your request and once they are done, bring the document back to notary office and they will issue you a final certificate with translation

 

[Sralf]

Sorry I don't use wechat. Follow the instructions on CIC website. It's exactly what my family did.
www dot cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/asia-pacific/china.asp

In a nutshell, You need to write your representitive an authorization letter. They should to tell notary office you need a police certificate for immigration purpose. Notary office will issue a letter which your representitive takes to police station. Police station will then process your request and once they are done, bring the document back to notary office and they will issue you a final certificate with translation

I see what you mean. How long approximately does the whole process take? I will be travelling to SH so if I can save some time by applying on my own I'd rather go bak and do it myself.

 

[ContactFront]

Yes I am I called the local police station and they told me I need to apply in person and for notary office, I can appoint my parents to get the translated certificate for me. Anyway I alrdy pmed you, plz check ur inbox

Make sure you go to notary first

 

[ContactFront]

I see what you mean. How long approximately does the whole process take? I will be travelling to SH so if I can save some time by applying on my own I'd rather go bak and do it myself.

Should take one week

 

[jes_ON]

What do you suggest to write on the explanation letter?

Same as you explained in your initial post...

 

[Sralf]

Should take one week

That's not what they told me, police station said abt a week and notary office told me another 7 days. Anyway thx so much for the info, at least now I have an option.

 

[Sralf]

Same as you explained in your initial post...

I see, thx man!