PCC question

[shabegger]

I have a question for people familiar with the FSW application process; I'm an American who is currently a resident in Thailand. It is not possible to get a PCC in Thailand without going in person to the central office in Bangkok; it cannot be done by mail, it cannot be done from a provincial police station, it certainly could not be done from the United States. What would happen to someone who applied, and who had lived in Thailand for a year in their 20s, but hadn't been back since? Would they really be required to take a trip to Bangkok to get a police clearance?

Ironically, since CIC requires a clearance from every U.S. state one has lived in, I might have to do this for Vermont -- it looks like they might not permit distance requests any more than Thailand does . . . What happens to people in this situation?

I'm curious -- applicants who have lived in America, how difficult was it getting your various PCCs?

 

[rupeshhari]

Read again about Vermont
http://www.dps.state.vt.us/cjs/recordcheck/recordcheck6.html

and I think you should read about Thailand again
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/asia-pacific/thailand.asp

I obviously don't know if the websites are outdated but both seem to allow non-resident request

 

[shabegger]

Thank you, I think you're right, at least about Vermont. Thailand I'm not so sure about, even though they do say it's possible, that doesn't always mean that it is . . . Even within Thailand they won't accept a mail request, with fingerprints taken by Thai police; would they process something from abroad?

But you are correct; I didn't read far enough on Vermont's page, and am happy to find out that I jumped the gun.

 

[rupeshhari]

Sometimes, they make provision for those people outside because it is unreasonable to ask someone to come all the way to Thailand to get the PCC but their laws might feel it is not unreasonable to ask someone within Thailand. I am guessing here because I have no idea how Thailand works.

Here is an example, in South Africa, one has to go to a local police office in person but foreigners can mail it in. I know it is not unreasonable to ask someone to go to a local police station but you would think that locals should have the right to mail it in as much as non-residents. Sometimes, these things just don't make sense.

By the way, even on CIC's website, they do say that residents must go to the office in Bangkok while non-residents can mail it in. So it seems they are accurate about what residents have to do. I have no reason to believe that they are wrong about the non-resident instructions.

The best thing you can do is to apply early even if it means wasting some money. You might have to apply before you get the letter from CIC Sydney so that you may have enough time to get PCC from Thailand before the 120 day deadline is up. So you should plan it out carefully considering expiration dates of the PCCs.

Good luck.

 

[jes_ON]

I am in this situation. I am currently in Canada, lived in Cambodia 1998-99, So I need to get a PCC from Cambodia. I have not been able to get any information other than "apply in person to the Department of Justice" in Phnom Penh. It has been futile to try to contact them. I've been working on this for 6 months...

I finally, FINALLY got someone to say IN WRITING that the only way to get the PCC is to apply in person. This is from the Australian Embassy in Phnom Penh, and they offered to certify that this is the case, suggesting that this might help obtain an exemption (at least, that's what they would do). (BTW - The Aussie Embassy serves by agreement as the Canadian consul in Phnom Penh).

My own embassy (US) in PP issued the usual "sorry, but we can't help you." Thank YOU Australian Embassy - you were the best when I lived in PP, and still are.

So - anyone know of any circumstance where the PCC requirement has been waived/exempted?

 

[rupeshhari]

Good for you for getting the letter from the Aussies.
I have heard that PCC from Saudi Arabia is not needed under some circumstance. I read that here. Perhaps it is the same reason as yours (that you cannot get it from outside). You should search for it on the net.

 

[shabegger]

The problem is, I actually understand the Canadian government's position on this, particularly for countries like Thailand or Cambodia that are easy for foreigners to live in; they get large numbers of tricky types, pedophiles and bankrupts and whatnot. At the same time, regardless of what the web sites say, it is frequently impossible to do things by mail -- I have no trouble believing that to get a PCC from the Cambodian government requires one to shuffle between different offices for one or more days, personally carrying documents to be stamped.

And yet, I was an exchange student in Thailand when I was 19. It seems strange, 19 years later, that a security clearance is required; if I wasn't living in Thailand, I don't know what I'd do. Do you know anyone in Phnom Penh who could submit your documents for you?

Which is by way of saying, Good luck!

 

[jes_ON]

Hi Shabegger,

Yes, Cambodia is a haven for unsavory types, but requiring an applicant to appear in person for the PCC does not discourage that in any way. Whatever the GoC's official position is for this restriction (I have no idea, since it is not possible to obtain any information from them), the reality is simply lack of capacity and rampant corruption. A police clearance from the GoC would be worth less than the piece of paper it is printed on, in fact more likely means the opposite - it is more likely to prove you ARE a criminal, since in order to obtain one you will have to commit a criminal act (e.g. bribery of government officials).

I suppose somewhere others have ranted on the absolute ABSURDITY of this requirement ...

As for knowing someone in PP, yes, but the info they have been able to obtain is dicey too. I have copies of my Cambodia visas, certified copy of my passport, my UN id, my Cambodia driver's license - but they are rejecting those as valid forms of ID and asking for things I cannot get... It's the dance of extortion, and my poor friends cannot risk it, and I will not subject them to more...

 

[aghijan]

Shabegger,

I just read your posting and since I live in Thailand too, I might have my two cent's worth to share. As I applpied for the visa myself, I went through some challenges which was good in many ways. I learned that for every problem there's a solution.

I am a teacher. To be able to teach in Canada I decided to get the registration done. To meet with the requirements, I had to have all my documents, both from Thailand and home country, translated. Here I didn't have any problem. However, the evaluating body in Canada rejected the official translations notorised by the Canadian Embassy. It was sad, disappointing and heartbreaking after so much time I had spent to find someone in the city I completed my education, and in the capital city to take care of the paper work, and the amount of money I had to pay.

I couldn't quit. Therefore, I went through the information issued by the Ontario College of Teachers. I learned that they accept translation by translators resided in Canada and the embassy of the countries where the documents are issued. Immeditely, I managed to locate and contact with a certified translator, send the documents, pay the fees and that was that. As for the documents in Thai, to avoid any headach, I contacted their embassy in Ottawa and the same procedure. I didn't leave any room for OCT to reject my application on the basis of translation irregularities.

I for one sure that no one, even the embassy people, would expect your friend to travel to Thailand just to have the Police Certificate.

As in my case, I went to my embassy and got it. I suggest your friend contact the Thai embassy first and ask if they can do anything. As far as I know these nice people they are so kind and cooperative. If that didn’t help, write a letter to the Canadian embassy, explaing the situation. You must provide supporting documents which in this case is the communication with any the Thai authority.