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Police certificate, current and past countries

gazer

Newbie
Jun 29, 2022
6
0
On the forum and on the main site articles there are mentions like

In general, applicants and, if applicable, all family members who are 18 years of age or older need to get a police certificate. These certificates must be obtained from each country or territory where the individuals has lived for six or more months in a row since the age of 18.

For the country the individual currently lives in, the police certificate must be issued no more than six months before you apply.

For countries where the individual has lived for six months or more, the police certificate must be issued after the last time you lived in that country.


Then on Spouse application I am looking at page 7 (Police certificates and clearances) of IMM5533e (which is spouse document checklist) it says

PA must submit police certificate...
The country where you currently live, if you have lived there more than 6 months or more AND
The country where you have lived most of your life since the age of 18
The application text doesn't sound the same as what is posted on the forum and site.
My (future) wife is planning to arrive from Portugal, to get married here in Canada and then start the application. Based on the application text I would assume she only needs Portugal certificate, but I guess that is not correct? Can anybody please clarify. Thank you.
 

bellaluna

VIP Member
May 23, 2014
7,405
1,781
I mean, they don't contradict each other? The first quote clearly states "in general" which applies to all immigration programs. Usually someone applying through Express Entry would have to do this.

The latter quote is specific to the spousal application.
Usually even if someone has lived in Canada for more than 6 months there is no need to get a Canadian PCC unless explicitly requested.
 

gazer

Newbie
Jun 29, 2022
6
0
Thanks.

At the beginning of the page with the first quote (canadavisa.com/immigration-security-clearance.html) I saw "each" and searching the forum I didn't find distinctions, at least in the search results that I clicked on. So I posted to ask.

canada.ca's guide pages do not make distinctions either like canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-5525-basic-guide-sponsor-your-spouse-partner-child.html

This is in regards to the PA having spent more than 6 consecutive months outside of Portugal in the late 90s (and then returned to Portugal), I don't know what could be available when/if she has to get the certificate. If it is not required it is one less not so easy step.
 
Last edited:

bellaluna

VIP Member
May 23, 2014
7,405
1,781
Thanks.

At the beginning of the page with the first quote (canadavisa.com/immigration-security-clearance.html) I saw "each" and searching the forum I didn't find distinctions, at least in the search results that I clicked on. So I posted to ask.

canada.ca's guide pages do not make distinctions either like canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-5525-basic-guide-sponsor-your-spouse-partner-child.html

This is in regards to the PA having spent more than 6 consecutive months outside of Portugal in the late 90s (and then returned to Portugal), I don't know what could be available when/if she has to get the certificate. If it is not required it is one less not so easy step.
Honestly your info is all over the place and there seem to be a lot of missing details you're not sharing and I can't read your mind or know your wife's residence history, but it sounds like she only needs a Portugal PCC.
 

gazer

Newbie
Jun 29, 2022
6
0
Thanks for the replies.
I have linked two sites, here and canada.ca, both say all applicants need certificate for any place they spent more than 6 months (after age 18), the canada.ca link in reply #3 is a spousal page.
In my case I mentioned there is one trip in late 90s.
Were it not for what it says on IMM5533e (which I typed in my original post and uploading a screenshot of to imgur) I would not post this question here and be looking to get a certificate for that late 90s trip.

IMM5533e "Document Checklist Spouse (Including Dependent Children)" screenshot (if I am allowed to post links)
 

bellaluna

VIP Member
May 23, 2014
7,405
1,781
Thanks for the replies.
I have linked two sites, here and canada.ca, both say all applicants need certificate for any place they spent more than 6 months (after age 18), the canada.ca link in reply #3 is a spousal page.
In my case I mentioned there is one trip in late 90s.
Were it not for what it says on IMM5533e (which I typed in my original post and uploading a screenshot of to imgur) I would not post this question here and be looking to get a certificate for that late 90s trip.

IMM5533e "Document Checklist Spouse (Including Dependent Children)" screenshot (if I am allowed to post links)
You might be better off asking in the Family Class portion of this forum.

https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/forums/family-class-sponsorship.5/
 

gazer

Newbie
Jun 29, 2022
6
0
Thanks for the help.

I will post a new thread in that forum with a link to this thread.