Police clearance question

[Mjg0503]

Hello,

I have a question about the requirement for a PCC as part of a citizenship application. I became a Canadian PR in July 2021 and have lived here ever since. I plan to apply for citizenship in August 2024. I am a U.S. citizen, and prior to moving to Canada, I lived in South Korea from April 2018- July 2021. I included a police clearance from South Korea that covers this period of time as part of my PR application and have not been back to South Korea since. Will I need to submit a police clearance from South Korea again with my citizenship application? If so, it seems redundant, because IRCC already has received this information and would not have approved my PR without it. I ask because getting the correct Korean police certificate from abroad can be a huge pain in the neck. The IRCC website says that if you were in your "country of origin" in the last 5 years, but have not been back since becoming a PR in Canada, you do not have to submit a police clearance. So I guess I'm wondering what they mean by "country of origin": my country of citizenship (United States) or my country of residence prior to moving to Canada (Korea).

 

[abbas.pasha]

Hello,

I have a question about the requirement for a PCC as part of a citizenship application. I became a Canadian PR in July 2021 and have lived here ever since. I plan to apply for citizenship in August 2024. I am a U.S. citizen, and prior to moving to Canada, I lived in South Korea from April 2018- July 2021. I included a police clearance from South Korea that covers this period of time as part of my PR application and have not been back to South Korea since. Will I need to submit a police clearance from South Korea again with my citizenship application? If so, it seems redundant, because IRCC already has received this information and would not have approved my PR without it. I ask because getting the correct Korean police certificate from abroad can be a huge pain in the neck. The IRCC website says that if you were in your "country of origin" in the last 5 years, but have not been back since becoming a PR in Canada, you do not have to submit a police clearance. So I guess I'm wondering what they mean by "country of origin": my country of citizenship (United States) or my country of residence prior to moving to Canada (Korea).

Take a look below and specially Example 1

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-0002-application-canadian-citizenship-under-subsection-5-1-adults-18-years-older.html

You need to provide a police certificate from each country, other than Canada, if you were there

• in the past 4 years
• for 183 days or more in a row
• since the age of 18

Indicate in the chart the name of each country and provide a police certificate.

You don’t need to provide a police certificate if

• you were in your country of origin immediately prior to becoming a permanent resident and landing in Canada, and
• this time falls within the past 4 years

If you can’t get a police certificate, tell us why in the explanation box.

To be valid, the police certificate must be either issued

• after the last time you were in that country, or
• no more than 6 months before the date you sign your citizenship application

We may request a police certificate at any point during processing, even if you submitted a valid certificate with your application.

See the following examples to help you answer this question.


Example 1


You lived in France for one year (365 days) before you became a permanent resident 3 years ago. You did not travel to France after you became a permanent resident. You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from France if you did not provide one with your immigration application. If you provided a police certificate from France with your immigration application, tell us this in the box provided at Question 10b.


Example 2


You became a permanent resident 3 years and 9 months ago. In the past 4 years, you lived in Brazil for 3 months (90 days) before you became a permanent resident and you returned to Brazil to visit family for 4 months (120 days) after you became a permanent resident. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide a police certificate from Brazil because you did not spend 183 days or more in a row in Brazil.


Example 3


In the past 4 years, you took 10 trips to the United States of America (USA). Each trip lasted 3 weeks, for a total of 210 days. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide a police certificate from the USA because you did not spend 183 days or more in a row in the USA.


Example 4


In the past 4 years, you travelled to Singapore four times for work. The first trip was for 30 days; the second trip was for 200 days; the third trip was for 60 days; and the fourth trip was for 120 days. While in Singapore, you took a trip to Malaysia (10 days) and Thailand (10 days). You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from Singapore because your second trip was more than 183 days in a row. You would not need to provide police certificates from Malaysia or Thailand.


Example 5


In the past 4 years, you took 1 trip to Europe where you visited Portugal (5 days), Spain (7 days), France (10 days), Belgium (3 days), Netherlands (3 days), Germany (21 days), Switzerland (7 days) and Italy (21 days). You took a second trip to Europe where you visited Ireland (14 days), Scotland (14 days) and England (21 days). You went to Germany for a business trip that lasted 60 days. The total time you were outside of Canada was 186 days but you were not in a single country for 183 days or more in a row. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide police certificates from any of the countries.

 

[Mjg0503]

Take a look below and specially Example 1

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-0002-application-canadian-citizenship-under-subsection-5-1-adults-18-years-older.html

You need to provide a police certificate from each country, other than Canada, if you were there

• in the past 4 years
• for 183 days or more in a row
• since the age of 18

Indicate in the chart the name of each country and provide a police certificate.

You don’t need to provide a police certificate if

• you were in your country of origin immediately prior to becoming a permanent resident and landing in Canada, and
• this time falls within the past 4 years

If you can’t get a police certificate, tell us why in the explanation box.

To be valid, the police certificate must be either issued

• after the last time you were in that country, or
• no more than 6 months before the date you sign your citizenship application

We may request a police certificate at any point during processing, even if you submitted a valid certificate with your application.

See the following examples to help you answer this question.


Example 1


You lived in France for one year (365 days) before you became a permanent resident 3 years ago. You did not travel to France after you became a permanent resident. You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from France if you did not provide one with your immigration application. If you provided a police certificate from France with your immigration application, tell us this in the box provided at Question 10b.


Example 2


You became a permanent resident 3 years and 9 months ago. In the past 4 years, you lived in Brazil for 3 months (90 days) before you became a permanent resident and you returned to Brazil to visit family for 4 months (120 days) after you became a permanent resident. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide a police certificate from Brazil because you did not spend 183 days or more in a row in Brazil.


Example 3


In the past 4 years, you took 10 trips to the United States of America (USA). Each trip lasted 3 weeks, for a total of 210 days. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide a police certificate from the USA because you did not spend 183 days or more in a row in the USA.


Example 4


In the past 4 years, you travelled to Singapore four times for work. The first trip was for 30 days; the second trip was for 200 days; the third trip was for 60 days; and the fourth trip was for 120 days. While in Singapore, you took a trip to Malaysia (10 days) and Thailand (10 days). You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from Singapore because your second trip was more than 183 days in a row. You would not need to provide police certificates from Malaysia or Thailand.


Example 5


In the past 4 years, you took 1 trip to Europe where you visited Portugal (5 days), Spain (7 days), France (10 days), Belgium (3 days), Netherlands (3 days), Germany (21 days), Switzerland (7 days) and Italy (21 days). You took a second trip to Europe where you visited Ireland (14 days), Scotland (14 days) and England (21 days). You went to Germany for a business trip that lasted 60 days. The total time you were outside of Canada was 186 days but you were not in a single country for 183 days or more in a row. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide police certificates from any of the countries.

Thank you, this is helpful!

 

[harryguns]

Hello,

I have a question about the requirement for a PCC as part of a citizenship application. I became a Canadian PR in July 2021 and have lived here ever since. I plan to apply for citizenship in August 2024. I am a U.S. citizen, and prior to moving to Canada, I lived in South Korea from April 2018- July 2021. I included a police clearance from South Korea that covers this period of time as part of my PR application and have not been back to South Korea since. Will I need to submit a police clearance from South Korea again with my citizenship application? If so, it seems redundant, because IRCC already has received this information and would not have approved my PR without it. I ask because getting the correct Korean police certificate from abroad can be a huge pain in the neck. The IRCC website says that if you were in your "country of origin" in the last 5 years, but have not been back since becoming a PR in Canada, you do not have to submit a police clearance. So I guess I'm wondering what they mean by "country of origin": my country of citizenship (United States) or my country of residence prior to moving to Canada (Korea).

did you select 'Yes' or 'No' for the below question? My spouse is in exact same situation, she was in India right before landing in Canada and had provided her PCC for her PR application back then.

Police certificates
* In the past 4 years, were you in a country or territory other than Canada for 183 days or more in a row (since the age of 18)?

@abbas.pasha Brother Is it wise to select 'Yes' and provide the old PCC or just select 'No' ?

 

[sri88]

did you select 'Yes' or 'No' for the below question? My spouse is in exact same situation, she was in India right before landing in Canada and had provided her PCC for her PR application back then.

Police certificates
* In the past 4 years, were you in a country or territory other than Canada for 183 days or more in a row (since the age of 18)?

@abbas.pasha Brother Is it wise to select 'Yes' and provide the old PCC or just select 'No' ?

https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/application-for-canadian-citizenship-a-comprehensive-guide.687393/

"Lived in country of origin immediately before establishing PR in Canada".

 

[harryguns]

https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/application-for-canadian-citizenship-a-comprehensive-guide.687393/

"Lived in country of origin immediately before establishing PR in Canada".

Thank you bro. this helps!

 

[abbas.pasha]

did you select 'Yes' or 'No' for the below question? My spouse is in exact same situation, she was in India right before landing in Canada and had provided her PCC for her PR application back then.

Police certificates
* In the past 4 years, were you in a country or territory other than Canada for 183 days or more in a row (since the age of 18)?

@abbas.pasha Brother Is it wise to select 'Yes' and provide the old PCC or just select 'No' ?

I agree with @sri88 you should mention that "PCC was provided at the time of immigration". You should reply with a Yes to this question