The short answer
A police certificate is an official document that shows you have no criminal record or, if you have one, a copy of it. IRCC uses it to check whether there are reasons you might be inadmissible to Canada. It is different in every country, the rules about who needs one and when depend on the programme, and it is one of the documents that can take longest to get. Start early, and follow your programme's checklist.
Key terms in plain English
- Police certificate: the document itself. It can be called a police clearance certificate, a good conduct certificate, a judicial record extract or something else.
- Inadmissible: not allowed into Canada for a legal reason, such as a criminal record or a medical issue.
- Request letter: a letter from IRCC that some countries require before they will issue a certificate to you.
- Certified translation: a translation by an accredited translator, needed if the certificate is not in English or French.
Who needs one
IRCC says you and any family member who is an adult may need a police certificate, depending on the programme. You must provide one if you apply for permanent residence, and in some other programmes, such as International Experience Canada and citizenship. If you have a prior criminal record you may need one for other programmes too. Use the document checklist for your own application.
How to get one
- Open the document checklist for your route and note which countries it asks for. This usually includes each country where you lived for a longer period as an adult.
- Contact the local police or the government body that issues certificates in that country. IRCC has a page that shows how to do this country by country. In India, police clearance certificates for use abroad are generally requested through the Passport Seva programme, but follow IRCC's page for India.
- Provide what they ask for. This can include photographs, fingerprints, the addresses where you lived and the dates, and a fee.
- Check the language. If the certificate is not in English or French, include a copy of the original plus a translation from a certified translator.
- Scan the original and upload it as your application asks. IRCC says it needs scanned copies of the original certificate, not certified true copies.
Timing matters
Different programmes have different timing. For Express Entry, IRCC advises starting your police checks as soon as you are in the pool, to avoid delays. IRCC also sets rules about how recently a certificate must have been issued. Check your checklist before ordering, so you do not pay for a certificate that expires or is too old by the time you apply.
Checklist
- To do: Read which countries your checklist asks for
- To do: Note every country where you lived as an adult
- To do: Start the request for each certificate early
- To do: Ask if the issuing country needs a request letter from IRCC
- To do: Get certified translations if a certificate is not in English or French
- To do: Scan the originals in colour and keep the paper copies safe
- To do: Check the issue date against IRCC's rules for your programme
Common mistakes
- Leaving it late. Some countries take a long time to issue certificates.
- Fingerprints for the police certificate are not biometrics. Giving fingerprints for a certificate is separate from giving biometrics to IRCC.
- Sending a certified copy instead of a scan of the original. It may not be accepted.
- Missing a country. Check every country on your list.
- Ignoring the translation requirement. A document in another language may be returned.
Things that change
Programme timing, the list of countries and the way each country issues certificates can change. IRCC may also ask you for an updated certificate during processing.
Verify before you act
Start with IRCC's page on police certificates, including how to get one and when to get one. The Indian government's Passport Seva portal has the current process for Indian certificates.