If you are applying for permanent residence in Canada from India through one of the immigration programs, you will be required to provide a Police Clearance Certificate as part of your PR application.
A Police Clearance Certificate for immigration to Canada from your nation is one of the steps considered to be very important and mandatory in the immigration process. Failing to acquire this certification may result in the rejection of your application.
What is Police Clearance Certificate?
It is a document that details a person’s history of criminal acts in their nation. If their history is clean, PCC will show the same. It is issued by an entity that is authorized by the government.
Certificates issued by the police may go by a variety of names depending on the nation in which they are issued. They may be called Police Clearance Certificates, good conduct certificates, judicial record extracts, along with other names.
If you don’t have a record of any kind of criminal behavior, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about as long as you turn in all of the necessary paperwork. It is possible that your residency application may be rejected if you have a criminal record that contains any major charges.
An applicant’s application may be denied on the grounds of criminal inadmissibility if the applicant has been convicted of a serious crime in their country of residence.
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How to Apply for a Police Clearance Certificate for Canada PR?
There are different places where you can apply for a PCC. These are:
- Passport office
- At an Indian Embassy or Consulate
- Local district police station
- BLS International Centre
1. How to Apply Through Passport Office
1# Step – First of all, you need to register yourself through the Passport Seva Online Portal. Here, you need to create a login ID which you will use further on to log into the portal.
2# Step – Once you log in to the portal, you will find a “Apply for Police Clearance Certificate” link. Click on it.
3# Step – After clicking the link, fill out the required information and submit the form.
4# Step – Once you are done filling out the form, click on the “Pay and Schedule Appointment” link. This link will be found on the “View Saved/ Submitted Applications”. Your appointment will be scheduled.
5# Step – Upon your visit to the Passport Office, you may either show them a printout of the receipt of the Application Reference Number or an SMS with the same appointment information.
6# Step – Once your appointment has been booked at the Passport Seva Kendra, visit it. Or if it’s been booked in a Regional Passport Office, visit there. And of course, don’t forget to bring the original documents.
2. At an Indian Embassy or Consulate
Follow the below steps if you are applying for an Indian PCC from outside of India.
1# Step – Go to the Passport Seva of the website of Indian Embassies and Consulate.
2# Step – Wherever you are applying from, choose that country or region. Soon, you will be redirected to the website of Passport Seva where you’ll follow the further instructions
3# Step – Once you’re redirected, click on “Register” and provide all the required details
4# Step – You need to login here by creating a new login ID and password
5# Step – Simply select the option of “Police Clearance Certificate” so you can start a new application
6# Step – Fill out the application, submit it, and then get a printout of it. After submitting the application, you’ll receive an Application Reference Number (ARN)
7# Step – Now that you have ARN, visit the embassy or consulate along with the required documents
3. Local District Police Station
1# Step – Visit the nearest police station and inform the officer on duty that you are there to request a PCC
2# Step – Share your name, age, and address, and answer their respective questions. The officer will basically perform a background check. Don’t hide any information from them.
3# Step – You will then provide the necessary documents for the PCC
4# Step – Pay the application fee and you are done.
4. BLS International Centre
1# Step – Once you visit the BLS International website, click on the “Passport Services” option
2# Step – There you will find further steps leading to the BLS International’s Canada webpage.
3# Step – Choose from “Toronto Jurisdiction”, “Ottawa Jurisdiction”, or “Vancouver Jurisdiction”
4# Step – Go to the “Passport Services” and select the “Police Clearance Certificate” option
5# Step – Now go to the “Forms and Annexure” where you will find the way the apply for PCC
6# Step – You will further be redirected to the Passport Seva website where you will fill out the application
Documents Required for PCC
The following are the documents required to get a PCC:
Next, let’s talk about how much time it takes to get a Police Clearance Certificate and how much it costs you.
PCC Processing Time and Fee
A PCC takes about just 8 weeks to get processed once it’s received a clear receipt from police authorities. However, there’s no guarantee that it only takes 8 weeks to get it. The time depends on when the police authorities in India issue this clear receipt. They might even take months.
As for the fee part, if you have an Indian Passport/ Canadian Passport/ Foreign Passport, you need to pay about $35.7 (INR 2,200 approx) for a PCC.
Why is PCC required?
IRCC asks for a PCC to ensure the safety of people living in Canada. These people can be citizens of Canada, permanent residents, or even temporary residents. By making sure admissible immigrants are immigrating to Canada, criminal activities are prevented on a much larger basis.
Canada’s priority has been to keep Canadians safe and PCC is another crucial step towards ensuring the same.
What makes you inadmissible?
Some people, such as criminals, are not allowed to enter Canada. They are found ‘inadmissible’ to enter the country and there are many reasons that can make them inadmissible.
A few reasons could be based on:
- Security
- Human rights violations
- Being part of an organized criminal activity
- Medical/financial reasons
The border services agents decide whether or not you are inadmissible at the time you apply for a visa/eTA or when you reach a Port of Entry. If found inadmissible, they will deny you entry into the country.
In some cases, you might be able to enter Canada if you have a good reason. In such circumstances, you will receive a temporary resident permit to stay in the country.
For further information about PCC and how to immigrate to Canada from India, you can simply give us a missed call and we can help you out gladly! Talent Connected Worldwide has been in the immigration industry for the last 15+ years and over the years, we have assisted thousands of clients. For information on any immigration-related matters, feel free to reach out to us!
