A Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) is an official document issued by a police or government authority confirming whether a person has a criminal record or providing details of a criminal record if one exists. Depending on the country, it may also be called a police certificate, police clearance, good conduct certificate, or judicial record extract.

Police clearance certificates are commonly required for immigration, permanent residence, citizenship, employment, work permits, visas, professional licensing, and other situations where an organization needs to verify a person’s criminal-record history.

What Does a Police Clearance Certificate Show?

A police clearance certificate generally confirms the results of a criminal-record or police-record search conducted by the appropriate authority.

Depending on the country and the purpose of the certificate, it may indicate:

• Whether a criminal record was found
• Details of convictions, where applicable
• Personal identification information
• The jurisdiction or period covered by the search
• The date the certificate was issued

The exact information and format vary between countries and issuing authorities. For Canadian immigration purposes, IRCC explains that a police certificate is a statement showing that a person does not have a criminal record or, if they do, a copy of their criminal record.

Why Is a Police Clearance Certificate Required?

A PCC is often requested to help an organization determine whether an applicant has a criminal history.

For Canadian immigration, police certificates help Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) assess whether there are criminal or security-related reasons that could affect admissibility.

For example, a police certificate may be required when applying for:

• Canadian permanent residence
• Express Entry
• Citizenship
• Certain work permits
• International Experience Canada
• Immigration or visas for another country
• Employment or security-sensitive positions
• Professional or licensing requirements

The exact requirement depends on the application and the authority requesting the document.

Police Clearance Certificate for Canadian Immigration

Applicants for Canadian permanent residence may need police certificates for countries where they or eligible family members have lived for the required period.

For Express Entry, IRCC states that police certificates are required for the applicant and family members aged 18 or older for countries where they stayed for 6 months in a row or longer during the last 10 years, subject to IRCC’s specific rules and exceptions. Time spent in Canada generally does not require the applicant to obtain a Canadian police certificate at that stage.

IRCC also advises applicants to start obtaining police certificates early because they can take time to obtain.

How Do You Get a Police Clearance Certificate?

The process depends on the country that issued the certificate.

In general, applicants may need to:

1. Identify the correct police or government authority.
2. Submit an application.
3. Provide identification documents.
4. Provide photographs if required.
5. Provide fingerprints if required.
6. Provide previous addresses and dates of residence if requested.
7. Pay the applicable government or processing fee.
8. Receive the police certificate from the authorized authority.

IRCC notes that some countries require fingerprints as part of obtaining a police certificate. Importantly, fingerprints required for a police certificate are not the same as immigration biometrics, which are a separate requirement.

Police Clearance Certificate in Canada

The terminology can sometimes be confusing because different types of criminal-record and police checks exist in Canada.

For applications requiring an RCMP-certified criminal record check, fingerprints may be used to accurately confirm an individual’s identity and search the RCMP’s criminal-record systems.

An RCMP fingerprint-based criminal record check is different from a general local police information check or a name-based search.

If fingerprints are required for an RCMP criminal record check, applicants can generally have their fingerprints taken by a local police service or an RCMP-accredited fingerprinting company in Canada.

Why Are Fingerprints Sometimes Required?

Names and dates of birth can sometimes be shared by multiple people. Fingerprints provide a more reliable way to establish identity.

For this reason, an organization or government authority may require fingerprint-based verification rather than relying only on a name-based search.

For applicants who need an RCMP fingerprint-based check, using an authorized fingerprinting provider can help ensure that fingerprints are captured in the required format and submitted correctly.

Police Clearance Certificate vs. RCMP Criminal Record Check

These terms are sometimes used interchangeably online, but they are not always the same document.

A Police Clearance Certificate is a general term used internationally for an official document confirming criminal-record information.

An RCMP criminal record check is a Canadian criminal-record verification process conducted through the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The correct document depends on the organization or government authority requesting it.

Therefore, before obtaining a certificate or fingerprints, applicants should confirm exactly what the requesting authority requires.

Police Clearance Certificate for Indian Applicants

For applicants from India applying for Canadian immigration, IRCC identifies the required document as a Police Clearance Certificate.

IRCC’s current guidance states that applicants can apply for an Indian Police Clearance Certificate through relevant authorities such as a local district police station, Passport Office, Indian embassy or consulate, or BLS International Centre, depending on the applicant’s circumstances. IRCC also warns that character certificates are not accepted as substitutes where a Police Clearance Certificate is required.

Applicants should always check the current IRCC instructions for their specific application before requesting the document.

Does a Police Clearance Certificate Expire?

There is no single worldwide expiration period for every police clearance certificate.

The validity requirement depends on:

• The country that issued the certificate
• The immigration program
• The date the applicant lived in that country
• The authority requesting the certificate

For example, IRCC has specific rules concerning the date of issue and validity of police certificates for Express Entry. A certificate for the country where an applicant currently lives generally must meet IRCC’s specified timing requirements, while certificates from other countries are assessed according to when the applicant last lived there.

Always follow the requirements of the organization requesting the certificate.

Can a Police Clearance Certificate Be Used for Every Purpose?

No.

A PCC issued for one purpose may not necessarily satisfy another organization’s requirements.

Before applying, verify:

• Which authority must issue the certificate
• Whether fingerprints are required
• The required format
• The countries and dates that must be covered
• Whether an original or digital copy is required
• Translation requirements
• How recently the certificate must have been issued

For Canadian immigration, certificates not issued in English or French generally require an appropriate translation according to IRCC requirements.

How FIPS Can Help With Fingerprinting

If your application requires an RCMP fingerprint-based criminal record check, FIPS provides professional fingerprinting services for applicants who need fingerprints captured and submitted for eligible purposes.

FIPS can assist with digital fingerprint capture and the submission process for RCMP-related fingerprinting requirements. Applicants should first confirm the exact document and fingerprint requirements of the government agency, employer, immigration authority, or other organization requesting the check.