Police Certificates for Canadian Immigration: Which Countries and How to Get Them

A police certificate (also called a police clearance, certificate of good conduct, or criminal record check) is an official document from a country's police or government that shows whether you have a criminal record there.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses police certificates to check whether you are inadmissible for criminality. Having a record doesn't always mean refusal, but hiding one is misrepresentation, which can lead to a 5-year ban.

For most permanent residence applications, including Express Entry, you need a police certificate from:

• Each country or territory where you lived for 6 months or more in a row since you turned 18
• Your country of citizenship in some cases, even if you didn't live there as an adult, if IRCC asks
• For each family member aged 18 or older included in your application, based on where they lived

The 6-month rule is about consecutive time. Two separate 4-month stays in the same country usually don't trigger it, but one 7-month stay does.

Temporary residence. Visitors, students, and workers don't always need police certificates, but IRCC may ask for them. Some programs, such as International Experience Canada, require them as part of the application.

Each country has its own process. IRCC's police certificates page has instructions for each country, including where to apply, what to send, and whether fingerprints are needed. Common patterns:

If you lived in a country years ago, you may need to apply from abroad through its embassy. Start early: some certificates take weeks or months.

• Request certificates as soon as you know you'll need them. For Express Entry, you only have 60 days after your invitation to submit your application, and police certificates are the most common cause of delay.
• Translations. If a certificate is not in English or French, include a certified translation and a copy of the original.
• Newer certificates. IRCC may ask for a new certificate if yours was issued a long time ago, or if you lived in that country after it was issued. Follow the instructions in your account.
• Proof of request. If a certificate hasn't arrived by your deadline, upload proof that you requested it (such as the receipt or email) and a short explanation. Send the certificate as soon as you receive it.

• Forgetting a country. Short work assignments, studies abroad, or time with family in another country can add up to 6 months in a row. Check your passport stamps and travel history.
• Forgetting family members. Your spouse or partner and any dependent children aged 18 or older need their own certificates.
• Getting the wrong document. Some countries issue several types of record checks. Use the one IRCC's instructions name for immigration purposes.
• Letting name differences go unexplained. If your certificate shows a different spelling or a former name, explain it and include proof, such as a marriage certificate.
• Waiting for an invitation to start. For countries that are slow, request the certificate before you expect an invitation, as long as it will still be accepted when you apply.
• Leaving out a record because it was minor. Disclose everything. Minor records can often be resolved; hidden records create a much bigger problem.

Your IRCC document checklist is the final word for your application.

Submit it anyway. Also gather the court records: the charge, the law you were convicted under, the sentence, and proof you completed the sentence. Canada assesses what your offense would be under Canadian law.

You may need criminal rehabilitation or a temporary resident permit. Impaired driving is treated as serious criminality in Canada since December 18, 2018. Talk to a lawyer or a licensed consultant (RCIC) before you apply if any record appears. See our inadmissibility guide.