Police certificates for Canadian immigration: who, which countries, how recent

A police certificate is the document that shows IRCC you have no criminal record, or gives a copy of the record if you have one. The rules on who needs one, from which countries and how recent it must be are short and precise, and getting them wrong is a common reason for delays. Based on IRCC's police certificate pages checked on October 17, 2026.

Key takeaways

• Required for permanent residence, citizenship and International Experience Canada, for you and family members aged 18 or older.
• For other programs, follow your document checklist; a prior criminal record can make one necessary anywhere.
• Current country of residence: issued no more than 6 months before you submit.
• Any other country: issued after the last time you lived there for 6 consecutive months or more since age 18.
• Nothing for time before age 18 or for time spent in Canada.
• Upload colour scans of the originals; certified true copies aren't accepted.

Who needs one

IRCC says you and any family member 18 or older may need a police certificate depending on the program. It's required for permanent residence (including Express Entry, Quebec-selected workers and family sponsorship), citizenship and IEC. For visitor visas, study and work permits, check the program's document checklist and your visa office's instructions.

Which countries: build your list

For each adult in the application, list every country where they lived for 6 consecutive months or more since turning 18, outside Canada. That list is your police certificate list. Use the addresses and dates from your forms so the list matches what you declared: the certificate request itself often asks for the addresses and dates where you lived in that country.

Country	Certificate must be issued…
Where you live now	No more than 6 months before you submit your application
Where you used to live (6 months or more in a row, after 18)	After the last time you lived there for 6 consecutive months or more
Canada	Not needed for time spent in Canada

Example: you lived in France from 2015 to 2019, then Morocco until 2023, and you've been in Montreal since. Your French certificate can be dated any time after you left France in 2019; same for Morocco after 2023. No Canadian certificate is needed. If some countries put an expiry date on their certificates, IRCC still accepts them if they were issued after your last 6-month stay and aren't for your current country. IRCC can ask for updated certificates at any time.

Timing by program

• Express Entry: after an invitation you have 60 days to submit, police certificates included. IRCC suggests starting police checks as soon as you're in the pool. See our 60-day plan after an invitation.
• IEC: in most cases, with the work permit application.
• Citizenship: for adult applications and resumption of citizenship.
• Other programs: the instruction guide for that program.

How to get one

In most cases you contact the police or government of that country. You may need photos, fingerprints, your addresses and dates of residence, and a fee. IRCC publishes a page for each country explaining where and how. Fingerprints taken for a police certificate are not the same as the biometrics for your immigration application: one doesn't replace the other.

Some countries only issue a certificate if IRCC sends a request letter. In that case, IRCC tells you to upload a document in the police certificate field stating that you're applying from a country that requires an official request letter; IRCC then sends instructions if the rest of your application is complete.

When a certificate is late or impossible to get

If you can't get a certificate, IRCC asks for proof that you requested it from the correct authorities and a letter explaining everything you did to get one. Even then, IRCC says it can't guarantee your application will be accepted, so request early and keep every receipt and email.

Translations and the record itself

A certificate not in English or French needs the original plus a certified translation. If the certificate shows a charge or conviction, don't wait for IRCC to ask: get the court documents showing the outcome, and read our article on criminal records and inadmissibility.

To check your certificate list before you file, you can describe your situation or book a consultation.

Frequently asked questions

I lived in a country for 5 months. Do I need a certificate?

The validity rules refer to stays of 6 consecutive months or more since age 18. Check your program's checklist, and be careful how you count consecutive months.

Do my children need police certificates?

Only family members 18 or older, and nothing is needed for time before age 18.

Can I upload a certified copy instead of the original?

No. IRCC requires colour scans of the original certificates; certified true copies aren't accepted and can lead to your application being rejected.

My name is spelled differently on the certificate and my passport.

Never edit the document. Ask the issuing authority whether it can correct the error, or explain the difference (transliteration, name change) with official supporting documents.

Official sources

Official pages consulted on October 17, 2026:

• IRCC — Police certificates: who needs one
• IRCC — Police certificates: when
• IRCC — Police certificates: how