A police certificate is the one document in an IRCC file that can be genuine, perfectly translated and still wrong. IRCC's India page refuses "character certificates". Its Russia page refuses certificates from local police offices. Brazil's state certificates are "no longer accepted". And a German certificate from 2018 needs a translation while one from 2020 does not.
So police certificate translation starts a step earlier than people think: with the right certificate, from the right office, at the right time. This guide covers who needs one, how recent it must be, how to get it by country, and what the translation must show.
Who needs a police certificate for IRCC?
You and every family member 18 or older, for each country that meets the residence test of the program you apply under:
| Program | Which countries | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Express Entry (permanent residence) | "every country you (or a family member) stayed in during the last 10 years for 6 months in a row or longer" | Nothing for time before age 18 or time in Canada; an officer "may ask for additional police certificates from any time in your life since you were 18 years old" |
| Spousal and family sponsorship | "any country other than Canada in which you spent 6 or more months in a row since the age of 18" | Not needed for a country where you were under 18 the whole time |
| Citizenship (adults) | Each country outside Canada where you were "for 183 days or more in a row" since 18, "in the past 4 years" | Not needed for your country of origin if you lived there immediately before landing and that time falls within the 4 years |
| International Experience Canada | "In most cases" submitted with the work permit application | Check your country's IEC instructions |
| Other temporary residence | Usually only if you declare a criminal record or your checklist asks | Check the program's document checklist |
The Express Entry rule is quoted from IRCC's page as of October 2026. For the rest of each file, see our guides to Express Entry documents, spousal sponsorship and citizenship.
How recent does a police certificate need to be?
It depends on whether you still live there. For Express Entry:
- Your current country of residence: the certificate "must be issued no more than 6 months before the date you submit your application."
- Countries you have left: it "must be issued after the last time you stayed there for 6 months in a row or longer." A certificate with a printed expiry date can still be used if it meets that test and is not from the country where you live now.
For citizenship, the certificate must be issued "after the last time you were in that country, or within 6 months of signing your application form."
If processing runs long, IRCC "may ask you for updated certificates," and each replacement needs its own translation.
Does a police certificate need a certified translation?
Yes, if any of it is in a language other than English or French. IRCC's police certificate page asks for "a copy of the original police certificate" and "a copy in English or French from a certified translator." IRCC's general translation rules, which cover every supporting document, also accept a translation by a translator who is not certified when it comes with that translator's sworn affidavit; the sponsorship guide requires the affidavit "if they are not a certified translator."
Three details are specific to police certificates:
- Scan the original, in colour. For Express Entry, "Police certificates must be scanned copies of the original certificate(s) in colour," and "Certified true copies or unauthorized copies won't be accepted." Translate from the original, too.
- Some countries pre-empt the question. IRCC's China page accepts "either a Notarized or certified translation", and Chinese notary offices can attach an English translation. German certificates have been trilingual since February 2019.
- Some certificates never pass through your hands. Colombia's Background Verification Certificate goes from the service provider straight to IRCC.
The applicant, family members and representatives may not translate. On the affidavit route, see certified vs sworn affidavit.
How do I get a police certificate from the most common countries?
IRCC publishes an instruction page for each country. Twelve frequent source countries, as of October 2026:
| Country | Certificate | How to get it from outside the country | Translation for IRCC |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | Police Clearance Certificate | Indian embassy or consulate, or a BLS International Centre | Any part not in English; character certificates are refused |
| Philippines | NBI Multi-purpose Clearance Certificate | Philippine embassy or consulate, or by mail to the NBI in Manila | "No translation is required" |
| China | Certificate of No Criminal Record (wu fanzui jilu zhengming) | Through the office where your hukou was registered; a relative can apply with a power of attorney. Chinese embassies cannot issue it | "Notarized or certified" translation; for citizens, must cover birth to the current date |
| Iran | Certificate of no criminal record (adam-e su-e pishineh) | Nearest Iranian embassy; from Canada, the Iranian Foreign Ministry's alternative process, since the embassy is closed | Required (Persian) |
| Russia | Spravka o nalichii (otsutstvii) sudimosti | Consular section of a Russian embassy, or a representative at the Main Information and Analytical Centre in Moscow | Required; must show "all names you have used while in Russia" |
| Ukraine | Extract (vytiah) on criminal prosecution and criminal record | Embassy of Ukraine, or a representative with notarized authorization; online or through Diia for citizens in Ukraine | Required |
| Germany | Führungszeugnis (EU citizens: Europäisches Führungszeugnis) | Federal Office of Justice in Bonn, online with an electronic ID, or by mail with your signature confirmed by a German mission or notary | None if issued since February 2019; older ones need one |
| Brazil | Certidão de Antecedentes Criminais | Polícia Federal: online with Brazilian ID cards, otherwise in person | Required; state certificates are refused |
| Mexico | Constancia de datos registrales | Fiscalía General de la República through a representative, or a Visa Application Centre with two sets of fingerprints | Required: "translated and certified" |
| Colombia | Background Verification Certificate | Service provider Omnitempus, only after you have an IRCC file number | Sent directly to IRCC |
| Japan | Certificate of Criminal Record (hanzai keireki shomeisho) | Japanese embassy or consulate, fingerprints taken, after IRCC's request letter | "You do not need to have your certificate translated" |
| Morocco | Fiche anthropométrique (citizens) | Moroccan embassy or consulate, or a proxy at a local police station | None: "written in both French and Arabic" |
More rules worth knowing:
- Türkiye: the certificate "must include the results of a search of 'archived' records" (Arşiv Kayıtlı Sabıka Kaydı).
- South Korea: the report's scope must read "For permission of foreign country immigration and stay".
- Vietnam: the document is Judicial Record Certificate No. 2 (Phiếu lý lịch tư pháp số 2).
- Japan, Mexico, Colombia and Saudi Arabia: the standard process starts only once IRCC sends a request letter or file number.
Ukrainian files are covered in depth in our Ukrainian documents guide.
What must the translation of a police certificate show?
Everything an officer uses to decide whether the search was complete:
- Every name the certificate lists, with your own name spelled as in your passport
- Date and place of birth and any ID, passport or taxpayer number
- The issuing authority exactly as named, down to the department
- The scope: period covered, jurisdiction, archive search, stated purpose
- The result word for word. "Has no criminal record" and "no record found in this database" are different statements. Convictions are translated in full: offence, legal article, court, date and sentence
- Serial number, date of issue, any validity line and QR or verification codes with the address shown
- Stamps, seals, signatures and the back of the page, including fingerprint panels, apostilles and legalization text
What if I can't get a police certificate in time?
Prove you tried. Express Entry gives you 60 days after an invitation; if a certificate will not arrive, upload "a letter of explanation" and "proof that shows you made your best effort to get a police certificate on time" in that country's police certificate field. If the officer is not satisfied, the application "may be rejected for being incomplete."
Some countries act only on a request letter from IRCC. In that case, upload a note in the police certificate field saying so, and IRCC sends instructions once the file is otherwise complete. Citizenship applicants explain a missing certificate in question 10b of the form. Even with an explanation and proof, IRCC says it "can't guarantee we'll accept your application."
Why police certificates get files returned
- The wrong document. An Indian character certificate, a Brazilian state certificate, a Russian local police certificate, or a Bulletin no 3 from a Moroccan national.
- Too old for your current country, issued more than 6 months before submission.
- A certified true copy uploaded instead of a colour scan of the original.
- Missing names. A Russian certificate in a married name only, when you used another surname there.
- A summarized result, such as "clean record" in place of the full official wording.
- The scope line dropped, such as Türkiye's archive search or Korea's stated purpose.
- A Russian electronic certificate or printout, which IRCC's Russia page says is "not acceptable".
Checklist: police certificates for IRCC
Questions people ask
Which countries do I need police certificates from for Express Entry?
From every country where you or a family member stayed 6 months or more in a row during the last 10 years, as an adult. Time before age 18 and time in Canada do not count. An officer can still ask for certificates from any period since you turned 18.
How long is a police certificate valid for IRCC?
A certificate from the country where you live now must be issued no more than 6 months before you submit. One from a country you have left must be issued after your last stay there of 6 months or more. IRCC may ask for updated certificates if processing runs long.
Does a police certificate need a certified translation?
Yes, if it contains a language other than English or French. IRCC's police certificate page asks for a translation from a certified translator, and its general translation rules accept a translation by a translator who is not certified when it comes with the translator's sworn affidavit. Some countries, such as Japan and the Philippines, issue certificates IRCC accepts without translation.
Can I translate my own police certificate?
No. IRCC does not accept translations by the applicant, family members or the applicant's representative, whatever their fluency. The translator must be independent.
Do I need an apostille on my police certificate for IRCC?
IRCC's police certificate instructions do not ask for one. They ask for a copy of the original, a colour scan for Express Entry, and a translation where needed. If the issuing country attached an apostille anyway, its text is translated with the rest of the document.
What if the certificate is sent directly to IRCC?
Then you have nothing to upload or translate for that country. Colombia's certificate goes from the service provider straight to IRCC once you have a file number, and a German certificate with entries can be forwarded to the Canadian visa office by a German mission, with your consent.
Do I need a Canadian police certificate for PR or citizenship?
No. IRCC's Express Entry rules exclude time spent in Canada, the sponsorship guide asks only for countries other than Canada, and citizenship asks for certificates from countries outside Canada.
How much does a police certificate translation cost, and how long does it take?
Official Translations charges CA$39.95 per page, a page being up to 300 words, plus CA$24.95 per document for the sworn affidavit IRCC accepts. Most one-page certificates are delivered as a signed PDF within 24 hours; see how long a certified translation takes.
