If you have previously lived or worked in Dubai and are seeking Canadian immigration, you may need to provide a Dubai police clearance certificate with your application. A Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) is proof that you have no criminal record in the UAE. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada uses police certificates for background and admissibility investigations. Typically, police certificates are required for applicants and qualified family members (based on where they have resided) for Canadian permanent residency applications.
The good news is that former UAE residents can apply for a Dubai PCC from Canada without travelling back to Dubai.
Why Do You Need a Dubai PCC for Canadian Immigration?
If you are seeking Canadian permanent residency and you have spent a considerable amount of time in the UAE in the past, IRCC may request a police certificate from the UAE. IRCC typically requires police certificates for candidates and family members over 18 applying for Express Entry who lived in a country for six months or more in the past 10 years.
The certificate might be termed: For the UAE:
- Police Clearance Certificate
- Criminal Clearance Certificate
- Good Conduct Certificate
Applicants need only one police clearance from any emirate in the UAE to meet the UAE requirement. So, if you previously lived in Dubai, obtaining a Dubai police clearance certificate can meet this requirement.
How to Get a Dubai Police Clearance Certificate from Canada
Want to Obtain a Dubai Police Clearance Certificate from Canada? Normally, you do not have to go to the UAE. Dubai Police now list the following fundamental papers for a Dubai PCC application from outside the UAE:
- Photo personal
- Passport Copy
- Your former UAE resident visa copy
You can apply from outside the UAE with an Emirates ID number, whether it is current or expired. Based on your previous records in the UAE and the application process, you will also need to submit fingerprints, information from your visa page or UID, the purpose of the certificate, and details from your Emirates ID or UAE ID.
What If You Do Not Have an Emirates ID?
If you have lived in the UAE before, keep this in mind. If your records cannot be linked with an Emirates ID while you are not in the UAE, you may be required to provide fingerprints. According to Dubai Police, applicants from outside the UAE without the required ten-finger fingerprint record must provide a ten-finger card authorised by the UAE Embassy. You will need these images to apply for a police licence. You may have already provided this information when you applied to relocate to Canada, but these details are different. IRCC says PCC fingerprints and immigration biometrics are separate.
Documents to Prepare for Your Dubai PCC Application
- Current passport copy
- Previous UAE residence visa or stamped visa page
- Emirates ID, expired Emirates ID or UID information
- Recent photograph with a clear background
- Purpose of requesting the PCC
- Fingerprint card, if required
When you upload documents online, they must also meet the required file format and size limits.
How Long Does a Dubai PCC Take?
Your records, the quality of your documents, and whether fingerprints or other verification are needed all influence processing time. PCC application should not be left at the last minute since timescales may differ. Since it may take longer to issue various certificates, applicants should begin the police certificate procedure early.
Does Canada accept an Old UAE Police Clearance
Certificate?
If the UAE is a country where you previously lived, IRCC generally requires the police certificate to have been issued after your last stay of six consecutive months or longer. Even if the certificate itself shows an expiry date, IRCC may accept it when it was issued after your final qualifying stay in that country. However, an immigration officer can still request an updated certificate during processing.
This makes the issue date important when preparing your UAE police clearance certificate for Canada.
Get Your Dubai PCC from Canada with Helpline Group
Your Dubai chapter may have ended, but a document from that period might still matter for your Canadian immigration quest. You don’t need to go through a lengthy process to get a Dubai police clearance certificate. Helpline Group has over 25 years of expertise, 10+ worldwide branches, and support in over 100 countries so that you can move with more confidence.
Our staff supports you through the PCC process, from verifying your previous UAE information to completing the application correctly so that you can focus on the next step.
