Use the actual Canadian application's instructions to decide what is needed, then research each issuing country's process. A police-certificate plan should connect the applicant's residence history with the official issuing instructions, not assume every country uses the same document.
Read the application-specific request first
IRCC explains that police certificates differ by country or territory and may have different names. Its guidance connects the certificate requirements to the immigration application and provides country-specific instructions. It also describes translation evidence for certificates not issued in English or French. Read IRCC: Police certificate.
Your working sheet
The following is an editorial organisation tool, not an official application checklist. Copy the rows that help and fill them with your own verified records.
| Check | What to record |
|---|---|
| History | List the relevant countries dates and identity documents |
| Issuing process | Save IRCC's country instructions and any request-letter dependency |
| Evidence chain | Track the certificate original translation request date and delivery |
A practical example
Suppose a certificate authority asks for a Canadian immigration request letter. That is a specific dependency to investigate through IRCC's instructions. It is not a reason to buy a similar-looking private background report and substitute it silently.
Before the next step
Check the application's date and validity instructions before ordering replacements. Keep a request log and seek the official process for a document that cannot be obtained. The Canadian issuing-country guide and the application's certificate-timing rules should both remain visible in the file.
Continue with the guide library or save the next task in the moving planner. Official requirements can change; the source above was checked on 17 October 2026.