Which police certificates the system asks for
The online system asks for certificates for you and each family member aged 18 or older, from every country where you or that family member stayed for six months in a row or longer during the last 10 years. Time before age 18 and time in Canada are not included. After you apply, an officer can still ask for certificates covering any period since age 18, including several shorter stays.
Issue dates IRCC accepts
For the country where you live now, the certificate must be issued no more than six months before you submit. For any other country, it must be issued after your last stay there of six months or longer. Upload colour scans of the original certificates; certified true copies are not accepted. Some countries require a request letter from IRCC, which is handled through the police-certificate field.
If a certificate is late
After an invitation you have 60 days to submit your application, and IRCC suggests requesting certificates as soon as your profile is in the pool. If one is still missing, upload a letter of explanation with proof that you tried to get it, such as a receipt, payment confirmation or tracking number. An officer may reject the application if the effort is not satisfactory.
The upfront medical exam
Permanent residence applicants and their family members, including those not coming to Canada, need an immigration medical exam with a doctor on IRCC’s panel physician list; your own doctor cannot do it. For Express Entry, get the exam after you receive the invitation and before you submit, and upload the document the panel physician gives you confirming the exam was completed. Results are valid for 12 months. A temporary public policy, in place until October 5, 2029, may exempt some people already in Canada whose exam in the last five years was low or no risk.
Build one country-by-country table
List each person, every country with a stay of six months or longer, the dates, the request method, the date requested and the date received. Add the panel physician appointment and the confirmation document. Keep certificates and medical documents in private storage; your shared timeline only needs the dates.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a police certificate for a four-month stay?
The system only asks for stays of six months in a row or longer, but an officer may request others, including several shorter stays.
Can my family doctor do the immigration medical exam?
No. IRCC requires a doctor on its list of panel physicians.
How long are medical results valid?
IRCC says results are valid for 12 months; if you do not come to Canada as a permanent resident in that time, you may need another exam.