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Quick answer: in Canada you apply for an Indian police clearance certificate (PCC) through BLS, for the Indian mission that covers your address. The Toronto consular fee is CAD 59 and the BLS Toronto table adds CAD 1.70, for CAD 60.70 before any postal or courier charges. The consulate says to allow 8 to 10 weeks or more, because the certificate is issued only after a clear police report comes back from India, and there is no emergency service. If you need it for an IRCC application and it is not ready by your deadline, IRCC lets Express Entry applicants upload a letter of explanation with proof of their efforts. That is not an automatic extension.
Choose your mission | Documents by passport type | PCC delayed before an IRCC deadline?
This is general information. Fees, forms and timelines are set by the Indian missions and BLS International and can change without notice, so confirm them on the pages linked below before you pay. This guide is independent and is not affiliated with any Indian mission, BLS or IRCC. Last checked: 7 November 2026.
Who can apply
The Toronto consulate lists three kinds of applicant:
- Indian citizens, applying with an Indian passport.
- Foreign nationals who were previously Indian citizens, for the period when they held an Indian passport or citizenship. This includes a Canadian citizen who used to hold Indian citizenship.
- Foreign nationals, for the period of their stay in India.
A PCC is a certificate from the Indian police that the person has a verified record and no criminal proceedings lodged against them.
Two different jobs: getting the PCC, and giving IRCC an acceptable one
Getting the certificate means working with the Indian mission and BLS. Submitting it to IRCC means following IRCC’s rules for your program on which periods it covers, when it was issued and how it is uploaded. The sections below keep the two apart.
Part 1: getting the PCC from the Indian mission
Which mission and which BLS centre
Your mission depends on your Canadian address. The Toronto consulate publishes the split on its consular jurisdiction page, and our Indian passport renewal in Canada guide sets it out for Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. Then use the BLS PCC page for your jurisdiction: Toronto, Ottawa or Vancouver. The Vancouver consulate also publishes its own police clearance certificate page.
Fees from 1 July 2026
| Applicant | Consular fee (CAD) | BLS fee (CAD) | Total on BLS Toronto and Ottawa pages (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian passport holder | 59 | 1.70 | 60.70 |
| Canadian or foreign passport holder | 59 | 1.70 | 60.70 |
That total is before postal or courier charges, and return courier is optional. The Vancouver consulate lists the same CAD 59 plus BLS charges. In person, BLS accepts debit card or cash. For postal applications, BLS asks for a demand draft or money order made out to BLS International Services Canada Inc. that covers the fees and the relevant postal charges, and no cash in the envelope, so do not assume CAD 60.70 is the right draft amount. See the consulate’s PCC fees page.
Documents by passport type
The lists below follow the Toronto jurisdiction pages. If you live in Ottawa or Vancouver, use your own mission’s checklist before you decide which originals to post: the Vancouver PCC checklist (PDF) and the High Commission in Ottawa’s consular services page, along with the BLS page for your jurisdiction. All documents must be self-attested. Bring originals if you submit in person.
Indian citizens
Fill in the application online on the Passport Seva portal. The consulate’s form-filling guide (PDF) walks through it. BLS says a digital photograph and signature are required for uploading, and recommends uploading your supporting documents online as well. See the consulate page for Indian citizens.
- Signed printout of the online application form.
- Valid Indian passport, original and copy for a walk-in application. Postal applications need only a self-attested copy.
- Proof of Canadian address. The safest options are a driving licence, a provincial government photo ID, an electricity, gas or water bill, or a house lease agreement. The consulate’s page lists a landline phone bill among the accepted documents and also says phone bills are not accepted, so use one of the other documents. Bank statements are not accepted.
- Proof of valid status in Canada: a work permit, study permit or PR with landing paper. If the document has expired, the consulate asks for a copy with an IRCC letter showing the renewal is in process or has been approved. Fee receipts are not accepted.
- A photograph that meets the specification, and the fee.
Foreign nationals who were previously Indian citizens
Follow the consulate page for previous Indian citizens and its form-filling guide (PDF) to see which form to use.
- Signed printout of the application form.
- Proof of address and, if you are not a Canadian citizen, proof of status, as above.
- Current valid foreign passport, original and copy.
- Your cancelled old Indian passport, original and copy.
- Surrender certificate or a copy of your OCI card.
- A photograph, and the fee.
Foreign nationals who stayed in India
Use the PDF form on the consulate page for foreign nationals (here is the form (PDF) and its form-filling guide). You must state the period of your stay in India and give documentary proof of it.
- Signed printout of the application form.
- Proof of address and, if you are not a Canadian citizen, proof of status.
- Current valid foreign passport, original and copy for a walk-in, or a self-attested copy only for postal applications.
- The passport you travelled or stayed in India on, original and copy, with the Indian immigration stamps.
- A photograph, and the fee.
If you do not have all the documents, BLS says to ask for prior approval by emailing the consulate before you submit.
Steps
- Work out which category you are in and which mission covers your address.
- Fill in the application for your category, as above.
- Print and sign it, and collect the documents in the order the consulate lists them.
- Submit at BLS with the fee. Vancouver says postal applications can take longer, so a walk-in is preferable for speed.
- Keep the receipt and track the application.
After the online form is submitted, the consulate says no manual changes are allowed. If something is wrong, fill in a new form and use that. The consulate cannot edit your online application.
Details that cause problems
- Your passport: a PCC can be issued only on a valid passport with at least six months of validity remaining. If yours is close to expiry, see our guide to Indian passport renewal in Canada.
- Personal details: Vancouver says to fill in the details as in your Indian passport. If you want details that differ, reissue the passport first.
- Adverse reports: the Toronto FAQ says reports are sometimes marked adverse because of an incorrect address, gender, parents’ names or spouse’s name. Check that someone lives at the Indian address you give, and that names are spelled as in the passports.
How long it takes
| Source | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Toronto consulate | 8 to 10 weeks or more |
| BLS Toronto jurisdiction | Minimum around 8 weeks. It can be longer when the online police verification report is not available. Postal applications add 3 to 4 working days |
| BLS Ottawa jurisdiction | Two weeks after BLS receives the police verification, excluding the time the police verification takes in India. This is not a two week alternative to Toronto |
| Vancouver consulate | 6 to 8 weeks after the application reaches the consulate, with no guarantee, because it depends on a clear report from the police authorities in India |
The consulate can issue the PCC only on receipt of a clear police report from authorities in India, which BLS says may take several months in some cases. The Vancouver consulate says the report has to be made available in the system by the concerned passport office, so a finished local police check does not by itself mean the certificate is ready. There is no emergency PCC. If the certificate has not been issued within the expected time, the Vancouver consulate suggests contacting the police authorities in India for more information.
Delivery and tracking
- If you pay for courier, BLS dispatches the PCC to you. Otherwise it is kept at the BLS centre for collection.
- The consulate says you can track the application on the Passport Seva portal and on the BLS site. BLS has tracking pages for Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver.
Part 2: giving IRCC an acceptable certificate
IRCC’s page for India says you can get a certificate from a local district police station, a passport office, an Indian embassy or consulate, or a BLS International centre. It also says certificates with limitations on jurisdiction or time period searched will not be accepted, and that character certificates are not accepted. IRCC’s rules differ by program, so use the instruction guide for yours. The general IRCC page sets out the rules for applications such as citizenship, and the Express Entry rules below are separate.
Express Entry: which periods are covered
For Express Entry, IRCC’s online system asks for a police certificate for you and for family members aged 18 or over, for every country where you stayed for six months in a row or longer during the last 10 years. You do not need certificates for time in Canada or for any period before you turned 18. After you apply, an officer may ask for additional certificates covering any time since you were 18. See IRCC’s Express Entry police certificates page.
When the certificate must have been issued
- For a country where you are living now, it must be issued no more than six months before you submit your application.
- For any other country, such as India if you now live in Canada, it must be issued after the last time you stayed there for six months in a row or longer.
Example. You moved from India to Canada and got your Indian PCC after you moved. Later you went back to India for a three week visit. That visit alone does not start a new six month stay, so the certificate you already have is not affected by it. If you later lived in India for seven months in a row, you would need a certificate issued after that stay.
PCC delayed before an IRCC deadline?
If you are invited to apply for permanent residence under Express Entry, you have 60 days from the invitation to submit your application. If you do not have all your police certificates by then, IRCC says you can provide a letter of explanation and proof that you made your best effort to get the certificate on time. Upload both in the country-specific police certificate field of your document checklist. A BLS receipt, payment confirmation, delivery notice or tracking number can serve as proof of your efforts. IRCC decides whether to accept it, so this is not an automatic extension, and it does not replace the certificate. Start the Indian application as soon as you think you will need it.
Uploading the certificate to IRCC
When the PCC arrives, IRCC wants a colour scan of the original certificate. It says certified true copies and unauthorised copies will not be accepted and can lead to rejection. This is different from the self-attested photocopies you send to BLS with your application.
Validity
The PCC carries no validity period printed on it. What counts is the rule of the office you give it to, such as the IRCC issue date requirements above.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is an Indian police clearance certificate in Canada?
The consular fee is CAD 59 from 1 July 2026. The BLS Toronto table adds CAD 1.70, for CAD 60.70 before any postal or courier charges.
How long does it take?
The Toronto consulate says 8 to 10 weeks or more. BLS Ottawa quotes two weeks after it receives the police verification, excluding the verification time in India, and Vancouver says 6 to 8 weeks after receipt at the consulate. All depend on the police report from India, so none is a guarantee.
Can I get an emergency PCC?
No. The consulate says there is no emergency PCC service.
What if my PCC is late and my Express Entry deadline arrives?
You have 60 days from the invitation to submit your application. IRCC says you can upload a letter of explanation and proof of your efforts, such as a BLS receipt or tracking number, in the police certificate field. IRCC decides whether to accept it.
Does IRCC accept a character certificate?
No. IRCC says character certificates are not accepted for India, and certificates limited to a jurisdiction or search period are not accepted either.
Where can I apply?
If you live in Canada, follow the Indian mission responsible for your Canadian address and submit through its BLS route. IRCC’s India page also lists district police stations and passport offices as issuing routes in India.
What do I send IRCC, a photocopy or the original?
A colour scan of the original PCC. IRCC does not accept certified true copies for Express Entry.
I am a Canadian citizen who lived in India. Can I apply?
Yes, as a foreign national, for the period of your stay in India, or as a previous Indian citizen if you once held an Indian passport. You will need proof of that stay or of your former citizenship documents.
Sources
| Point | Source |
|---|---|
| Categories, processing, documents | Consulate General of India, Toronto, PCC information and the pages for Indian citizens, previous Indian citizens and foreign nationals |
| Fees from 1 July 2026, Toronto processing and notes | BLS India Canada, Toronto jurisdiction and consulate PCC fees |
| Ottawa processing and fees | BLS India Canada, Ottawa jurisdiction |
| Validity, delivery, tracking, adverse reports, passport validity | Consulate General of India, Toronto, PCC FAQs |
| Vancouver fee, processing, checklist, walk-in advice | Consulate General of India, Vancouver and Vancouver checklist |
| Express Entry lookback, 60 days, delayed certificates, validity, colour scans | IRCC, Express Entry police certificates |
| IRCC page for India, other programs | IRCC, police certificate for India and IRCC, when to get a police certificate |
Last checked 7 November 2026. This page will be updated when fees or procedures change.
NaviMumbai.com is an independent information site and is not affiliated with any government body.
