Police Certificates and PR Medicals Made Simple

The Invitation to Apply (ITA) email is the moment every TCF Canada candidate dreams about. It is also the moment a strict clock starts: you generally have 60 days to submit a complete electronic application for permanent residence (eAPR). Most documents are already in your hands: passport, TCF Canada results, educational credential assessment. But two elements depend on other institutions and can take weeks or months: police certificates and the immigration medical exam.

Candidates who wait for their ITA to start these procedures are the ones who end up submitting at day 59 in a panic, or who submit incomplete files. This guide explains exactly what you need, how long it takes, and how to plan both requirements while you are still preparing for the TCF Canada.

Police Certificates: Who and Where

IRCC requires a police certificate from each country or territory where you (and each family member aged 18 or over) have spent six or more months in a row since the age of 18. This includes your country of citizenship if you lived there as an adult, and also countries where you studied or worked abroad.

SituationCertificate needed?Tip
Country of citizenship, lived there as an adultYesOften the fastest to obtain
Studied 2 years in France after age 18YesRequest from abroad; check the format IRCC requires
Worked 8 months in the GulfYesSome countries require fingerprints via an embassy: start early
Several short stays of 3-4 months eachUsually no (not 6 consecutive months)Keep travel records to justify it
Time spent in CanadaGenerally noIRCC does its own checks

Each country has its own procedure, issuing authority and required format. IRCC publishes country-specific instructions on its police certificates page. Always follow those instructions exactly, since a document from the wrong authority or in the wrong format can be rejected.

Typical Processing Times

Plan with these realistic ranges (they vary widely):

  • Online systems (for example, France's criminal record extract): a few days to two weeks
  • In-person national police services (many North and West African countries): two to six weeks
  • Requests from abroad via embassies: one to three months
  • Countries requiring fingerprints taken abroad: up to several months

Validity matters. Police certificates should generally be recent when you submit (IRCC typically expects them to be issued within the six months before submission, unless you have not lived in that country since). If you request them too early, they may expire before your ITA. The best timing is to identify all required certificates early, understand each procedure, and request the fast ones once your score is secured and an invitation is realistic.

If a certificate cannot be obtained within your 60 days despite your efforts, IRCC generally allows you to upload proof that you requested it, with a letter of explanation, and to provide the certificate later. Use this option only when truly necessary.

The Immigration Medical Exam

All applicants for permanent residence and their family members, whether accompanying or not, must undergo an immigration medical exam performed by a panel physician approved by IRCC. Your family doctor cannot do it.

What the exam includes:

  • A questionnaire about your medical history
  • A physical examination
  • A chest X-ray for applicants aged 11 and older
  • Blood and urine tests for applicants aged 15 and older, depending on the requirements
  • Additional tests if needed based on results

Find an approved physician through IRCC's official medical exams page, which links to the panel physician search tool. Bring your passport, glasses or contact lenses if you wear them, a list of medications and any relevant medical reports. The physician sends results directly to IRCC.

When to Do the Medical Exam

IRCC's procedures on timing have evolved over the years. Depending on current instructions, you may either do the exam upfront and include the proof in your application, or submit your application and wait for IRCC's request with instructions. Read the instructions attached to your ITA and in your IRCC account carefully and follow them precisely. A medical exam is generally valid for 12 months, and if it expires before your landing, you may need a new one.

A Timeline That Starts Before the ITA

Illustrative plan for a candidate from Morocco who studied in France:

  • During TCF Canada preparation: List every country with a 6+ month stay since age 18 (Morocco, France). Read IRCC's country instructions for both
  • After receiving TCF results (NCLC 7+): Create the Express Entry profile. Prepare the documents needed for police certificate requests (copies of passports, old residence permits, addresses)
  • When CRS is within the recent French-draw range: Request the slower certificate first; plan the faster one closer to the expected ITA
  • ITA day 1-5: Request any remaining certificates; check medical instructions; book biometrics if required
  • ITA day 5-45: Complete forms, upload documents, do the medical exam if instructed
  • ITA day 45-55: Final check and submission, leaving a buffer before day 60

For the other documents of this phase (reference letters, proof of funds, translations), see our guide to the 90 critical days after your TCF Canada results and our article on processing timelines and your test strategy.

Costs to Budget

ItemTypical costComments
PR processing fee + right of PR fee (principal applicant)About $1,525 CADCheck IRCC's current fee list; spouse fees apply too
Biometrics$85 CAD per person ($170 max per family)Valid 10 years if already provided
Medical examVaries by country, often $150-$400 CAD equivalent per adultPaid directly to the panel physician
Police certificatesFree to about $100 CAD eachPlus translation and courier costs
Certified translationsVariesRequired for documents not in English or French

Include these amounts in your overall plan, as described in our complete financial planning guide.

Common Mistakes That Delay Applications

Avoid these errors:

  • Forgetting a country where you studied or worked for six months or more
  • Getting a certificate from the wrong authority or in the wrong format
  • Forgetting that non-accompanying family members also need a medical exam
  • Submitting untranslated documents or translations without the translator's declaration
  • Waiting until week 7 to start, then uploading incomplete documents
  • Inconsistent addresses or dates between your forms and your certificates

Keep Your Language Results Valid

One detail connects these procedures to your TCF Canada: your results must be less than two years old on the day you submit your PR application, not just on the day you created your profile. If your results expire during a long wait for an ITA, you may need to retake the test before submitting. See our guide to TCF Canada validity and the French-language article Validité du TCF Canada.

Your Pre-ITA Checklist

Complete before your invitation arrives:

  1. Country list: All countries with 6+ consecutive months since age 18, for you and your spouse
  2. Procedures mapped: Authority, format, delay and cost for each certificate
  3. Panel physician identified: Nearest approved clinic and appointment delays
  4. Translation plan: Certified translator identified for non-English, non-French documents
  5. TCF validity checked: Results valid until your expected submission date

Police certificates and medical exams are not difficult, but they are slow and unforgiving. Map them early, time them carefully, and your 60-day window after the ITA becomes a calm, organised process rather than a race against the clock.