All You Need To Know About The PCC Certificate

Any individual who wants to travel abroad or immigrate to other countries for employment should have a police clearance certificate to provide authentication for a criminal-free clean background. It helps the individual to travel and stay abroad without any objections.

Police or Indian Government authority officials issue the PCC certificate.

What is PCC?

• The police clearance certificate is an official document issued by the police or government authorities to individuals traveling abroad for long-term status, immigration, education, or employment.
• It is a procedure where an individual’s criminal record is verified for a long-term stay abroad. Indians and foreigners living in India can apply to issue a PCC. The PCC certificate implies how responsible and morally mindful the individual is as a citizen or as an immigrant.
• The individuals going abroad on a Tourist visa cannot apply for a PCC certificate.
• A PCC certificate is valid for about Six months from the date of issue in general. It can also vary if such is mentioned in the application form and analyzed by the authorities.
• A PCC certificate can be issued only to adults above 18 years. Minors can apply for a PCC certificate according to the guidelines if required by the foreign government.
• It is important to know the steps of applying for a PCC certificate as it holds a significant pertinence.
• As of now, 17 countries are labeled as ECR countries because of their significant permissible laws for foreign nationals’ entry and employment visa entry. An individual may take legal consultation to understand the process efficiently.

The people who are applicants for the PCC certificate can be divided into the categories as follows:

• Indian nationals residing in India.
• Indian nationals living abroad.
• Foreign nationals living in India.

The government has taken measures to make the PCC certificate application process more accessible by issuing it online.

Steps of application

• Login to the Passport Seva portal and Register a new account if you do not have an existing one.
• Find and click on “Apply for Police Clearance Certificate” to fill up the form which will be submitted.
• Click on the “pay and schedule an appointment” option under the “view submitted application” tab.
• Take a printout of the receipt that contains your application reference number.
• Other than the online application, a person can also download the application for a PCC certificate.
• Fill up and save the form in XML format.
• The steps for the appointment are the same as above. The already filled-up XML file will be uploaded for faster processing.

Getting a PCC from the Local Police Station

An individual may also choose to apply for a PCC certificate at a local police station and fulfill the guidelines mentioned by them for easy processing.

• Go to the nearest PS.
• Ask them about the details of the PCC certificate form submission. They will scrutinize background checking and will investigate the purpose of traveling.
• Carry the self-signed documents as mentioned in the Passport Seva portal.
• Clear the necessary fees, which are required through a cheque or in a cash payment.

After this, the authorities will do a background check and verify every document provided to decide whether a PCC certificate can be issued or not. If by any chance, the applicant is facing trouble following up, they may seek legal consultation to solve their queries.

What documents are needed for the PCC certificate?

The applicants can be divided into two categories for submitting the documents required for the PCC certificate.

• ECR country’s application for employment.
• Immigration to non-ECR countries.

Documents for applicants moving to ECR countries for employment opportunities and purposes:

For workers who are skilled/semi-skilled:

• The old passport has to be signed on the first two and last two pages. Observation page with ECR/non-ECR page.
• Employment contract with self-attestation.
• The present address proof paper or property paper.
• Valid visa copy translated into English.

For women workers (above 30 years), the documents needed are the same as that for workers who are skilled/semi-skilled.

For workers skilled/ semi-skilled who are hired through a recruiting agent:

• Proof of present address paper or a copy of property paper.
• The old passport has to be signed on the first two and last two pages. Observation page with ECR/non-ECR page.
• Employment Contract original copy.
• Power of Attorney. 
• A demand letter from the foreign employer signed by the recruiting agent.
• The registration certificate is granted by the Emigrant protectorate, the Indian government, and the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.
  

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Steps to check the PCC certificate status

• Go to the Passport Seva Portal site and select the “Track application status” tab.
• Choose the type of application that is to be submitted, like Passport, PCC, IC, or GEP.
• Enter the necessary details like the 13-digit number and DOB.
• Click the “track status” tab.
• The updated status will be displayed on the screen.

What is the duration to process a PCC certificate?

A PCC certificate can be obtained after getting a “clean” report from your local police station authorities.

The status can be checked by the concerned authority in the passport Seva portal.

Generally, the process can take up to 1 month. This factor depends on the police station and the application type.

How can a Foreign national apply for a PCC certificate?

Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) can provide PCC certificates to foreign nationals in India. They can also visit the district police station of their location of residence to apply for a PCC certificate.

The original document copies which are to be provided are attested by the Indian Mission.

Examples of a few states where ECNR status is required for Non-tourist travel visa applicants:

• United Arab Emirates
• Saudi Arabia
• Yemen
• Afghanistan 
• Thailand
• Kuwait
• Indonesia
• Libya 
• Oman

And a few more.

Conclusion

The PCC certificate is a crucial document to prove a clean background of an individual. The individual is accepted in other countries in a hassle-free way if the PCC report is clear. It depicts the person’s criminal or unlawful charges that are shown in a PCC if present as such. This document is vital to ensure proper immigration.