A police clearance certificate, also called a police character clearance (PCC), is an official document issued by the Nigerian police to persons who have lived in Nigeria for a particular period and detailing the records of such an individual. It is issued to attest that the person has or does not have any criminal record in Nigeria. A Police Character Certificate (PCC) certifies that the applicant has no criminal record in Nigeria.
Getting a Police clearance certificate in Nigeria is not an arduous task. Police Character Certificate (PCC), also referred to as Police Clearance Cetificate/Report, basically certifies that the holder has no criminal background in Nigeria.
The Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) is the highest investigating arm of the Nigeria Police.
It is commonly used when applying for immigration, residency, employment, or investment opportunities in foreign countries. Lately, increasing number of Nigerians are applying for Golden visas and Citizenship by investment programs. A criminal background check or PCC (police character certificate) is mandatory for all nigerians besides passport, birth certificate and other identification documents.
Generally, the PCC is valid for 3 months. The PCC is valid for three months from the date of issue, after which a new application may be required.
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Getting Your Nigeria Police Clearance Certificate (pcc) In Nigeria And Abroad
Purpose of the Police Clearance Certificate
The certificate provides details for your criminal details, it shows your criminal records; whether or not you have been previously convicted for a crime in Nigeria. And if you have never been convicted for any crime in Nigeria, the document will serve as evidence that you don't have any criminal record in Nigeria.
How to Apply
Obtaining a Nigeria Police Character Certificate is a straightforward process, whether within Nigeria or from abroad.
The application for the PCC can be obtained at the nearest police station. However, the Nigerian police recently designed a platform for processing the applications online. Applicants or their proxies (family/friends) can visit the Nigerian Police Forensic Department in person. Nigerians abroad can apply for the PCC through the Nigeria Police Force’s online portal.
Steps for Application
- Form Submission: Fill out the application form, including the reason for applying and your destination country.
- Print out the information submitted then take the Print-out to the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) in any Police Command, to capture your biometrics.
- Applicants with challenges of processing their application online can go to the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) within their State Police Command or the FHQ Abuja for support.
Requirements for Application
As stated earlier, one of the requirements for a PCC application is NIN or BVN. If you are in Nigeria, you can get your NIN or BVN at various registration centres or within the banking halls. However, if you are abroad and you need to get PCC, you are also required to have NIN or BVN. If you don’t have one, there are various NIN and BVN enrolment centres abroad.
Application Outside Nigeria
This last option is for those who will be applying from their host country (overseas). For Canadian Express Entry Immigration application, you will definitely need to provide it if you are Invited to Apply (ITA) for Permanent Residence, which you will need to upload in your Electronic Application for Permanent Residence (e-APR).
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The Nigeria Police Force’s online portal provides a convenient way for Nigerians abroad to apply for the PCC. The Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) is the highest investigating arm of the Nigeria Police.
NIN and BVN Enrolment Centres Abroad
If you are abroad and need a PCC, you are required to have a NIN or BVN. If you don’t have one, there are various NIN and BVN enrolment centres abroad. Here are some locations:
| City | Location | Opening Times |
|---|---|---|
| LONDON | OIS Services, 56-57 Fleet Street, London ECAY 1JU, UK | Monday to Friday (10 am - 4 pm) |
| LEICESTER | OIS Services, St Georges House, 6 St Georges Way, Leicester LE1 1SH, UK | Monday to Friday (9:00 am - 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm) |
| BEIRUT | OIS Services, Jnah-Beirut Opposite Rafik Hariri University Hospital Mais 6 Building- 3Rd Floor P.O. Box 9 UNESCO | 9 am-4 pm |
| WASHINGTON | OIS, Washington DMV, 11900 Parklawn Drive, Suite 160, Rockville, MD, 20852 | Monday to Friday (9:00 am - 4:00 pm) |
| DUBAI | OIS SERVICES, 22A (22nd floor), Silver Tower, Cluster I, Jumeirah Lake Towers. Dubai, U.A.E | Sunday to Thursday (9:00 am - 4:00 pm) |
| JOHANNESBURG | OIS SERVICES, 6 Bolton Road Parkwood Rosebank, 2193. Johannesburg. SA | Monday to Friday (9 am-4 pm) |
| BEIJING | OIS SERVICES, Unit 1 Suite 1801, KunSha Building, 16 Xin Yuan Li Str, Chaoyang District, Beijing PRC | Monday to Friday (9 am - 4 pm) |
| GURANGZHUO | OIS SERVICES, Unit 27/28, 41st Floor, R&F To-Win Building, 30 Huaxia Rd, Tianhe District, Guangzhou PRC | Monday to Friday (9:00 am-4:00 pm) |
| ATLANTA | OIS Services, Suite 204, 918 Holcomb bridge road, Roswell, Atlanta, GA 30076 | Monday to Friday (9:00 am - 4:00 pm) |
| HOUSTON | OIS Services, Suite 745, 9894 Biossonet Street, Houston, TX 77036 | Monday to Friday (9:00 am-4:00 pm) |
| MUMBAI (MAHARASHTRA) | OIS Visa Services. Quest Offices Pvt. C38 & 39, G Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra( East) Pin:400051, Maharashtra, India | Monday to Friday (10:00 am - 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm) |
| NEW DELHI | OIS Visa Services, C/O Central Board of Irrigation & Power Plot No. 4, Ground Floor, Institutional Area Opp, Sarvodaya School Malcha Marg, Chanakyapuri New Delhi, India | Monday to Friday (10:00 am - 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm- 4:00 pm) |
| ROME | Online Integrated Solutions S.R.L., Via Silicia, 30 00187 Rome, Italy | |
| LOS ANGELES | OIS Services, Suite 718, 5757 West Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045 | Monday to Friday (9:00 am - 4:00 pm) |
| NEW YORK | 370 Lexington Ave, Suite 613 New York, NY 10017 | Monday to Friday (9:00 am - 4:00 pm) |
| PARIS | 7 rue Daru, 75008 Paris France (1st Floor) | Monday to Friday (9:00 am - 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm -4:00 pm) |
| KUALA LUMPUR | 36.01 Level 36 Menara Citibank, 165 Jalan Ampang 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Monday to Friday (9:00 am - 12:00 pm) and 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm) |
| THE HAGUE | First Floor, Regus Building, Koningin Juliana Plein 10. Postcode 2595AA, The Hague Central station, Netherlands | Monday to Friday (9:00 am - 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm) |
| Sri Kazim Ozalo | MH. Koza Sk. No: 35/3 Cankaya/ Ankara | Monday to Friday (9:00 am - 12:30 pm and 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm) |
| THE HAGUE | OIS Services First Floor, Regus Buiding, Koningin Juliana Plein 10. Postcode 2595AA, The Hague Central Station, Netherlands | Monday to Friday (9 am to 5 pm) |
| CAIRO | OIS Services, Building 51, Mitchel Bakhoum Street, Dokki | Sunday to Thursday (10 am - 5 pm) |
Additional Notes
- The Nigerian Consular Mission DOES NOT issue Police Character Certificates. However, some Nigerian Missions may apply for the Police Background Check on applicant's behalf, for a fee.
- The actual Nigerian Consular Mission's role in the process is Authentication which comes after the Police Clearance Certificate is obtained and legalized in Nigeria.
- Depending on the host country's own regulations, the Police Character Certificate may be required to also be legallized at the Embassy of that country in Nigeria.
- The procedure depends on who applies where they apply from and for what purpose.
- In some European countries, the Nigerian Applicant needs to obtain his/her biometric data from the local police before sending the sealed information along with other requirements to the Nigerian Police Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) for the background check. Many other countries do not require this step.
The above is the general procedure and requirements. However, the application is per case slightly different.
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