What is a Police Clearance Certificate?
A Police Clearance Certificate in short PCC is a certificate that is issued to the Indian passport holders. Which confirms that a person has no criminal records where he resides.
How to Get a Police Clearance Certificate in India?
The following are the steps to apply for a Police Clearance Certificate online.
- Register yourself on the Passport Seva portal. If you already have an account on it, then log in.
- After that click on “Apply for Police Clearance Certificate“ & fill out all the details as per the instructions
- Then select the “Pay and Schedule Appointment” option under the “View Saved/Submitted Applications” tab to schedule the appointment.
- Print your application receipt that has your Application Reference Number.
- Visit the Regional Passport Office or Passport Seva Kendra where your appointment is booked with originals and copies of the documents required to get PCC in India.
After completing the form submission work, which is done only online, you need to visit the passport office for verification with documents.
How to Get a Police Clearance Certificate from a Local Police Station?
Another method is to apply from the local police station. The following are the steps to apply for PCC from your local police station.
- Visit the nearest police station to your residence.
- The officer may ask some valid questions and enquire about you to prove you are a sincere person.
- Then submit your self attested documents at the passport seva portal website
Then the authorities will investigate the documents that you have submitted for PCC and do an official investigation to know if you have ever been involved in any criminal activity. Finally the officials give PCC if they do not find any criminal history.
Why is a Police Clearance Certificate Required?
When you move to any other country for education or employment, you require some certificates to prove that you are eligible to go abroad.
PCC is one of those certificates. As you might know, to use a legal document like PCC abroad, you need to go through the attestation process. Attestation confirms the authenticity of your PCC.
Attested PCC is one of the essential certificates required when you plan to go to a foreign nation for education or employment. The following are some reasons to obtain an attested Police Clearance Certificate.
- To do a business in a foreign country.
- For Employment in a foreign country.
- To apply for a permanent residence visa abroad.
- To procure a visa application for certain countries.
Who Issue PCC in India?
The Indian Police or an authorized Indian Government official identifies if a person has any criminal record and proves he is sincere with the Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) official document.
Types of People Apply for an Indian PCC & their Steps
There are three categories made to separate the applicants applying for an Indian PCC according to their nationality and current place of residence:
1. Indian Nationals Residing in India
Steps for Indian nationals residing in India to apply for a PCC through the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) website
- Create your profile on the PSK website
- Fill out the online form
- Pay the fee
- Select a time slot to submit the documents to the nearest PSK
- Personally submit your documents at PSK
- Police verification
- Collect the PCC from PSK
2. Indian Citizens Living in Abroad
Indian citizens living in any other country approach the Indian Diplomatic Mission/Post. He has jurisdiction to apply for a PCC on your behalf.
3. Foreign Nationals Stay in India
Any foreigner living in India can apply for a PCC online on the e-FRRO portal. Once the applicant of a foreign applicant is processed for PCC, he cannot leave India until he receives his PCC.
The police verification will be done based on where the foreigner has applied for PCC. The police verification is done before the applicant’s application is approved for PCC.
How Long Does it Take to Finish the Complete Process of PCC in India?
Generally, the complete process of the Police Clearance Certificate takes up to one month to finish. But, the answer to how much time PCC takes depends on when you receive a ‘clear’ report from police authorities in India.
What are the Documents Required for PCC in India?
- Original Passport.
- Self-attested copy of the first and last two pages of the passport.
- Copy of passport pages must include the ECR/ECNR page.
- Submit a page of observation if you have it.
- Address proof.
What is the Validity of PCC in India?
An Indian PCC has a validity of six months, and you can apply it, before you need it for the purposes such as renewal of work permit/study permit etc.
