What Documents are Required for PCC?

In general, police clearance certificates are required by Indian citizens who wish to migrate abroad for employment, long-term stay, or residential purposes. This article will provide you with information about the documents required for PCC. Tourists who visit a foreign country for a short period need not get a PCC. 

To obtain this certificate, candidates should submit the completed PCC application form at a Passport Seva Kendra, which is under the jurisdiction of your passport office. Let us now understand about a police clearance certificate in detail.

Table of Contents

• Documents Required for PCC in India
• Eligibility Criteria
• How to Apply for a PCC?
• Police Clearance Certificate Application Form
• How to Track the Online Status of Police Clearance Certificate? 
• Duration Taken for PCC to be Issued

Documents Required for PCC in India

To apply for a police clearance certificate, candidates need to have their documents ready well in advance. The list of documents required for PCC is given below:

• Passport: A self-attested photocopy of the passport showing the first and the last two pages, including the observation page (if present) and ECR/Non-ECR page.
• Application Receipt: Application Receipt/ SMS received from passport services
• Address Proof: water bill/electricity bill/telephone bill/aadhaar card/voted ID
• Identity Proof
• Birth certificate
• CENOMAR or bachelorhood certificate (if bachelor)
• Marriage certificate (if married)
• Proof of financial support
• Two recent photographs

Eligibility Criteria

A person with a valid Indian passport and address proof is eligible to obtain a police clearance certificate. Ensure that the applicant's current address is the same as that on the passport and other supporting documents.

How to Apply for a PCC?

Here we will discuss the online application process you need to follow in order to apply for a police clearance certificate. The application procedure is given as follows:

1. First, you need to visit the Passport Seva Online Portal to apply for a PCC. Now click on ‘new user registration.’
2. With the login ID created, the candidate must now log into Passport Seva online portal.
3. The next step is to click on the “apply for police clearance certificate” link for the application form.
4. A new webpage will open in which you must fill out all the required fields. Ensure that you provide valid details since false information may result in application cancellation.
5. Once you have filled out all the necessary details, you may click on the ‘submit’ button.
6. Now click on 'pay and schedule appointment.' This option is found under the 'view saved/submitted applications'. A fee of Rs. 500 will be required for the application form. The payment can be made with a credit card, debit card, or Internet banking.
7. After this, you need to click on the ‘print application receipt’ option. You will find the application receipt number (ARN)/ appointment number on the application receipt. An SMS containing your appointment details can also be accepted as appointment proof at the passport office.
8. Finally, you can visit your regional passport office, where the appointment has been scheduled. Don't forget to take the documents required for PCC to the passport office. 

Note: You should visit the Passport Seva Kendra within 90 days after applying for a PCC to avoid resubmitting the application form.

Police Clearance Certificate Application Form

The PCC application form is available on the Passport Seva website. Applicants can fill it out online and submit it through the website. Applicants must fill out the following items:

• Passport number
• Passport issue date and expiry date
• Country for which the PCC is required
• Applicant’s personal details (name, date of birth, gender, city of residence, marital status, address details, mobile number, family details)
• Indian citizenship type
• Employment type
• Educational qualification
• Details of two references from your city of residence
• If the applicant was subject to any criminal proceedings, the details must be provided.
• Applicants need to tick the self-declaration box
• Place and date of filling the application form needs to be entered

How to Track the Online Status of Police Clearance Certificate? 

You can track your passport application status by visiting the Passport Seva online portal. You will find the “Track Application Status” option on the home page. After entering the file number and your date of birth, click on the track button. Your passport application status will then be displayed.

Duration Taken for PCC to be Issued

The Police Clearance Certificate will be given at Passport Seva Kendra on the same day if the police verification report is correct and there is no adverse entry in the current passport. In the situations below, however, the PCC will only be issued after completion of the police verification process:

• When the passport was issued, the applicant was a minor; hence a police verification was not required at that time. However, now the candidate is an adult.
• Due to various reasons, the Police Verification Process could not be completed during passport issuance.
• There is a discrepancy between the applicant's current address and the one on the passport.
• There were other cases in which passports were provided without police verification.

After the police verification report is received, the passport office will notify the candidate. Now he must visit the passport office (along with the passport) to obtain the PPC.