Iran Police Clearance Certificate for Canada Immigration: Step-by-Step Guide

Every Express Entry applicant who has lived in a country for six months or more after age 18 must provide a police clearance certificate from that country. For Iranian nationals, this means obtaining the Su-ye Pishineh — the Iranian criminal record clearance — from the Iranian Police Force (NAJA). The process is manageable but has several layers, and the approach is different depending on where you are when you apply.

What IRCC Requires

IRCC needs a police certificate that is:

• Recently issued (generally within the past six months for active applications; check IRCC's current validity requirements)
• Official and government-issued
• Translated into English or French by a certified translator (if in Persian)
• Covering your record in Iran since age 18

If you have also lived for six months or more in any other country (Turkey, UAE, Canada, etc.) after age 18, you need police certificates from each of those countries as well.

If You Are Still Inside Iran

The standard process for residents of Iran is through NAJA directly. You can apply for the Su-ye Pishineh through:

1. In-person application at a NAJA police station: Present your National Card (Kart-e Melli) and Shenasnameh. The certificate is typically issued within a few days and costs a nominal fee.

2. Online portal: NAJA has expanded its online services, though in-person applications remain more reliable for ensuring the resulting document meets IRCC's format requirements.

The certificate will be in Persian. You will need a certified translation by a Dar-al-Tarjomeh Rasmi for IRCC purposes.

If You Are Outside Iran: The Mikhak Portal

For Iranian nationals living abroad, the police clearance process is managed through the Mikhak system (Mikhak.mfa.ir), operated by Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is the consular services portal for diaspora Iranians.

Step 1: Register on Mikhak Create an account using your Iranian national ID number (Code-ye Melli) and passport number. Upload scanned copies of your Shenasnameh and National Card.

Step 2: Select the Nearest Iranian Consulate Choose the consulate or embassy where you will complete the in-person fingerprinting step. Available locations vary by country. Common choices for Iranian Express Entry applicants include:

• Istanbul, Turkey (consulate)
• Yerevan, Armenia (embassy)
• Dubai, UAE (consulate)
• Berlin, Germany (embassy)
• The Interests Section of Iran in Washington D.C. (for applicants in North America with no Iranian diplomatic presence)

Step 3: In-Person Fingerprinting You must visit the selected consulate in person. The consulate takes your fingerprints digitally. There is no workaround for this step — it is mandatory.

Step 4: Issuance Your fingerprints are sent to Interpol's Iran office for processing. The resulting police clearance certificate is typically delivered as a PDF via email within 2–4 weeks. Some applicants receive it faster; the process depends on the consulate's workload.

The fee for the Mikhak process is approximately 25 Euros, payable at the consulate.

The Special Problem for Iranians in Canada

Canada presents a unique challenge: there is no Iranian embassy in Ottawa and no Iranian consulate in Toronto, Vancouver, or any other Canadian city. The 2012 closure of the Canadian Embassy in Tehran simultaneously ended Iranian diplomatic presence in Canada.

Iranian nationals in Canada who need their police clearance certificate have two options:

Option 1: Use the Washington D.C. Interests Section The Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Washington D.C. handles consular services for Iranians in Canada. You would need to travel to Washington D.C. for the in-person fingerprinting step. This is feasible but involves travel cost and time.

Option 2: Empower a Relative in Iran via Power of Attorney Alternatively, you can grant a formal power of attorney (Vekalatnameh) to a trusted family member or agent in Iran. They can:

1. Apply for the Su-ye Pishineh directly at a NAJA station in Iran using your documents
2. Have the certificate issued in your name
3. Send the original document to you internationally

The relative-mediated process typically takes 1–2 months and costs approximately 25 Euros plus any domestic processing fees. This route avoids the need for travel to Washington D.C. and is widely used by Iranian-Canadians.

Option 3: Canadian Fingerprint Agency Accredited private agencies in Canada (such as the Canadian Fingerprint Agency) can take your fingerprints on an official fingerprint card and submit the card to the Iranian Interests Section in Washington D.C. on your behalf. This option is convenient if you do not have family in Iran and cannot travel to D.C.

Format and Translation Requirements

The Iranian police clearance certificate will be issued in Persian. IRCC requires it to be translated by a certified translator. In Canada, look for a certified translator or a translation agency that specifies immigration document translation as a specialty — standard translation services may not provide the certification stamp required by IRCC.

Keep the original Persian certificate and provide a certified English translation alongside it.

Validity and Timing

Iranian police certificates are generally accepted by IRCC if issued within six months of your application submission. Given that Iranian Express Entry applications spend 12–24 months in security screening after submission, the validity of your police certificate may lapse during that wait. IRCC will sometimes request an updated certificate during this period.

This is worth knowing in advance: you may need to obtain a second police certificate after your initial application is submitted if the security screening extends past the six-month window.

If You Cannot Obtain the Certificate

IRCC recognizes that diplomatic circumstances sometimes make it genuinely impossible to obtain a police certificate. If you can document that you have made every reasonable attempt — Mikhak application, consulate visit request, power of attorney engagement — and still cannot obtain the certificate, IRCC may accept a detailed explanation letter (Letter of Explanation, or LOE) outlining the steps you took and why they were unsuccessful.

This should be treated as a last resort. IRCC scrutinizes LOEs for police certificates carefully, and relying on one without clear documentation of genuine effort is risky.

For the full document checklist for an Iranian Express Entry application — including the Mikhak process, translation requirements, and how to coordinate police certificate timing with your overall application timeline — the Iran → Canada Express Entry Guide includes detailed instructions and a tracking checklist.

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