How to Apply for an Ireland Police Certificate?

The immigration office requires an Ireland Police Certificate to apply for a Canadian Working Holiday Visa. Initially, I assumed the process of obtaining the Ireland Police Certificate would be lengthy and complicated, but it turned out to be incredibly straightforward. Here’s a guide to the application process for your reference.

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How to Apply

Receiving a Reply from the Police Station

Received Ireland Police Certificate

How to Apply

First, you can visit the CIC website to check the detailed application process. In short, you simply email the police station closest to the address where you previously resided in Ireland, informing them that you need to apply for a Police Clearance Certificate.

To find the appropriate police station, visit the An Garda Síochána website and locate the station nearest to your former residence. Initially, I mistakenly emailed the wrong police station, and it took them a week to reply and redirect me to the correct one, causing unnecessary delays.

Once you’ve found the correct police station, it’s time to email them! Click on Email this Garda Station to get started.

Make sure the subject line is clear and concise. In the body of the email, briefly state your request and include your email address. Double-check that your email address is correct; otherwise, you won’t receive any response.

Receiving a Reply from the Police Station

I sent the email in the morning and got a response in the afternoon. The reply provided detailed instructions on how to apply and what information to include in the follow-up email. Below is an example of how I responded.

Reply Content Should Include the Following Information:

Full Name (must match the name on your passport)
Date of Birth
Place of Birth
Current Address
Address in Ireland
Period of Residence in Ireland
Purpose of Application

Attach a color-scanned copy of your passport to the email and reply to them accordingly.

The next day, February 14th, I received a quick response: Thank you for your email. I have forwarded your application for processing.

Received Ireland Police Certificate

Then, on February 18th, I received the electronic version of the Police Clearance Certificate! Super efficient!

Then, on March 2nd, I received the physical copy of the Police Certificate, which was sent directly to my registered address.

That’s the entire process for applying for the Irish Police Certificate. The application process was much simpler and faster than I had imagined. I initially thought that if it turned out to be really difficult, I might have to fly to Ireland myself 😅. Luckily, I managed to get it without any issues!