Haiti
If you now live in Canada and previously lived, worked, or studied in Haiti, many immigration, employment, and licensing processes will ask you for a Haiti Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) in addition to your Canadian one. Getting fingerprinted correctly is usually the first step. This guide walks through how that works while you're based in Canada, and how Surrey Fingerprint Company can help with the fingerprinting part.
Why Would Someone in Canada Need a Haiti PCC?
- Canadian immigration & citizenship (IRCC): if you lived in Haiti for 6 months or more before moving to Canada, IRCC may require a police certificate from Haiti as part of permanent residency, sponsorship, or citizenship applications.
- Immigration to a third country: if you are applying to move from Canada to another country (e.g. Australia, the UK, the US, or elsewhere), that country's character/background check requirements often ask for a clearance from every country you've lived in for an extended period, including Haiti.
- Employment & licensing: some regulated professions and international employers request a background check covering your time in Haiti.
- Legal, banking, or property matters: some processes back in Haiti may themselves ask you to complete identity verification via fingerprints while abroad.
The General Process From Canada
Because you're applying from outside Haiti, the typical path is: get fingerprinted locally in Canada in the exact format Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciaire (DCPJ), Port-au-Prince accepts, then send that fingerprint record to them along with the rest of your application package.
Contact Haiti's issuing authority first
Confirm the current application form, required fingerprint format, fee, and mailing/submission method directly with Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciaire (DCPJ), Port-au-Prince — requirements can change, so always check before your appointment.
Get fingerprinted at Surrey Fingerprint Company
Bring valid photo ID and any required form. The fingerprint format usually requested for a Haiti PCC is: To be confirmed with the issuing authority. We offer both ink-and-roll and digital fingerprinting on-site.
We complete your card correctly
We take your fingerprints on the correct form, complete any required identity/witness sections, and provide the card or document ready to send.
Send your package to Haiti
Mail or submit your fingerprint card along with your application form, ID copies, photos, and fee (as required) to Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciaire (DCPJ), Port-au-Prince. Use a tracked courier for original documents.
CONFLICTING SOURCES — confirm directly before publishing or offering this service. One source (canadavisa.com) describes fingerprints being taken "at a police station in the applicant's place of residence or at the nearest Haitian consulate" — which would fit a Canadian fingerprinting service. However, a detailed Spanish-language guide to the Haitian process describes fingerprints and a photo being taken in person at the DCPJ office in Haiti itself, as part of the representative's in-country visit — which would NOT be something Surrey Fingerprint Company could provide. This certificate is only requested after IRCC sends a specific letter requiring it. Since applying in person requires travel to Haiti, non-resident applicants typically need a contact person in Haiti (friend or family member) to submit the request on their behalf at the DCPJ, along with the IRCC letter, recent photos, a copy of the applicant's passport photo page, and a Haitian birth certificate if born in Haiti. Confirm with the DCPJ or the nearest Haitian consulate whether fingerprints can be taken in Canada before offering this service.
Mailing address:
Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciaire (DCPJ), Boulevard Toussaint Louverture, Route de l'aéroport prolongée, Clercine 6, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Receive your Haiti PCC
Processing time is Confirm current timelines with the DCPJ or the nearest Haitian consulate. Some authorities mail the certificate directly to your Canadian address; others may require pickup via a consulate or representative.
Source: Official guidance for Haiti. Requirements can change; always confirm current details on the official page before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get fingerprinted in Surrey for a Haiti PCC?
Yes. Surrey Fingerprint Company offers both ink-and-roll and digital fingerprinting, and can prepare your fingerprint card or document in the format most commonly requested for Haiti applications. Contact us to confirm the exact form before your visit.
How long does it take to get a PCC from Haiti while living in Canada?
Timelines vary widely by country and by how the application is submitted. As a general estimate: Confirm current timelines with the DCPJ or the nearest Haitian consulate. Confirm current processing times with the issuing authority.
Do I need an original fingerprint card, or is a scan acceptable?
This depends on Haiti's current requirements — some authorities require original ink cards mailed physically, others accept digital submissions. We'll help you confirm which applies before you leave our office.
Can Surrey Fingerprint Company submit my application to Haiti for me?
We handle the fingerprinting step. Submission of the full application package is generally your responsibility (or your immigration consultant/lawyer's), unless otherwise noted for a specific country.
Get Fingerprinted for Your Haiti PCC — Surrey, BC
Email us before your visit so we can confirm the correct form and format for Haiti.
+1 (604) 825-8882 · info@surreyfingerprint.com