Police Character Certificate 2026 – Online Apply, Fee, Documents & Tracking

A police character certificate is the document that proves you have no criminal record. Almost every visa, immigration and overseas job application asks for one, and in Pakistan it is issued by your provincial police: the Police Khidmat Markaz in Punjab, the district police office in the other provinces, and the FIA for the national-level clearance most embassies want.

The process is not the same everywhere. Punjab lets you apply online, track the application and download the certificate with a QR code. The other provinces still need an in-person visit. This guide covers every province: the documents, the fee, the processing time, how to track your application, and what overseas Pakistanis should do.

Police Character Certificate at a Glance#

Province / authority	Where to apply	Fee	Processing time
Punjab (PKM)	pkm.punjab.gov.pk or Punjab Police app	Rs 350 at the counter	3 working days
Islamabad (ICT)	islamabadpolice.gov.pk (PKM system)	Rs 1,000*	72 hours
Sindh	District SSP office / police station	Rs 300–500	5–7 working days
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	Police Sahulat Markaz app / DPO office	Rs 1,000*	5–7 working days
Balochistan	PKM / district police office	Rs 150*	3 working days*
FIA (national)	fia.gov.pk + zonal office biometrics	Rs 3,000–5,000	7–15 working days

*Fees change, and the guides disagree on ICT, KP and Balochistan, so confirm the current fee on your province’s portal or at the office before paying. For Punjab online applications, the fee is Rs 350 plus service charges: one guide reports Rs 522–1,022 all-in when you pay through PSID.

What Is a Police Character Certificate?#

A police character certificate (PCC), also called a police clearance certificate, is an official document issued by the relevant provincial police authority. It confirms whether you have any recorded criminal history within a specific district or jurisdiction. It does not give anyone access to criminal records. It only certifies your status after the police have checked their own records, and it is issued after verification by the concerned police station or a centralised unit such as the Police Khidmat Markaz.

Pakistan has two separate police background check systems, and applying for the wrong one is the most common reason people have to start again.

	District Police Character Certificate	FIA Police Clearance Certificate
Issued by	Provincial police (Police Khidmat Markaz in Punjab, district police offices elsewhere)	Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)
Scope of check	Criminal record within one district or province	National-level record check across all provinces
How to apply	In person at a PKM or district police office, or online in Punjab and some provinces	Online through the FIA portal, then biometric verification at an FIA zonal office or a Pakistani mission abroad
Processing time	3–7 working days	7–15 working days
Fee	Rs 350–1,000	Rs 3,000–5,000
Used for	Government jobs in Pakistan, some domestic employment, local purposes	Immigration visas, foreign employment, overseas residency, embassy requirements

Rule of thumb: if a foreign embassy, immigration authority or international employer asked for it, they almost certainly mean the FIA certificate. If a Pakistani government department or a domestic employer asked for it, the district police certificate is usually enough. When in doubt, ask the requesting authority which version it needs before you apply.

Why Do You Need a Police Character Certificate?#

A character certificate is required whenever you must show a clean criminal background to an authority. The common situations are:

• Spouse and family visa applications (UK, Canada, Australia, EU states, Gulf countries)
• Foreign employment (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait)
• Immigration and permanent residency (Canada Express Entry, UK Skilled Worker, Australia PR, EU Blue Card)
• Student visas for long-term study
• Long-term residency permits and Iqama renewal
• Government and sensitive jobs within Pakistan
• Regulated professions abroad such as healthcare, education and security

Most job and visa applications ask for a domicile certificate alongside the character certificate, so get both documents ready before you apply.

Which version each country asks for:

Country / region	Certificate required	Notes
Saudi Arabia	FIA PCC or provincial certificate	MOFA attestation + Saudi Embassy legalisation. Iqama renewal often needs an updated PCC.
UAE	FIA PCC preferred	MOFA attestation required. Some employers accept a provincial certificate.
Qatar / Bahrain / Oman / Kuwait	FIA PCC	MOFA attestation + embassy legalisation. Gulf employers generally require FIA-level clearance.
United Kingdom	FIA PCC	Must cover all areas of Pakistan where you have lived. MOFA attestation required.
Canada	FIA PCC	Required for Express Entry, family sponsorship and study permits for stays over 6 months.
Australia	FIA PCC	Required for PR applications and certain visa subclasses.
EU / Schengen states	FIA PCC	Some EU states accept provincial certificates with MOFA attestation. Check with the specific embassy.
Spain	National Police Bureau (NPB) Computerised PCC	Special case: the NPB issues it after district-level verification and an affidavit.
USA	FIA PCC	Required for immigration petitions. Not required for tourist or business visas.

What Documents Are Required for a Police Character Certificate?#

The documents are largely the same across provinces. Gather all of these before you visit or apply online:

• Original CNIC and a photocopy
• Original passport and a photocopy of all pages, including the last exit stamp page
• Two recent passport-size photographs with a white background
• Completed application form, available at the PKM centre or downloadable from the provincial police portal
• A purpose declaration: a short written statement explaining why you need the certificate (visa, employment, immigration)
• Proof of your current or previous address, such as a utility bill or tenancy agreement (asked for in some jurisdictions)
• An affidavit declaring you have no pending criminal case (required in some provinces)
• Fingerprints, taken digitally at a Khidmat Markaz centre or manually at a police station
• B-Form, if the applicant is a minor

For the FIA Police Clearance Certificate, you also need: a copy of your CNIC (front and back), a copy of your valid passport (all pages), two passport-size photographs, the bank challan or online payment receipt for the FIA fee, and biometric verification at an FIA zonal office or a Pakistani embassy or consulate.

If you are abroad and a blood relative is applying for you: an authority letter in favour of the relative, attested by the Pakistani embassy or a gazetted officer; copies of your CNIC and passport; a copy of your passport’s last exit page; an affidavit stating how long you have stayed abroad and that no criminal case is pending against you; and the relative’s original CNIC with proof of the relationship. Police authorities do not accept applications through unverified agents.

How to Apply for a Police Character Certificate Online#

There is no single nationwide portal. Policing in Pakistan is handled province by province, so a certificate from Punjab only covers Punjab’s records, a Sindh one only covers Sindh, and so on. Apply in the province that matches your CNIC’s domicile, or where you actually lived the longest, because that is where your record verification will be most accurate. If you have lived in more than one province, you may need a separate certificate from each.

Punjab: Police Khidmat Markaz (PKM)

Punjab has the most advanced online system. You can apply from any PKM centre in any of the 36 Punjab districts, even if the certificate covers a district you no longer live in, because the centralised system handles verification remotely. The portal is pkm.punjab.gov.pk, and the app is Punjab Police Pakistan on Google Play and the App Store.

1. Visit pkm.punjab.gov.pk or open the Punjab Police app.
2. Create an account with your CNIC number and mobile number, and verify it through the OTP sent to your phone.
3. Select Character Certificate from the available services and fill in the form, spelling your name exactly as it appears on your CNIC.
4. Upload scanned copies of your CNIC (front and back), your passport if the purpose is a visa or immigration, and a recent photograph.
5. Pay the fee. At a PKM counter it is Rs 350. Online, you pay through a PSID number, which is a payment slip ID generated on the portal; you can pay it through a bank, an ATM, Easypaisa, JazzCash or UPaisa. Online applications carry service charges on top of the Rs 350.
6. Save your 12-digit tracking number. You will need it to check your application status.
7. Collect the certificate from any PKM centre, receive it by courier where available, or download the digitally signed certificate with its QR code from the portal. Processing takes about 3 working days.

Punjab also offers the Maryam Ki Dastak app for doorstep service delivery. If the Punjab Police app gives you trouble with OTP verification, use the web portal at pkm.punjab.gov.pk directly.

Islamabad (ICT)

Islamabad Police uses the same PKM system as Punjab, so the online process is identical. Apply through islamabadpolice.gov.pk. Two extra requirements apply: an affidavit if your CNIC does not show an Islamabad address, and an authority letter if someone else is applying on your behalf. The fee is reported as Rs 1,000 by most guides, though one guide lists Rs 350, so confirm the current fee before paying. Processing takes 72 hours (3 working days).

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Apply through the Police Sahulat Markaz app, available on Android and iOS: download it, register with your CNIC and mobile number, complete the OTP verification, select Character Certificate, fill in the form and upload your documents, then pay the fee and collect the certificate. Processing takes 5–7 working days. If the app is not available for your district, visit the District Police Officer (DPO) office in the district where your CNIC is registered and apply in person with the same documents. A character certificate is a standard requirement for KP Police jobs.

Sindh

Sindh does not yet have a fully integrated online system like Punjab’s PKM portal. Visit your district’s SSP (District Superintendent of Police) office or the nearest police station, collect and fill in the character certificate application form, and submit it with your CNIC, passport and photographs. The fee is Rs 300–500 depending on the district, and processing takes 5–7 working days. The Police Madadgar 15 app allows limited online submission and tracking in some districts. A character certificate is a standard requirement for Sindh Police jobs.

Balochistan

Visit the Police Khidmat Markaz where it is operational, or the nearest police station. Submit your original CNIC (or B-Form for a minor), an affidavit and your photographs. One guide reports a fee of Rs 150 and 3 working days; another reports Rs 350–500 and 5–7 days, so confirm the fee and time at your district office before applying.

Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan

Apply through the district police or the respective police headquarters. Overseas applicants from AJK and GB can also use the Punjab Police Global Portal route through a Pakistani mission, covered below.

FIA Police Clearance Certificate

1. Apply online through the FIA portal at fia.gov.pk. Enter your CNIC number, passport details and the purpose of the certificate.
2. Pay the fee through a bank challan or online payment. The fee is Rs 3,000–5,000 depending on whether you choose standard or urgent processing. Keep the payment receipt.
3. Complete biometric verification at an FIA zonal office in your city. FIA has zonal offices in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta and other major cities.
4. Wait for the national record check. FIA verifies your name and biometrics against police and court records across all provinces. Standard processing takes 7–15 working days.
5. Collect the certificate from the FIA zonal office, or receive it by courier where available. It includes your clearance status and FIA reference number.

National Police Bureau (Spain cases only)

Spain is a special case: it requires a Computerised Police Clearance Certificate from the National Police Bureau (NPB), not the standard provincial certificate or the FIA PCC. The NPB issues it after district-level verification and an affidavit. This is not a general replacement for provincial police issuance.

How to Check Your Police Character Certificate Online#

Tracking shows your application’s progress only. It never shows criminal record details, because police records are confidential. There is no public system in Pakistan that lets anyone check a criminal record using a CNIC, and no private website can legally provide criminal record status. Any website or agent offering a CNIC-based record check is not legitimate.

Province / authority	How to track
Punjab	Visit pkm.punjab.gov.pk/public/app/track and enter your district, CNIC number, passport number and destination country. You can also track with your 12-digit tracking number on pkm.punjab.gov.pk or the Punjab Police app. SMS updates are sent at each stage: Application Received, Verification in Process, Approved, Ready for Collection.
Islamabad	Track on islamabadpolice.gov.pk using your application reference number.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	Track in the Police Sahulat Markaz app using your application ID.
Sindh and Balochistan	No public online tracking. Contact the issuing police station or DSP office directly with your application reference number.
FIA PCC	Track through the FIA portal, or contact the FIA zonal office where your biometrics were recorded.

How to Download Your Police Character Certificate#

Once your application is approved through the PKM portal, log in to your account at pkm.punjab.gov.pk, open your completed application and download the digitally signed PDF certificate. It includes a QR code that can be scanned to confirm its authenticity against the issuing system. Foreign authorities increasingly reject older, non-QR handwritten certificates, so download and keep the QR-coded version.

For ICT-issued certificates, the same PKM portal is used. Certificates from other provinces must be collected in person from the issuing office, because provincial online download is not yet available outside Punjab and ICT.

Police Character Certificate for Overseas Pakistanis#

There are three routes, and which one you can use depends on your province of origin.

Route 1: PKM Global Portal at a Pakistani mission (Punjab, ICT, Balochistan, GB, AJK). Book an appointment at your nearest Pakistani embassy or high commission, visit in person with your original valid CNIC or NICOP and your passport, and the mission staff will fill in your application on the PKM Global Portal and take a live photograph. Your details are uploaded directly to the Punjab Police system, and the certificate is usually issued within two weeks. The service is free of charge at most missions. It is offered at the Pakistan High Commission in London, the Consulate in Birmingham, the Embassy in Beijing, the Consulate General in Toronto and other select missions. It is not available for KP and Sindh applicants at most missions.

Route 2: FIA PCC through a Pakistani embassy or consulate. Book an appointment, visit in person for biometric recording (fingerprints and photograph), and the embassy forwards your biometrics and application to FIA headquarters in Pakistan. FIA runs the national record check and issues the certificate, which you collect from the embassy or receive by post. This takes 2–4 weeks including embassy processing and FIA verification.

Route 3: Authority letter through a blood relative in Pakistan (all provinces). This is the only option for KP and Sindh residents abroad. Prepare an authority letter authorising a blood relative (parent, sibling or child) to apply on your behalf, get it attested by the Pakistani embassy or high commission in your country, and send it to your relative along with photocopies of your CNIC or NICOP and passport. Your relative visits the nearest PKM centre (Punjab and ICT) or police station (other provinces) and submits the application. After the certificate is issued, it must be attested by MOFA before it is sent back to you abroad. The full route takes 3–6 weeks. Authority letter templates are available for download on the Islamabad Police website under Downloads.

MOFA Attestation for International Use#

A police character certificate is not automatically valid for international use. For immigration, foreign employment or a visa, it must be attested after it is issued.

1. Get the certificate issued by your provincial police or the FIA.
2. Submit it for Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) attestation at a MOFA office in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar or Quetta. Processing typically takes 1–3 working days, and MOFA attestation now includes QR verification.
3. If your destination country requires it, submit the MOFA-attested certificate to the relevant foreign embassy in Pakistan for legalisation. This applies to countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman.

Without MOFA attestation, many countries will reject your certificate outright, even if it is genuine. Not every destination requires the embassy step on top of MOFA attestation, so check with the specific embassy or immigration authority.

How Long Is a Police Character Certificate Valid?#

A Punjab Police character certificate is valid for 180 days from the date it is issued. After expiry, you must apply again. Other provinces do not always state a fixed validity period, so confirm it with the issuing authority. Most embassies want a certificate issued within the last 3–6 months.

If your certificate expires while your visa or immigration process is still running, there is no penalty and no extra scrutiny. You simply apply again, exactly the same way as the first time. The practical problem is timing: apply too early and it expires before you submit your paperwork. If your visa process takes several months, wait until you are within the 180-day window of your actual submission date before applying. As a rule, apply at least 4–6 weeks before your visa deadline inside Pakistan, and start at least 2–3 months before the deadline if you are applying from abroad.

Lost or Wrong Police Character Certificate#

If your certificate is lost, apply again through the same channel. Keep your tracking or reference number, because it makes the re-application faster. If the certificate has a wrong name, spelling or other detail, take it back to the issuing office with your CNIC before you use it, and ask for a correction. Do not submit a certificate whose details do not match your CNIC and passport.

If verification finds a record against your name, the certificate states what the record shows. A pending case can make verification take longer, and the issuing authority decides what the certificate states. You cannot obtain a clean certificate while a record exists, because the certificate is the official statement of what is on file.

Common Mistakes to Avoid#

• Applying in the wrong district or province. Apply where your CNIC is registered or where you lived the longest. Only Punjab’s PKM system allows cross-district applications.
• Submitting blurry or expired documents. Make sure every photocopy is clear and that your passport and CNIC are valid.
• Using unauthorised agents. Police authorities only accept applications from you directly, from a blood relative with an authority letter, or through an authorised consulate. Agents have no legal standing.
• Skipping MOFA attestation. Do not send an unattested certificate abroad. It will be rejected.
• Applying too early or too late. A Punjab certificate lasts 180 days, so time your application close to your submission date, and start 4–6 weeks ahead inside Pakistan or 2–3 months ahead from abroad.
• A wrong or unattested authority letter. The letter must be attested by a Pakistani embassy or high commission, or by two gazetted persons. An unattested letter is rejected.
• Assuming one province’s certificate covers the whole country. If you have lived in more than one province, some foreign authorities expect a certificate for each jurisdiction.

Frequently Asked Questions#

How to get police character certificate?

Apply online through the Police Khidmat Markaz portal at pkm.punjab.gov.pk if you are in Punjab or Islamabad, or through the Police Sahulat Markaz app in KP. In Sindh and Balochistan, visit your district police office or police station in person. For immigration or foreign employment, apply for the FIA Police Clearance Certificate instead, through fia.gov.pk with biometric verification at an FIA zonal office.

How to check police character certificate online?

In Punjab, visit pkm.punjab.gov.pk/public/app/track and enter your district, CNIC number, passport number and destination country, or track with your 12-digit tracking number on the PKM portal or Punjab Police app. Islamabad applications are tracked on islamabadpolice.gov.pk with the reference number. Sindh and Balochistan have no public online tracking, so contact the issuing office directly. Tracking shows your application’s progress only; there is no public CNIC-based criminal record check.

How to make police character certificate?

Gather your CNIC, passport, two passport-size photographs and a completed application form with a purpose declaration. Apply online in Punjab or Islamabad, or in person at the district police office in the other provinces. Pay the fee, wait for the police to verify your record, then collect the certificate or download it from the PKM portal.

How to get character certificate from police?

Visit your nearest Police Khidmat Markaz centre in Punjab, or your district police office or police station in the other provinces, with your original CNIC, passport, photographs and the completed application form. In Punjab you can also apply online at pkm.punjab.gov.pk and collect the certificate from any PKM centre in the province.

How to get police character certificate in Lahore?

Apply online at pkm.punjab.gov.pk or visit any Police Khidmat Markaz centre in Lahore. Because Punjab’s system is centralised, you can apply from any PKM centre in any Punjab district, even if the certificate covers a different district. The fee is Rs 350 at the counter, and processing takes about 3 working days. You can then download the QR-coded certificate from the portal or collect it from a PKM centre.

What is the difference between a police character certificate and an FIA clearance certificate?

A police character certificate is issued by provincial police and checks records within one district or province. An FIA Police Clearance Certificate is issued by the Federal Investigation Agency and checks national records across all provinces. Most embassies and immigration authorities require the FIA version.

Do I need MOFA attestation?

Yes, for any international use: immigration, foreign employment or overseas residency. MOFA attestation is processed at MOFA offices in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta, typically in 1–3 working days. Some countries also require embassy legalisation after MOFA attestation.

How long does the FIA Police Clearance Certificate take?

Standard processing takes 7–15 working days after biometric verification at an FIA zonal office. Urgent processing is available at a higher fee with a shorter timeline. From abroad through an embassy, allow 2–4 weeks including embassy processing and FIA verification.

Can someone apply on my behalf if I am abroad?

Yes. A blood relative can apply for the district police character certificate with a properly attested authority letter. For the FIA certificate, apply through the Pakistani embassy or consulate in your country, or through an authorised representative with a special power of attorney. Punjab, ICT, Balochistan, GB and AJK residents abroad can also use the PKM Global Portal at select Pakistani missions, usually free of charge.

How long is a police character certificate valid?

A Punjab Police character certificate is valid for 180 days from the date it is issued, after which you must apply again. Other provinces do not always specify a fixed validity period, so confirm with the issuing authority. Most embassies want a certificate issued within the last 3–6 months.