How to get a police certificate - Argentina

If you need to give your fingerprints for a police certificate, this isn’t the same as giving your biometrics (fingerprints and photo) for an application.

Name of the document you need

Certificado de Antecedentes Penales (emitido con excepción al artículo 51 del Codigo Penal Argentino)

Police certificate and IRCC requirements

You must provide a police certificate when you apply for permanent residence in Canada.

How to apply

If you live in Argentina

You can apply in person or online at the Registro Nacional de Reincidencia (available in Spanish only) in Buenos Aires or at any of its other offices throughout the country. (See the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights website for a complete list—available in Spanish only). Once the application process is complete, you will receive a certificate with a security code that will give you access to the certificate online. You must email, fax or mail the Certificado de Antecedentes Penales to the visa office.

If you do not have the Argentine Identity Card (Documento Nacional de Identidad—DNI) you must come in person.

Until further notice, the Registro Nacional de Reincidencia (available in Spanish only) will only attend to person application with prior appointment at the following locations:

City of Buenos Aires: siège, Tucumán 1357.

Province of Buenos Aires: San Martín, San Isidro, La Plata et Morón, Lomas de Zamora.

If you live outside of Argentina

You must apply online. You should follow the instructions on the Registro Nacional de Reincidencia (available in Spanish only) website. If you have any questions, please contact the Registro Nacional de Reincidencia (available in Spanish only). Consular Certificates are not accepted.

Special notes and considerations

You must specify that the certificate you need is “con excepción al artículo 51 del Código Penal” when you apply. The certificate is not valid and will not be accepted without the mention "con excepción al artículo 51 del Código Penal" on the document.

The certificate must be issued by the Registro Nacional de Reincidencia (available in Spanish only) of the Federal Ministry of Justice and Human Rights. Certificates issued by any other federal/provincial government offices are not accepted.

If you have a criminal record, you must give a copy of the judicial file, the verdict and the final decision with a French or English translation of all documents.

More information is available at the website of the Registro Nacional de Reincidencia of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights (Argentina) (available in Spanish only).

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