The police clearance certificate or police character clearance (PCC), sometimes called a police certificate on travel visa requirement lists, is an official document issued by the Nigerian police that details the criminal record of the person requesting it or indicates the lack thereof. To request the document, you must have a history of living in Nigeria and either a Bank Verification Number (BVN) or Nigerian Identification Number (NIN).
For Nigerians who live abroad, if you have a resident permit from the country you live in, you may get a police clearance certificate from your local police. Make sure to contact the embassy of the country you wish to visit to confirm if that will suffice. If not, use this variation of step 4 (below) – ‘Step 4 of the PCC Application Process – Diaspora (Abroad)’
Nigerians who also live abroad but do not have a resident permit for the country inhabited, use this variation of step 4 (below) – ‘Step 4 of the PCC Application Process – Diaspora (Abroad)’.
Video Guide: Nigerian Police Clearance Certificate for Travel Visa
Where to Obtain a Police Clearance Certificate in Nigeria
The process of obtaining a PCC has become incredibly easier and less expensive because the process moved from applying for the certificate at a select few police locations to an online system that works most of the time. Now all you need to do is visit POSSAP (Police Specialized Services Automation Project). Read below for the steps to follow to get your PCC without too much wahala.
Also, note that you may use POSSAP to request police extraction services to help with loss of property, documents, and the like. You may also use the portal to request police escort services.
Documents Needed to Apply for a Police Clearance Certificate in Nigeria
Before going on the POSSAP website, make sure you have the following documents and information below:
- Your National Identity Number (NIN) or Bank Verification Number (BVN) – for Nigerians abroad who do not have either one, click on this link for a guide on how to get yours. If you live in Nigeria and do not have one…wetin dey sup? Visit your bank for the BVN and NIN office for NIN.
- A recent passport photograph (within the last 6 months) – click on this link for a guide on acceptable passport photographs
- A clear copy/image of your valid international passport bio-data page (at least 6 months before expiration date)
- Reason for travel
- Valid international passport information
- Your last known address in Nigeria
- Biometrics form for Nigerians abroad – form will be provided during the application process, click here to download the form for men, and the form for women.
Eligibility for Police Clearance Certificate in Nigeria
To obtain a Police Clearance Certificate in Nigeria you may be a citizen of Nigeria or a foreigner, and as long as you have lived in Nigeria for a minimum of 30 days and have a BVN or NIN you are eligible to receive the certificate.
How Long is the Police Clearance Certificate Valid for?
The PCC is valid for only 3 months. If you need to update your information on the certificate or notice any discrepancies, you will need to apply for a new one. So follow the application steps below carefully. Despite the short validity term of the certificate, some embassies may still accept it if it is under a year since the issue date. Confirm with embassy staff first for the exception.
If You Have Difficulties Signing Up on POSSAP
First, make sure you sign up by using your BVN or NIN number from the LOGIN/SIGNUP page, starting the process from the Request Services page is not reliable. If you see “Sorry something went wrong while processing your request. Please try again later or contact admin”, when you try to proceed with the signup process, check that the numbers are accurate and correspond with the chosen identification type.
In some cases, the NIN and BVN portals may be down and POSSAP needs to pull your data from their servers before proceeding to the next step. Note that BVN is more reliable than NIN from my experience and others that have experienced similar. Give it a few hours and try to sign up using BVN. If all else fails, scroll down to the contact information shared below to get help from POSSAP’s customer desk, they were responsive when I reached out using the website’s chatbox.
The Application Steps for Getting the Police Clearance Certificate on POSSAP
Step 1 of the PCC Application Process
- Visit POSSAP – https://possap.gov.ng/
- Sign up for an account by clicking on the LOGIN/SIGNUP button or use this link to go there directly – https://possap.gov.ng/p/signup
- Choose if you are signing up as an individual or corporate/NGO
- Select the identification type you want to sign up with; NIN or BVN (on my first attempt, neither worked and the customer service via the chat box on the site was responsive. BVN worked the next day but the NIN server was offline according to the service rep)
- Enter the identification number that corresponds to the ID type you chose in the box above
- A 6-digit code will be sent to the email address you assigned to the chosen identification type; enter the number sent within 60 minutes to verify the account. If you no longer use the email address, you will need to update your BVN and NIN via their official channel before you can proceed with this process.
Step 2 of the PCC Application Process
- With your account verified, click on Request Service or just go directly to it using this link – https://possap.gov.ng/p/select-service
- In the drop-down section, select ‘POLICE CHARACTER CERTIFICATE’
- Most of your information will already be prefilled using your information from BVN or NIN’s portal
- Enter your current or last known address in Nigeria
- If you want to have alternative contact information for the certificate request, click on YES to enter the name, phone number, and email address.
Step 3 of the PCC Application Process
Select if you will be processing your PCC in Nigeria or Abroad – ‘In Country’ or ‘Diaspora’
Step 4 of the PCC Application Process – In Country (Nigeria)
Read and accept the terms and conditions and let’s roll!
- Request type – this guide is for those who need this for a travel visa, so select International if that applies to you
- Reason for inquiry – if you are traveling for leisure, faaji, and vibes and coming back within the approved visa timeline, select Tourism.
- Country of Origin, State of Origin, Place of Birth, Date of Birth – Enter your accurate information, or use your international passport to guide you here if you need it.
- Destination Country – If you plan to visit multiple countries that need the certificate within the 3-month timeline the certificate is valid for, you may need to apply for each country separately. For exception, reach out to the country’s consulate to see if they will accept a certificate that is addressed to another country. Some are also lenient on accepting a certificate that has also lapsed due to the short validity time limit on the document.
- Country of Passport, Passport Number, Place of Issuance, Date of Issuance – refer to your valid international passport for information.
- Have you previously been convicted? – Answer this honestly if you have a conviction record in Nigeria
- Upload current passport photograph – click here for a guide on uploading the appropriate photo
- Upload your valid International Passport Bio Data page – please no come make mistake and upload an expired passport. You will have to reapply and pay for a new certificate if you make a mistake.
- Select the police center that is closest to you – once your application is confirmed via email or text, you will need to visit the chosen location for biometrics. You are not supposed to pay a fee for the biometric capturing process at the police station, but I have seen reports of people paying from N1,500 to N100,000 to complete the process. Man must chop…
- skip to step 5
Step 4 of the PCC Application Process – Diaspora (Abroad)
Step 4.5
Once you select Diapora, you will see a popup like the image below. Click on the sex that applies to you and download the form. This is a biometrics form (scroll up for the links to download both forms) and you should have a professional fingerprinting service assist with this to avoid a rejection by POSSAP.
Make sure to complete the biometrics form before starting the process below.
Close the popup and proceed to the next page.
Read and accept the terms and conditions and let’s roll!
- Request type – this guide is for those who need this for a travel visa, so select International if that applies to you
- Reason for inquiry – if you are traveling for leisure, faaji, and vibes and coming back within the approved visa timeline, select Tourism.
- Country of Origin, State of Origin, Place of Birth, Date of Birth – Enter your accurate information, or use your international passport to guide you here if you need it.
- Destination Country – If you plan to visit multiple countries that need the certificate within the 3-month timeline the certificate is valid for, you may need to apply for each country separately. For exception, reach out to the country’s consulate to see if they will accept a certificate that is addressed to another country. Some are also lenient on accepting a certificate that has also lapsed due to the short validity time limit on the document.
- Country of Passport, Passport Number, Place of Issuance, Date of Issuance – refer to your valid international passport for information.
- Have you previously been convicted? – Answer this honestly if you have a conviction record in Nigeria
- Upload Current Passport Photograph – click here for a guide on uploading the appropriate photo
- Upload your valid International Passport Bio Data page
- Upload Proof of Residence – Accepted documents are; Tax Receipt, Bank Statement, Phone/Utility Bill, School Admission, School/Employment ID, and Resident Visa/Card
- Upload Your Filled Biometrics Form – download the form for men, and the form for women. Use a professional fingerprinting service to complete the form.
- Proceed to the next page and confirm that your passport photo meets their requirements.
Step 5 of the PCC Application Process – Confirmation Page
- Confirm your information on the page, accept the terms, and proceed to the payment page.
- The fee is N30,000 for local and diaspora – international bank cards are also accepted.
- For Nigerians abroad, you will receive a confirmation and certificate within 24 – 72 working hours if your biometrics document is accurate.
Step 6 of the PCC Application Process – In Country (Nigeria)
- Complete the process by going to the police center you chose during the application to get your biometrics done. As mentioned above, the fee varies according to the will of the police officer attending to you, ranging from N1,500 to N100,000 or more.
- Once your biometrics gets captured and uploaded, you should receive confirmation almost immediately via SMS or email.
Contact Information for POSSAP
Reach out to them by emailing info@possap.gov.ng or calling: +23418884040. I made use of the chat box on the website and someone responded to me each time I had questions.
