r/canadaguns • u/yeezyXgym • Apr 03 '26
Application / Regulation advice Permanent Resident (UK to Canada)
Hi everyone,
My wife and I are planning to apply for our PAL. She’s Canadian and I’m British with a PR status, moved to Canada in October 2024 (expat).
I understand that since I’ve lived in Canada for less than 5 years, I’ll likely need to provide a UK police certificate (ACRO).
A few questions for anyone who’s gone through this as a PR:
Has anyone applied as a PR with less than 5 years residency?
Did RCMP require a recent ACRO or accept older ones (mines dated 2024)?
Anything specific with references/background checks as a newcomer?
Thanks in advance and thanks for the guidance🙌
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Apr 03 '26
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u/yeezyXgym Apr 03 '26
I’ll give them a call shortly, thank you :)
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u/thxxx1337 Apr 03 '26
Might have to wait til Tuesday. It's Easter weekend
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u/yeezyXgym Apr 04 '26
Yeah my friend was helping me, he said to call Saturday to a range in the meantime to see if they can give me an idea, and then Tuesday I’ll call CFP
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u/Ra1nshad0w Apr 03 '26
Welcome! I moved from Singapore and applied for my RPAL while I was a PR. RCMP asked for a Certificate of Clearance from the Singapore Police Force. For references, I used friends and I don’t believe they need to be in Canada.
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u/yeezyXgym Apr 03 '26
Thank you so much, I’ve reached out to my friends for references, will they need to just write a signed letter that I can attach like with my PR process or will RCMP reach out to them?
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u/Ra1nshad0w Apr 04 '26
You just fill out their details in the application form. RCMP may or may not reach out to them..
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u/viccityguy2k Apr 03 '26
Phone and ask for confirmation but I think a police letter from within 6 month or a year of your relocation date is fine.
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u/expatsaffer Apr 03 '26
Things have probably changed since, but when I moved from the UK to Canada I imported my firearms. The RCMP took them and held them until I had my PAL. At that time, the same paperwork that I provided for PR was accepted by the RCMP for the PAL.
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u/yeezyXgym Apr 04 '26
Thank you, how was your move? I’ve found Canada to be significantly more organised than the UK last I flew back a few weeks ago
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u/Hot_Cheesecake_905 Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
PRs are eligible for a PAL; it should not be an issue.
How long it will take to get your applicable approved, who knows though - could be 28 days, 28 weeks, or ???
With less than 5 years in Canada, you do need a letter of good conduct from the UK.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants
I would just a new one if it is not too expensive or difficult so it doesn’t hold up your application.
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u/Halestal Apr 03 '26
Same situation, British PR moved over to Canada. I applied for my PAL within five months of being here and they had no issues. Don’t recall any issues with recent acros so I think you should be fine. It helped to have character references that live in Canada rather than back home. The longer they’ve known you the better in my experience.
I’ll happily take you shooting if you’re in SW Ontario.
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u/yeezyXgym Apr 04 '26
Hey, thank you for the offer, I’d definitely be down to go out to the range in the future!
So far I’ve got my best friend of 10 years who went to secondary school with me, and my last employer before I moved to Canada since I knew him since 2022 and keep a good connection with him
Do PM me we can definitely keep in contact💪
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u/Cock_ball_dickin Apr 03 '26
A friend of mine is Turkish, moved here not that long ago (he was a minor when he moved here tho) and I think got his PAL before his citizenship although I could be wrong. He’s been here less than 5 years. I doubt you’ll run into many issues? But as other suggested you can always call and ask about things
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u/yeezyXgym Apr 03 '26
It’s great to hear it worked for other expats, thank you for sharing this :) I’ll update the thread in case someone else needs advice in the future🙌
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u/Sco0basTeVen Apr 03 '26
I am also a UK citizen who has Canadian PR. I got my PAL in 2015, the same year I got my PR after living in Canada for 3 years previously.
I don’t recall having to provide a police certificate. You had to provide one for the PR process right? Don’t see why you would need one again for a PAL, unless things have changed in the last 10 years
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u/yeezyXgym Apr 04 '26
Congrats! Hope you’ve been enjoying Canada🙌
Yes I provided one for the PR process, but I did fly back a few weeks ago to visit family, and my new sister (my parents are still having kids lol) so not sure if they’ll need me to reapply since I was there for almost 20 days?
My friend said it’s better to just be safe at this point and apply anyways just incase it delays it further
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u/mew-pew-pew Apr 04 '26
You may need to provide a police certificate, but it doesn't have to necessarily be recent, as long as it is issued after the end of your residency in the previous country. Essentially, they're checking to ensure your prior record before coming to Canada is clean. Anything issued after you became a Canadian resident will confirm that.
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u/yeezyXgym Apr 04 '26
Thank you, when I give CFP a call on Tuesday I’ll double check and then go ahead from there, I appreciate you taking the time to share this :)
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u/Heavy_Newspaper_5546 Apr 05 '26
I was also PR under 5 years when I applied for RPAL back then. Submitted Police Clearance from country of origin as an extra requirement. Thats pretty much it. Only took a cursory glance at the Canadian firearms laws before I moved here so it was a shock when I looked into the laws in detail as I had a concealed carry license before I immigrated and thought I could get the same here. Im still in shock with the laws as they dont make sense at all but thats a conversation for another day
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u/Pickleinmayo Apr 06 '26
I received my PAL before even applying for PR, and my wife has done the course and applied before even moving to Canada
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u/admin_bait14 Apr 03 '26
It's illegal for British citizens to bear arms in Canada after the while 'History' thing... sry mate, can't even get your pal. Only loophole I know of is learning French, getting your Quebec citizenship, and then trying to apply but even then they'll likely deny it.
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u/yeezyXgym Apr 03 '26
Quick Google search: As a British citizen with Permanent Resident (PR) status, you have the exact same eligibility to apply for a firearms licence (PAL) as a Canadian citizen. Under the Firearms Act, eligibility is based on residency and safety training, not citizenship. If you have lived in Canada for less than five years, the RCMP requires an official Letter of Good Conduct (criminal record check) from the UK police to cover the period you weren't in Canada. You need two references who have known you for at least three years. If you haven't been in Canada that long, your references can be from the UK.
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u/admin_bait14 Apr 03 '26
Did you use the 'British' Google to search that?
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u/yeezyXgym Apr 03 '26
No? I live in Canada mate and I’m starting to think there’s something wrong with you
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u/admin_bait14 Apr 03 '26
But how do we know you live in Canada and you're not just another Brit trying to rage-bait as they are constantly doing?
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u/yeezyXgym Apr 03 '26
Buddy I live in Ontario, I work full time in corporate for a huge Canadian company, I studied biomedical sciences, pre med and now I’m specialising in physics to join the medical field for cardiac imaging research and I pay my taxes just like everyone else. Please be respectful. Being British doesn’t make me any less of a person.
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u/admin_bait14 Apr 03 '26
Ok but what's your pin number? if you're really in Canada prove it.
Also READ THE LAW its very clear...
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Apr 03 '26
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u/gspotcowboy Apr 03 '26
There have been several accounts shitposting in the comments here in the last few days with this kind of "firearms are illegal in Canada" schtick and I haven't figured out wtf they're all on about yet. It's strange
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u/thxxx1337 Apr 03 '26
Quest que fuck?
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u/admin_bait14 Apr 03 '26
Enfin, un allié! Bienvenue, mon compatriote français ! Aidez-nous à éduquer ces sauvages anglais !
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u/Vintage_Pieces_10 Apr 03 '26
What mumbo jumbo is this? I know one ex UK citizen personally and there’s 3 more at my range who all have PAL’s
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u/admin_bait14 Apr 03 '26
UK like Scottish? They are allowed, heck even the Irish... but ain't no English allowed to bear arms in Canada. Look it up...
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u/Vintage_Pieces_10 Apr 03 '26
Like London England. Piccadilly too. I’m not sure what malarkey you’ve concocted here
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u/Parking_Media Apr 03 '26
Welcome friend
No clue, just bumping you up with a comment.