In this detailed guide, I will walk you through the precise steps for requesting and processing your PCC – Police Character Certificate in Nigeria. Until now, there has been a lack of direct, updated, and self-explanatory information available online regarding the Police Character Certificate. I have invested considerable effort and time to create this guide, based on my personal experience. Please note that this is an exclusively do-it-yourself (DIY) guide, and you will only incur the official fee of 30,000 naira.
It is important to note that there are two distinct categories of individuals who can apply for the Police Character Certificate (PCC): those residing in Nigeria and those living abroad. This particular blog post is tailored for individuals who are currently residing in Nigeria.
To begin the process, your first step is to visit the official website at https://possap.gov.ng/ and create an account.
During registration, you can choose to sign up on POSSAP as an individual or on behalf of a Corporate/NGO entity. For individual registration, you will need to provide either your National Identification Number (NIN) or Bank Verification Number (BVN), which will undergo validation before you can successfully complete the signup process. For Corporate/NGO registration, you will be required to submit your Tax Identification Number (TIN).
Once you have successfully registered, the subsequent page will come pre-populated with your full name and phone number. However, you must complete the remaining fields, including your email, gender, state, local government, address, and the password you wish to set for your POSSAP portal account.
Following this, a verification email will be dispatched to your email address, containing a 6-digit code, which is essential to finalize the signup process.
Upon completion of the signup process, you will be directed to a page where you need to select the specific service you require. There are three service options available: Police Extract, Police Character Certificate, and Escort and Guards Services. For the purpose of obtaining a Police Character Certificate, you should select the “Police Character Certificate” option.
The ensuing page will be pre-filled with the information you previously entered. Verify that the information is accurate, and then proceed to indicate whether you are currently in the country or residing abroad. Furthermore, specify whether you intend to use the Police Character Certificate domestically or for international purposes, and provide the reason for your request, such as Residency, Education, Tourism, etc.
Complete the remaining fields with information regarding your Country of Origin, Place of Birth, Date of Birth, Destination Country, Country of Passport, Passport Number, Place of Issuance, and Date of Issuance. You will also be required to upload a recent passport photograph and the Bio Data page of your International Passport.
Additionally, you must select your preferred police command state and division, as shown in the provided image on the POSSAP Portal.
The following page will present a summary of your request and personal information, along with an option to generate the invoice. Click on the button to generate the invoice, and a page will appear for you to confirm your readiness to make the payment. Select “pay online,” and you will be redirected to the payment gateway.
Upon successful completion of the payment process, you will be able to view the details of your application and print the receipt. It’s worth noting that a hard copy of the receipt is unnecessary; all you need is the File Reference Number, which follows a format like “PCC0000475856.”
At this point, you can monitor the status of your application, as displayed in the provided image.
Depending on certain undisclosed factors, your application may temporarily indicate “Secretariat Routing” for approximately 2 to 3 days. Rest assured that there’s no need for concern. Simply send an email to info@possap.gov.ng or call 01-8884040 to report the issue. They will promptly resolve it.
Once your application is successfully routed to your preferred police command, you can proceed with the biometric capture.
Upon reaching your police command, seek directions to the biometric capture room.
Note: It’s important to be aware that some individuals within the system may request payment for the biometric capture of your Police Character Certificate, with amounts ranging from approximately 3,000 naira to 20,000 naira, depending on location and individuals encountered. Politely inform them that biometric capture is free and that you will contact the POSSAP Customer Support if necessary. They are likely to act promptly as they value their positions. Please, refrain from making any payments as the service is indeed free.
Once your biometric data has been captured, your request status will be updated. From this moment, you only need to wait for approximately 24 hours before your certificate is ready for collection.
If you have any inquiries or require further assistance regarding this process or POSSAP portal, please feel free to reach out. I am here to assist you.