Sequencing biometrics, medicals and police certificates

Biometrics, the immigration medical exam, and police certificates each have a shelf life and a lead time. Order them without a plan and the client pays twice — once in fees, once in months.

Know the validity windows

• Immigration medical exam: generally valid for a limited period (commonly around 12 months) from the date of the exam. If processing runs long, IRCC may request a new one.
• Police certificates: most authorities and IRCC treat them as current only if issued within a set recent window, and a certificate must post-date the client's last stay of six months or more in that country.
• Biometrics: valid for a fixed period (10 years for many permanent residence lines; shorter logic applies for temporary applications). Check whether the client already has valid biometrics on file before booking new ones.

The sequencing rule

Order the slow, hard-to-get items (police certificates from countries with long issuance times, medicals in regions with few panel physicians) early. Order the fast items (biometrics at a nearby collection point) close to submission. For police certificates from multiple countries, start them all at once — the longest one sets your timeline.

Build a tracker

For each item: date ordered, expected date, date received, expiry date, and the projected submission date. If any expiry lands before the projected decision, plan for a re-order and tell the client now, not when IRCC asks.

Multi-person files

Every family member over the relevant age needs their own set. Put each person on the tracker separately.