A Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) is issued by the Indian Passport Office to applicants going abroad for residency, employment, or long-term study. The PCC certifies that no adverse criminal record is associated with the applicant in India. Applications are filed through the Passport Seva portal, after which the local police verify the applicant's address. Once issued, the PCC carries a 15-character File Number that doubles as the verification key. Foreign embassies and immigration authorities verify the PCC online by entering this File Number and the applicant's date of birth on the Passport Seva tracker. PCCs are typically valid for six months from date of issue, though some destination countries impose stricter recency requirements.