Police Certificates

[gina_raluca 14]

If you have lived in another country for less than 1 year, but more than 6 months, did NVC require you to submit police certificates from that country?

Thank you.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

If you have lived in another country for less than 1 year, but more than 6 months, did NVC require you to submit police certificates from that country?

Thank you.

You have to live overseas for 12 months to need one from that country. See the attachment here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/250536-confusion-about-police-certificates/page__view__findpost__p__3851060

Some people will say it depends on your country, but I have yet to find proof to the "if you lived overseas for 6 months or more" thing that some people occasionally mention.

Just in case, check your countries requirements just so you don't end up with an RFE down the line. Where are you from?

[trailmix 77]

Some people will say it depends on your country, but I have yet to find proof to the "if you lived overseas for 6 months or more" thing that some people occasionally mention.

The 6 month rule applies to K visa applicants, hence the confusion (maybe also consulate dependant, not sure).

"Police certificate from all places lived since age 16"

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_2994.html#general

Edited May 11, 2010 by trailmix

[trailmix 77]

double post

Edited May 11, 2010 by trailmix

[gina_raluca 14]

Thank you, guys, for replying. I read the Department of State page, which clearly states that we need to submit a certificate only if we lived in another country for 12 months. I spoke with 2 NVC operators who told me that they will require the certificate if the person has lived in another country for 6 months. The second operator told me that the Department of State is slow in updating the information on their site... I just don't get it.

The case is for my mom. She is from Romania, but has worked in Italy for 9 months.

I should add that another operator told me that my mom does not need the certificate from Italy. The strangest thing ever, she told me that she needed the certificates from Romania and Moldovia. My mom lived in the Romanian region of Moldavia, but she has never lived or visited the actual country of Moldovia. I am just baffled that she would know something about my mom living in Moldovia. We had not submitted the DS-230 form at that time. Isn't this weird?

Edited May 11, 2010 by gina_raluca

[VanessaTony 3,567]

The 6 month rule applies to K visa applicants, hence the confusion (maybe also consulate dependant, not sure).

"Police certificate from all places lived since age 16"

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_2994.html#general

Actually I AM a K visa applicant which is where my post is from, directly from the Consulate website.

The link you posted does not have ALL the K1 visa requirements... so I doubt they would bother listing the intricacies of the police certificates.

Here's some additional evidence:

- Australia police checks: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/fiance_niv_appl.html (you'll need to scroll down to police certificates) this is the table I already posted

- ***removed***: http://www.***removed***/immigration/police-certificates.html "IF the applicant lived in a different country for more than 12 months

AND was 16 years or older at that time"

- Canada: http://www.usvisa.com/policecertificates.shtml "Police certificates are also required from all other countries where the applicant has resided for at least one year."

- Fiji etc: http://suva.usembassy.gov/police-clearance.html "and from any other country if residence was more than one year (12 months)"

Again, 6 months ONLY for the country of your nationality, otherwise, if you lived in another country for more than 12 months then a police check is required from that country.

This website: http://www.usvisa.com/policecertificates.shtml lists where police certificates aren't available from (I didn't check how recent it was, there's probably a state page somewhere...). You can see MOLDOVA (not Moldovia, you must have made a typo.. no such place exists) police certs arent available, and it also lists how to go about getting an Italian one.

Edited May 11, 2010 by Vanessa&Tony

[gina_raluca 14]

Actually I AM a K visa applicant which is where my post is from, directly from the Consulate website.

The link you posted does not have ALL the K1 visa requirements... so I doubt they would bother listing the intricacies of the police certificates.

Here's some additional evidence:

- Australia police checks: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/fiance_niv_appl.html (you'll need to scroll down to police certificates) this is the table I already posted

- ***removed***: http://www.***removed***/immigration/police-certificates.html "IF the applicant lived in a different country for more than 12 months

AND was 16 years or older at that time"

- Canada: http://www.usvisa.com/policecertificates.shtml "Police certificates are also required from all other countries where the applicant has resided for at least one year."

- Fiji etc: http://suva.usembassy.gov/police-clearance.html "and from any other country if residence was more than one year (12 months)"

Again, 6 months ONLY for the country of your nationality, otherwise, if you lived in another country for more than 12 months then a police check is required from that country.

This website: http://www.usvisa.com/policecertificates.shtml lists where police certificates aren't available from (I didn't check how recent it was, there's probably a state page somewhere...). You can see MOLDOVA (not Moldovia, you must have made a typo.. no such place exists) police certs arent available, and it also lists how to go about getting an Italian one.

Thanks a lot for all your help! You're right about the spelling of Moldova . I spelled it phonetically.

Isn't it weird that they would require that certificate? I wonder how they knew that my mom lived in that part of the country. They had not received our DS-230 at that time. I guess I will never know ...

Edited May 11, 2010 by gina_raluca

[Deb+Steve 13]

Thanks a lot for all your help! You're right about the spelling of Moldova . I spelled it phonetically.

Isn't it weird that they would require that certificate? I wonder how they knew that my mom lived in that part of the country. They had not received our DS-230 at that time. I guess I will never know ...

Contact member RPS, she is waiting on PCC's for her husband for the same. I think they were RFE'd even though he had it listed as 6 months. She may be able to help you with you that. Best of luck ...

[gina_raluca 14]

Contact member RPS, she is waiting on PCC's for her husband for the same. I think they were RFE'd even though he had it listed as 6 months. She may be able to help you with you that. Best of luck ...

Thanks, Deb+Steve!

[trailmix 77]

Isn't it weird that they would require that certificate? I wonder how they knew that my mom lived in that part of the country. They had not received our DS-230 at that time. I guess I will never know ...

She may have noted it on her G-325A Biographic Information page - which would have been submitted with her I-130 petition

The 6 month rule applies to K visa applicants, hence the confusion (maybe also consulate dependant, not sure).

"Police certificate from all places lived since age 16"

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_2994.html#general

Actually I AM a K visa applicant which is where my post is from, directly from the Consulate website.

The link you posted does not have ALL the K1 visa requirements... so I doubt they would bother listing the intricacies of the police certificates.

Here's some additional evidence:

- Australia police checks: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/fiance_niv_appl.html (you'll need to scroll down to police certificates) this is the table I already posted

I wasn't implying you were wrong, I was just pointing out where the confusion comes from.

Also it does seem to be consulate specific, as I mentioned, the Vancouver consulate uses the 6 month guideline - for K visa applicants.

POLICE CERTIFICATES: Please obtain police certificates from the police authorities of each country where you have resided for 6 months or more since attaining the age of 16. A police certificate must also be obtained from the police authorities of any place where you have been arrested for any reason, regardless of the length of residence.

Edited May 11, 2010 by trailmix

[gina_raluca 14]

She may have noted it on her G-325A Biographic Information page - which would have been submitted with her I-130 petition

That's what it was!! Thanks. I was really baffled by it!

I talked to a fourth operator. Now, I got 2 operators who say it's required for 6 months and 2 operators who say it's only required for 12 months.

I think I need a supervisor to help clarify this.

[trailmix 77]

You definately need to follow the guidelines for civil documents from the Department of State:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3190.html

Just click on civil documents - it's just as tony&vanessa stated.

I don't know where you are up to in the process, but when you get instructions from NVC, that link I just posted is where they will send you to - for instruction on what to send with your DS-230.

Good luck

[VanessaTony 3,567]

You definately need to follow the guidelines for civil documents from the Department of State:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3190.html

Just click on civil documents - it's just as tony&vanessa stated.

I don't know where you are up to in the process, but when you get instructions from NVC, that link I just posted is where they will send you to - for instruction on what to send with your DS-230.

Good luck

Ooo thank you! Finally something from US specifically. I'll save that link!

Though, hearing that they claim the site hasn't been updated, I'm wondering whether you should just look into getting police certificates from any place she's ever lived... just to be safe and not to delay the matter too long.

[gina_raluca 14]

You definately need to follow the guidelines for civil documents from the Department of State:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3190.html

Good luck

Thanks! That's the link I used to learn about the civil documents.

Ooo thank you! Finally something from US specifically. I'll save that link!

Though, hearing that they claim the site hasn't been updated, I'm wondering whether you should just look into getting police certificates from any place she's ever lived... just to be safe and not to delay the matter too long.

Only one operator told me that they are slow in updating the information. another forum member whose case has been completed recently told me that in their case, the NVC did not request the certificate from a country they had lived for 8 months.

I am working on getting the certificate, just in case.

[Raluca805 1]

Gina, i am a bit confused about your situation but i would like to give you my input on this.I am from Romania and as you might know, the region of Moldova in Romania, it is just a region,there is no official name for that region,it is just a given historical name, it just includes towns like Bacau, Galati,Iasi, etc.If your mother was born there or ever lived there, it just means she lived in one of those towns from that region, IN ROMANIA. Romania is a country and Moldova is another totally different country.I believe the only police certificate your mother needs is one issued from her town of current residence, in Romania.About the Italian one, i believe she only needs one if she had actually legally moved to Italy, even for a short period of time, if she is in any way recorded as a Romanian citizen living abroad in Italy.I hope all this makes sense to you and that i haven't been off topic.Good luck and please let us know what did you do regarding this situation.