Police Certificate - Singapore

[ADAMandKAREN 15]

Just FYI to everyone. The Singaporean Police are now issuing to non singaporeans again but only after you file an appeal. this adds 1-2 weeks to the process. They started allowing this sometime in mid-february.

[caly 48]

Hum,

On a related note, how does one apply for a police certificate in Singapore? The instructions on the application form states

Photocopy of document from relevant consulate/immigration authority/government bodies to establish that the certificate is required by such authority. All documents are to be translated to English if written in other languages.

Will a photocopy of the NOA2 notice of approval sufficiently meet this requirement? If not, what have you successfully used to apply for the police certificate of clearance?

Thanks.

[ADAMandKAREN 15]

Hum,

On a related note, how does one apply for a police certificate in Singapore? The instructions on the application form states

Will a photocopy of the NOA2 notice of approval sufficiently meet this requirement? If not, what have you successfully used to apply for the police certificate of clearance?

Thanks.

It might work. My fiancee brought in the letter from the packet that the embassy gave her and they allowed it with that. I don't know if NOA2 will do it though becuase it doesn't specifically ask for a police clearance like the packet letter does. You could try though. It might work.

[caly 48]

It might work. My fiancee brought in the letter from the packet that the embassy gave her and they allowed it with that. I don't know if NOA2 will do it though becuase it doesn't specifically ask for a police clearance like the packet letter does. You could try though. It might work.

I was hoping to apply for it right after NOA2 so I can send it to my husband along with the rest of the stuff for the DS-230. I'll try using the NOA2 notice + a print out of the DS-230 instructions (listing the police certificate as a requirement) off the NVC website. Worth a shot, right?

[deysg 0]

I have enquired Singapore US embassy

and Ive asked them so many questions, alternatives, opotions i Have and advice...etc

BUT

they only replied me in one line:

"Unfortunately, if a country’s authority has stopped issuing such clearance, there is nothing much you can do but to accept it as it. Thank you. "

I was like....er,... what does that even mean?

I replied:

I can accept, but can NVC accept?

it's been 3 days no answer -.-

I approached a layer to get me a Statutory Declaration, for 20 bucks.

I cant really advise you all, (outside Singapore), what to do. To fly here to make statutory declaration makes notmuch sense.

U can just approach a lawyer and make one. Because its a voluntary action, which just to declare in front of legal person that U COMMIT NO CRIMINAL ACTION IN SINGAPORE.

thats it. If you look at Police Certificate template, thats basically what it says.

I will let u know if I have more answers.

I am in the same boat. I am planning to get a statutory declaration. One of the lawyers I spoke with is asking for $200. Could anyone recommend a more reasonable lawyer?

Thanks

[caly 48]

I am in the same boat. I am planning to get a statutory declaration. One of the lawyers I spoke with is asking for $200. Could anyone recommend a more reasonable lawyer?

Thanks

Hi,

Combi posted a follow up thread to this issue here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/302719-singapore-police-certificate/page__p__4574093#entry4574093

[fayetruefriend 0]

Hi,

Combi posted a follow up thread to this issue here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/302719-singapore-police-certificate/page__p__4574093#entry4574093

yes thanks alot to Combi's contribution on CNCC . i followed his advice called Singapore US embassy so many times requesting for a letter to get CNCC ,unfortunately the lady in charge of Police Cerificate (According to Combi she was the one gave Combi the latter to get CNCC )insist that she haven't rec'ed my case file until today so that she couldnt do anything unless she recv'd my case file(i rev'd NVC interview letter on 29th Mar 2011) and she even suggested that why not i just wait until the interview date because i can get to know what kind of documents i need to submit to US Embassy in order to get my VISA .What a 'thoughtful' suggestion!!! This is really pissed me off as i never expect CNCC would be a problem during my CR1 application .

The question i want to ask is do we really need a letter from Singapore US Embassy which specifically mention that we need CNCC and Statutory Decleration is not sufficient? or we can just bring the letter from Embassy to Singapore Police Fore will do as VJ member ADAMandKAREN said ?

[fayetruefriend 0]

It might work. My fiancee brought in the letter from the packet that the embassy gave her and they allowed it with that. I don't know if NOA2 will do it though becuase it doesn't specifically ask for a police clearance like the packet letter does. You could try though. It might work.

Good day ADAMandKAREN,thank you so much for sharing this information and im wondering what letter is that from Embassy and i have not received any packet from Singapore US Embassy yet and what i have is all from NVC. Any suggestion which letter i can bring to get CNCC? I want to get CNCC before my interview which is on 19th May .

Thank you so much in advance.

Faye

[ADAMandKAREN 15]

Good day ADAMandKAREN,thank you so much for sharing this information and im wondering what letter is that from Embassy and i have not received any packet from Singapore US Embassy yet and what i have is all from NVC. Any suggestion which letter i can bring to get CNCC? I want to get CNCC before my interview which is on 19th May .

Thank you so much in advance.

Faye

Hi Faye,

Well sometime soon the embassy will receive the petition from the NVC and will send you a packet of instructions/forms. The instructions portion of that packet is what i'm referring to when i say letter. The singapore police say they need evidence of your need for a clearance and that letter provides this evidence. You may try to get the clearance before the packet you get the packet but i don't know if it will work or not since my fiancee did not try until she already had the packet. to get the clearance just read this webpage http://www.spf.gov.sg/epc/cert_issued.htm

You will have to appeal to be able to apply for teh clearance because the clearance is only given to singaporean citizens unless an appeal is made. This adds an extra week to the process. In total it takes a good 3 weeks to get the clearance.

PS how do you know when your interview is if you haven't gotten your packet yet?

[fayetruefriend 0]

Hi Faye,

Well sometime soon the embassy will receive the petition from the NVC and will send you a packet of instructions/forms. The instructions portion of that packet is what i'm referring to when i say letter. The singapore police say they need evidence of your need for a clearance and that letter provides this evidence. You may try to get the clearance before the packet you get the packet but i don't know if it will work or not since my fiancee did not try until she already had the packet. to get the clearance just read this webpage http://www.spf.gov.sg/epc/cert_issued.htm

You will have to appeal to be able to apply for teh clearance because the clearance is only given to singaporean citizens unless an appeal is made. This adds an extra week to the process. In total it takes a good 3 weeks to get the clearance.

PS how do you know when your interview is if you haven't gotten your packet yet?

Hi ADAMandKAREN ,thank you very much for your help .I've rec'd NVC interview letter on 29th Mar 2011 which telling me that my interview date is 19th May 2011 and the letter listed down what documents NVC have rec'd and under Singapore Police Certificate they marked as Unavailable (as i sent the print out notification of Singapore Police stop issuing of such documents to foreigner)from Singapore Police website .And i emailed Singapore US Embassy regarding whether i need to bring CNCC when go for interview and they said yes i need.

No documents packet received from Singapore US Embassy yet.Will Singapore US Embassy send me a packet later since NVC have already send me the letter i think it's consider P4 ?

[ADAMandKAREN 15]

Hi ADAMandKAREN ,thank you very much for your help .I've rec'd NVC interview letter on 29th Mar 2011 which telling me that my interview date is 19th May 2011 and the letter listed down what documents NVC have rec'd and under Singapore Police Certificate they marked as Unavailable (as i sent the print out notification of Singapore Police stop issuing of such documents to foreigner)from Singapore Police website .And i emailed Singapore US Embassy regarding whether i need to bring CNCC when go for interview and they said yes i need.

No documents packet received from Singapore US Embassy yet.Will Singapore US Embassy send me a packet later since NVC have already send me the letter i think it's consider P4 ?

Well i guess the difference in packets and stuff is the fact that you are applying for spouse visa whereas Karen applied for fiancee visa. I think you should just take the info you got from the NVC.

[fayetruefriend 0]

Well i guess the difference in packets and stuff is the fact that you are applying for spouse visa whereas Karen applied for fiancee visa. I think you should just take the info you got from the NVC.

i see...so in this case ,im going to try on monday anyway (Die die must try !!! hahaha )and hopefully the Police Fore will accept my NVC letter as proof and approve my appeal first .

Millions of thanks to you ADAMandKAREN and good luck for your VISA application!

[Bonhomme007 0]

Just FYI to everyone. The Singaporean Police are now issuing to non singaporeans again but only after you file an appeal. this adds 1-2 weeks to the process. They started allowing this sometime in mid-february.

Hi Adam and Karen,

How exactly did you "file an appeal"?

Thanks,

B

[MarriedinMalaysia 0]

Hi everyone, my wife (Malaysian but lived in Singapore for many years) just had her CR-1 visa interview at the Embassy in Malaysia, and they approved her visa, but would not issue it until she submitted her Singapore Certificate of Conduct (Singapore police certificate). We were planning on getting the certificate earlier, but confusion with the NVC led us not to apply for it. I wrote down the process from start to finish to help everyone else out there looking to apply for the Singapore certificate, and hopefully avoid going through what we did.

Good luck and all the best!

(Note: link to site removed as it included link to a revenue earning site in violation of TOS. Contents of link content copied and posted below: Multiple duplicate postings of this post have also been removed as there is no need to post this information in more than one location ~VJ Moderation)

Friday, January 13, 2012

Update to Singapore Certificate of Conduct (Singapore Police Certificate)

As I mentioned in my last post, my wife was informed at her visa interview at the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur that her CR-1 visa was approved, but would not be issued until she submitted the required Singapore Certificate of Coverage (Singapore police certificate).

Let's go back to the beginning.

An applicant is required to submit police certificates for any country they had lived in for at least 12 months since they were 16 years of age. My wife is Malaysian, and had lived in Singapore for many years. Therefore, she is required to submit police certificates for both Malaysia and Singapore.

My wife applied for the Malaysia police certificate<a href="http://crossbordermarriage.blogspot.com/2011/10/nvc-required-documents-police.html">, but could not apply for the Singapore certificate because of their new rules about issuing the certificates only to their citizens. Singapore will only issue it to non-citizens if the applicant can provide an official appeal letter explicitly stating that it is required. In this case, since the National Visa Center requires the certificate, the NVC should provide the letter to the Singapore police. However, to be safe, I also contacted the US Embassy in Singapore to see if they could help with the letter. They replied:

"Please submit the memo of Singapore Police to NVC. NVC/Processing Office will issue a letter for her to present to Singapore Police when they are ready for her."

Okay, it sounded pretty clear that the NVC could help me with the letter.

At this point, I had completed all the required forms/documents for the NVC, except for the police certificates - Malaysia one was applied for but we needed to wait the 6 weeks for it to be processed, and the Singapore one could not be applied for without a letter from the NVC. So I called the NVC and they told me to submit everything I had completed, and they would respond after with what is still outstanding. So I sent them everything, and directly stated on my cover letter that my wife was still waiting for the Malaysia police certificate, and that we would need a letter from the NVC to request the Singapore police certificate.

As expected, I received a response from the NVC about a month later with details of what was missing . However, the letter only showed that my wife was missing the Malaysia police certificate - there was no mention of the Singapore police certificate. So I called the NVC to inquire, and the officer told me that the Singapore certificate was no longer available. That was surprising, so I asked a couple more times in the conversation to confirm that my wife did not actually need to submit the certificate, and it was clear she did not. I was feeling pretty good at that point because that was one less form to worry about.

Once my wife received her Malaysia police certificate, we mailed it to the NVC. About a month later, we received a response letter from the NVC stating the application was complete and my wife's interview at the Embassy was scheduled. On the last page of the letter, it showed a list of all the documents requested by the NVC. On the list, it showed the Singapore Police Certificate, but it was marked - "The applicant has informed the NVC that the required document is unavailable." That was a bit strange since I contacted them earlier - both through a letter and a phone conversation - that my wife needed an appeal letter to apply for the Singapore certificate, and they told me it was no longer available. Because I had received this verbal confirmation, and since my wife's application was approved and sent to the Embassy already, I assumed the certificate was not needed.

Jump to the present time. My wife has her interview at the Embassy and the officer informs her that she needs the Singapore Certificate of Conduct. And the officer provides her with the official appeal letter to submit to the Singapore police to request the certificate. Why didn't the NVC tell us that earlier? There must be a severe lack of communication between the NVC and the Embassies, and of course that means the applicants and their families have to waste time and money trying to figure this all out. What a mess.

Instead of further delays trying to apply for the Singapore police certificate through the mail (you need official fingerprints, a bank draft from a Singapore account, and so on), my wife decided to just get it done in person. So she flew down to Singapore that same night, so she could apply in person the following morning:

Applicants residing in Singapore are to appear in person at the COC Office located at Blk D Police Cantonment Complex, #02-07/08, 391 New Bridge Road, Singapore 088762. The office is open from 8.30am to 12.30pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).

She just brought her passport, two passport-sized photos, and $45 Singapore dollars. The process went smoothly, and the Singapore police informed her that the certificate would be issued in two weeks, and mailed directly to the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

Hopefully, the Embassy will contact us when they receive the certificate, but we will probably have to follow up in two weeks. Once they receive it, my wife will have to journey down to Kuala Lumpur again and drop her passport off while they process the visa. That will take at least two more days of her time (I will write a post on it after my wife receives her visa).

Just a few thoughts on this mess:

• I think for anything really important, call the NVC twice, so you can get two different opinions. The first officer you talk to may be new, or unsure, and give you incorrect instructions. The NVC very well may issue the appeal letter if you talk to the right person. You will need to check yourself to confirm.
• I probably should have contacted the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur as well. The problem is the Embassies do not take calls, and when you email them, they send you template replies that don't really answer your question.
• Even after all of this, I am still confused on the process. Maybe what happened is the standard process? That is, the applicant goes for the interview, and then the Embassy officer provides the appeal letter to apply for the Singapore certificate? Because it seems like the Embassy won't deal with you until they are provided with your file from the NVC. If that's the case, I think the best option is to immediately contact the US Embassy you are working with once you receive confirmation from the NVC that your file has been sent to the Embassy. Ask the Embassy for the appeal letter (may have to go to the Embassy in person to request?), so you can apply for the Singapore certificate before your interview. I can't understand why the NVC doesn't inform applicants that they will not issue the appeal letter, and that applicants should contact the Embassy to request it?

I really do hope that from my experience - and writing it down here - that I can prevent any of you out there from having to go through the same thing. Good luck and all the best!

Edited January 14, 2012 by Kathryn41
to remove link not allowed by TOS