Police Certificate - Overseas 10 Months

[Clark--Kent 4]

The NVC received my case and I'm currently waiting for the case number to be assigned. I've gathered all the documents I've needed and I'm ready to submit everything...but now I think I've run into a snag.

My wife has her police certificate from Japan, but now I'm not sure if she needs one for the UK. She lived in England for 10 months consecutively about a decade ago.

Originally, I was led to believe it wasn't required because on the State Department's website giving instructions for the DS-230, it has a chart that states you need a police certificate "If you lived in a different country from more than 12 MONTHS and were 16 years or older that time" The two sections that mention 6 months are about your own country of nationality, which would only apply to Japan.

BUT

When you click on the reciprocity schedule for the UK, it states "Immigrant visa applicants who have resided in the United Kingdom for six months or more since the age of sixteen are required to obtain a statement from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Criminal Records Office."

Anyone know which is it? If I send in the IV package without the police certificate, should I expect an RFE? With ACPO offering express processing, I think I could get the certificate in hand in about 2 1/2 weeks...should I go ahead and spend the money and get it just in case?

Any help would be appreciated.

[Clark--Kent 4]

I just wanted to add that I just called the NVC and spoke to an operator about this. Anyone that's ever called and spoken to them can surely agree how unhelpful they are.

I was told that the NVC won't require the police certificate, based on the official instructions for the DS-230, but it's possible the Tokyo Embassy might require it at the interview.

Hearing that did nothing to ease my anxiety...should I wait to send in my DS-230 until I have it? I'm kind of in a time crunch for getting this all processed and sent to the embassy so I'd like there to be no unnecessary delays. If I wait for the certificate, I'll have wasted some time but if I get an RFE, I'll waste even more.

[Laure&Colin 558]

I just wanted to add that I just called the NVC and spoke to an operator about this. Anyone that's ever called and spoken to them can surely agree how unhelpful they are.

I was told that the NVC won't require the police certificate, based on the official instructions for the DS-230, but it's possible the Tokyo Embassy might require it at the interview.

Hearing that did nothing to ease my anxiety...should I wait to send in my DS-230 until I have it? I'm kind of in a time crunch for getting this all processed and sent to the embassy so I'd like there to be no unnecessary delays. If I wait for the certificate, I'll have wasted some time but if I get an RFE, I'll waste even more.

If you can really have it in less than 3 weeks, then go for it. It won't necessarily delay your case much, since you still don't have your NVC case number. Sending DS230 is only possible after they have accepted your DS3032 email, after they invoice the IV fee, and after it shows as paid on the payment portal. So it's gonna take a little time from case number anyway.

It would really s*ck big time if they demanded it at the embassy, which they could, seeing what the DOS website says.