Police Certificate - Are fingerprints necassary?

[Lainie B 465]

I strongly suggest you try a walk-in without an appointment. Beg and plead with them that it is urgent. It has worked for other people.

[Delilah'sMan 0]

I went in to my local police station today and was told to just call the day before, and that finger print checks were free. I'm confused, I can send in an application for a NPC and finger print check for $145, or just get the finger prints done for free and then pay the $105 for the NPC. Why would anyone pay the $145 then?

[Lainie B 465]

I went in to my local police station today and was told to just call the day before, and that finger print checks were free. I'm confused, I can send in an application for a NPC and finger print check for $145, or just get the finger prints done for free and then pay the $105 for the NPC. Why would anyone pay the $145 then?

Are you getting your check through the federal or state police?

[Delilah'sMan 0]

How could I tell?

/stupidquestion.

[Lainie B 465]

How could I tell?

/stupidquestion.

Which form are you using, where did you get it and where are you sending your form to?

It sounds like you are applying through the AFP not your state police - is it this:

http://www.afp.gov.au/what-we-do/police-checks/national-police-checks.aspx

The instructions from the embassy website say that you need to get it from your state police. However it may well be the same thing in the end (National Police Check) no matter who runs the check, and the AFP website does state that "visa applications" is one of the reasons you can request it from them. I would check with the Sydney Consulate first though to see if it is OK, or else I wonder if anyone else has done the same and been OK? I believe the AFP take longer than most states (it states 30 working days on their website).

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I went in to my local police station today and was told to just call the day before, and that finger print checks were free. I'm confused, I can send in an application for a NPC and finger print check for $145, or just get the finger prints done for free and then pay the $105 for the NPC. Why would anyone pay the $145 then?

you're confused. You don't get charged for fingerprints being taken, but you DO get charged for them running a check USING your fingerprints... that's what they mean.

[Carlo Vanbrabant 0]

The whole thing is such bulls**t. I seriously don't understand why it takes so long to get an appointment for fingerprints. I hope you can get an appointment soon!

Hello all,

Talking about biting time, As we all know in the K1 visa process regarding the Police certificates, you will need to provide one from every country you have lived in for longer then 12 months since the age of 16, right!.

Well I have been living in three countries since then, Belgium, The Netherlands and Australia, from Belgium was piece of cake, after I received my instructions from Packet three, there is a letter provided to obtain that Police certificate, took three days to get it( excellent) from The Netherlands I can't ask for a police clearance directly, the US Embassy does that for you using their channels, so even better for me, now I will get to my Australian police certificate, this is the last document that I need to notify the Embassy that I have all the required documents for the interview.

With my packet three I received instructions to obtain that Australian Police certificate, I needed to make an appointment with the US Embassy in Brussels to have my fingerprints taken, three days later when I was there at the Embassy, the assistant of the Consul takes my fingerprints, on paper!! I asked what the procedure was from there on in.

Well you (I) need to send these prints to the Australian Federal Police, here is the website and so on. I filled out the required paperwork that you can download from the AFP and called them for further questions regarding the payment ( AU$105.00).

The AFP said I needed either a bank cheque or a money order from the Australian post, well since I don't live in Australia anymore since a year now, this is the tricky part. No bank in the world will make you a bank cheque over the phone, even if like I still have a bank account in Australia. And to get a money order you need to go to the Post office in Australia physically.

So the other option is which the AFP doesn't recommend, cash! I called the AFP again, same lady on the phone and explained the situation. Well she said we don't recommend it but will make an exception for you, Yes!! Finding Australian money is just a matter of calling around, no problem.

The application takes a week to get to Australia by mail, that is fine, but the processing of the fingerprints will take up to 30 working days and then it needs another week to be send back to my place, and then finally I can make my appointment for the interview.

BTW the police clearance is valid for one year, if I had know all this before I could have done this while, we were waiting to get the I129 f approved.

Talking about waiting, in this day of modern technology, still using snail mail, fingerprints on paper, so many things can happen on the way you know, what if the fingerprints get lost in the mail, start the process all over again!! Or what if someone opens my mail ( I am being paranoid sometimes but who can blame you when you are waiting all that time to have your visa approved right!)

Anyway there is a lot of things that could have been done a lot easier and quicker. Nevertheless I am biting my time, going for a ride on my bike and think about my future life in the USA with my beautiful girl!

Good luck to all and I hope for all the other people, that you don't have to go through this!.

Best regards

[Sevenartists 2]

I tried walking in, and it didn't work. All I got was the usual "I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do" #######.

I do have one very important question. Do the fingerprints have to be ink prints, or can they be digital prints. Because Victoria Police also does digital fingerprinting, and I can get in a lot sooner than the ink ones. I really need to know, because that can really save my #### on this.

[Lainie B 465]

I tried walking in, and it didn't work. All I got was the usual "I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do" #######.

I do have one very important question. Do the fingerprints have to be ink prints, or can they be digital prints. Because Victoria Police also does digital fingerprinting, and I can get in a lot sooner than the ink ones. I really need to know, because that can really save my #### on this.

When I went in I did the digital prints on the machine they had there. That's the only option they had.

Sorry to hear the walk-in didn't work.

[Travis and Meghan 24]

I had digital prints done too

[Amanda and Josh 12]

That sucks, In QLD I just turned up at the local police station and they did myself and my older daughter, it was all ink fingerprints and very messy but the cops made it an entertaining experience. it then took blooy ages to get it back

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I tried walking in, and it didn't work. All I got was the usual "I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do" #######.

I do have one very important question. Do the fingerprints have to be ink prints, or can they be digital prints. Because Victoria Police also does digital fingerprinting, and I can get in a lot sooner than the ink ones. I really need to know, because that can really save my #### on this.

I had digital done. They asked my preference and I preferred digital

[Athena13 10]

for me there is no choice, only digital. I did it on March 1st this year.

that is also why it took so long and we can't make appt, cos the fingerprint machine is in the same room as they temporarily keep the 'baddies'.

[Austramerican 83]

Update on this: He has been calling every day and finally got an appt for this Monday, we are so happy and relieved

Moral of the story: bother them enough and they will find time for you hehe

[Lainie B 465]

Update on this: He has been calling every day and finally got an appt for this Monday, we are so happy and relieved

Moral of the story: bother them enough and they will find time for you hehe

I'm so glad to hear it! I think that's what worked for me too, and others, I hear.