Police reports for countries you live in for longer than 6 or 12 months?

[LMK74 1]

Hi everyone,

I've searched through old posts and I couldn't find the exact answers I was looking for....so I'm looking for some help.

We're in the process of applying for a K-1 visa, me being the UKC.

I've seen different information in different places regarding when a police report is needed. Is it 6 or 12 months for living in another country?

For instance,

I lived for a year in New Zealand on a working visa. I left just before my visa finished and was basically backpacking around the country so didn't have a permanent address. I wasn't in any trouble with the police.

I also lived in Australia for approx 9 months doing the same thing...working visa, backpacking, left before the visa and no trouble with the police.

Do I need to apply for police reports for these countries as over 6 months or just the U.K one for over 12 months?

If I have to get all the police reports....does anyone know how I would go about applying for them?

Thanks all for your help

Lynn

[reese1 68]

Yes, you will need all police reports from where you have ever lived since the age of 18 for more than 6 months. Sorry not sure what you will need to do to get them.

[wilfon 30]

Hi everyone,

I've searched through old posts and I couldn't find the exact answers I was looking for....so I'm looking for some help.

We're in the process of applying for a K-1 visa, me being the UKC.

I've seen different information in different places regarding when a police report is needed. Is it 6 or 12 months for living in another country?

For instance,

I lived for a year in New Zealand on a working visa. I left just before my visa finished and was basically backpacking around the country so didn't have a permanent address. I wasn't in any trouble with the police.

I also lived in Australia for approx 9 months doing the same thing...working visa, backpacking, left before the visa and no trouble with the police.

Do I need to apply for police reports for these countries as over 6 months or just the U.K one for over 12 months?

If I have to get all the police reports....does anyone know how I would go about applying for them?

Thanks all for your help

Lynn

Hi, here is an official government website that will help you. Just click on the country and scroll down until you see police clearance. It will tell you if you are able to obtain a police clearance from that country - sometimes the police clearance is not available unless you are physically in the country. If it states that it is not available unless physically there, then print out the entire page that states this as proof when you go to your interview because sometimes the Intervier/CO doesn't know of this or just doesn't care and will say that you need the police clearance. This way you can show him/her your proof. My fiance printed this because she is not physically in one country that she worked and she applied for a police clearance to a different country and received it in about 3-4 weeks.

Good luck, I hope this helps.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/fees/fees_3272.html

[JoeChe 0]

..i think it's best if you contact your embassy for the exact info.. that's what i did when i needed reliable info about the requirements.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Hi everyone,

I've searched through old posts and I couldn't find the exact answers I was looking for....so I'm looking for some help.

If I have to get all the police reports....does anyone know how I would go about applying for them?

Thanks all for your help

Lynn

Your answer in detail is on the London embassy website http://london.usembassy.gov/document_checklist.html#police_certificate

Follow that.

The other page dicussing it is the list of documents required for interview http://london.usembassy.gov/application_documents.html

[LMK74 1]

Just read through all the replies and thanks for doing that but still confused as one person has said any country over 6 months but then looked at another link that was offered and it says 12 months?

This was from the US Embassy in London website:

Police Certificates: Required for all countries where you have lived for more than 12 months since the age of 16. Present and former residents of the United States should NOT obtain any police certificates covering their residence in the U.S. Please follow this link for further information.

Police Certificates for the United Kingdom: A visa applicant who has resided in the United Kingdom for 6 months or more since the age of 16, is required to obtain a police certificate from the ACPO Criminal Records Office (ACRO). Please follow this link for further information.

I wasn't in either country for longer than 12 months before returning to the U.K.

I'm really hoping that it's 12 months as that saves me a lot of hassle getting the New Zeland and Australia reports - especially as I know I didn't get in to any trouble in either country!!

Thanks again x

[edenjames 6]

Just read through all the replies and thanks for doing that but still confused as one person has said any country over 6 months but then looked at another link that was offered and it says 12 months?

This was from the US Embassy in London website:

Police Certificates: Required for all countries where you have lived for more than 12 months since the age of 16. Present and former residents of the United States should NOT obtain any police certificates covering their residence in the U.S. Please follow this link for further information.

Police Certificates for the United Kingdom: A visa applicant who has resided in the United Kingdom for 6 months or more since the age of 16, is required to obtain a police certificate from the ACPO Criminal Records Office (ACRO). Please follow this link for further information.

I wasn't in either country for longer than 12 months before returning to the U.K.

I'm really hoping that it's 12 months as that saves me a lot of hassle getting the New Zeland and Australia reports - especially as I know I didn't get in to any trouble in either country!!

Thanks again x

The Sydney embassy says the same about 12 months, however I was requested to present a UK police clearance to take to interview after living in the UK for only 11 months. I wish I'd just ordered it months ago to 'cover my butt', it would have saved me stress and money as I now had to pay for an priority service to ensure it gets here in time.

Edited January 23, 2013 by edenjames

[LMK74 1]

The Sydney embassy says the same about 12 months, however I was requested to present a UK police clearance to take to interview after living in the UK for only 11 months. I wish I'd just ordered it months ago to 'cover my butt', it would have saved me stress and money as I now had to pay for an priority service to ensure it gets here in time.

I was thinking I might have to just get them in case. Do you know if I just go to the Australian embassy to apply for one or is there another site? I was reading something about fingerprints too?

So much paperwork...

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I was thinking I might have to just get them in case. Do you know if I just go to the Australian embassy to apply for one or is there another site? I was reading something about fingerprints too?

So much paperwork...

You are interviewing in London. Are you going to believe a post from a stranger who says 6 months or the printed instructions from London? You originally stated you lived in NZ for a year. Then you said not a year. If a year, get a police certificate.

[edenjames 6]

I was thinking I might have to just get them in case. Do you know if I just go to the Australian embassy to apply for one or is there another site? I was reading something about fingerprints too?

So much paperwork...

For me I'm not sure whether they just decided 11 months was close enough, but if I was you and had time I'd email the London embassy for clarification. If you do need an Aussie police check here's where you go http://www.afp.gov.au/what-we-do/police-checks/national-police-checks.aspx#forms

Good luck!!

[LMK74 1]

You are interviewing in London. Are you going to believe a post from a stranger who says 6 months or the printed instructions from London? You originally stated you lived in NZ for a year. Then you said not a year. If a year, get a police certificate.

I was in New Zealand on a one year working visa...I think I left the day before the visa expired so I'm saying i didn't live there longer than 12 months.

Which is great for me if it's all anything over 12 months for a police certificate.

I guess I'll go by the London US Embassy website then although I swear I've read on another official site that it was 6 months...

Edited January 23, 2013 by Devongirl74

[CaroSL 68]

I was thinking I might have to just get them in case. Do you know if I just go to the Australian embassy to apply for one or is there another site? I was reading something about fingerprints too?

So much paperwork...

You should look at the link Nich-Nick gave you, what is needed is what the embassy asks for . It seems it is definitly needed for your stay in new zealand.

I agree, too much paperwork. But you have plenty of time to get those. Plus, it's better to get everything right the first time, right? Definitly worth gathering those in my opinion.

Good luck in your journey!

[CaroSL 68]

I was in New Zealand on a one year working visa...I think I left the day before the visa expired so I'm saying i didn't live there longer than 12 months.

Which is great for me if it's all anything over 12 months for a police certificate.

I guess I'll go by the London US Embassy website then although I swear I've read on another official site that it was 6 months...

For some embassies (and it might change from embassies to embassies, so be carefull with this and double check it) the 6 months appear in this case: "current country of residency (if applicant has resided there for at least 6 months)" For all other countries (i.e. countries you lived in but don't currently live in, it is 12 months. At least it is how it works with the US embassy in paris (just recieved the paper today)

Be carefull to get information that is specific to the UK. I know for a fact that requirement are different from embassies to embassies on this: in france, this is "at least a year", not "more than 12 months".

I also know that paris USEM asks for a french police certificate less than 3 months old (in some other countries it is a year and not 3 months).

So take London information and follow them closely (although I would get the NZ police certificate, cause less/more than 12 months... let's agree this is close and I am a real risk advert with this process)

[dragonfly928 3]

So as long as I have stayed over 6 months, I need a Police Report?

I was a student over a period of 4 years, approximately 20 years ago. However, on each entry, it was only for 9 months as I left for home every summer holiday during the 4 year period. I did not find any information regarding this.

Anyone can shed a light on this?