What is the practical effect of the expiration date of a police certificate?

[shira 4]

Suppose an applicant's police report expires on date X. What is the practical effect of X? Is X the latest visa-approval date? Is X the latest date that the visa holder can enter the U.S.? Is X the latest date that a DS-230 package can be received?

[redvelvet 12]

There is no direct connection with X and the date of visa or date of entry to US.

The only purpose of the police clearance is it should be valid at the time of interview or in your case when you submit the documents to NVC:

X > Interview date OR Documents sent to NVC

Edited February 3, 2013 by redvelvet

[Darnell 8,478]

for Guangzhou IV,

X is the date of the visa approval.

So, plan accordingly, aye?

If it's past X, get a new one, submit it on document intake day.

[JessieRC 8]

Make sure your certificate is valid EACH time you need to sumbit it to NVC or GZ consulate, which means if it'll be expired when you send in your IV package, get a new one; if it'll be expired on your spouse's interview day, get a new one.

[shira 4]

Very good. Thanks for these clarifications.

Our actual X is December 19, 2013. So I think we're in pretty good shape.

[pushbrk 12,888]

for Guangzhou IV,

X is the date of the visa approval.

So, plan accordingly, aye?

If it's past X, get a new one, submit it on document intake day.

Not following this logic. GUZ IV doesn't care about any expiration date on a police report. They care only about the issue date being less than a year prior to the interview. However, I suggest the report be secured no more than six months prior to the interview if it's for China. If it's for another country, it can really be obtained pretty much anytime just before or after leaving the country.

Edited February 5, 2013 by pushbrk

[pushbrk 12,888]

Suppose an applicant's police report expires on date X. What is the practical effect of X? Is X the latest visa-approval date? Is X the latest date that the visa holder can enter the U.S.? Is X the latest date that a DS-230 package can be received?

Order the Chinese police report about three months after filing the petition.

[Darnell 8,478]

ya, sorry push - i got the words and concept backwards - it's the issuance date, not the expiration date.

if the issuance date + 365 days puts you past the interview date, yer golden.

if the issuance date + 365 days is prior to the interview date, get another police clearance report.

The BEST TIME, IMO, to get a PCC for china, for a spousal visa , is when the GUZ number is issued at NVC. The PCC doesn't have to be mailed out to the USCitizen Spouse, only scanned in for utilizing NVC Electronic Processing.

For a K-1, the best time to get one is when you (the petitioner) have learned of 'packet 3 sent' from the DoS Hotline (yes, you've been calling, la) .

Edited February 5, 2013 by Darnell

[pushbrk 12,888]

ya, sorry push - i got the words and concept backwards - it's the issuance date, not the expiration date.

if the issuance date + 365 days puts you past the interview date, yer golden.

if the issuance date + 365 days is prior to the interview date, get another police clearance report.

The BEST TIME, IMO, to get a PCC for china, for a spousal visa , is when the GUZ number is issued at NVC. The PCC doesn't have to be mailed out to the USCitizen Spouse, only scanned in for utilizing NVC Electronic Processing.

For a K-1, the best time to get one is when you (the petitioner) have learned of 'packet 3 sent' from the DoS Hotline (yes, you've been calling, la) .

I concur. For spouse, cases waiting for petition approval is best IMO, rather than waiting for GUZ number as these reports often take three to four weeks to secure.