Obtaining UK ACRO - Police Certificate process

[Ian and Deanna 5]

Just a little advice about obtaining your police certificates!!

It is a lengthy process....so fill out your forms and send them off as soon as you get your text from the USCIS that your NOA2 has been approved, if not before because its coming up to a month and i still have not got them back.

Here is my journey to obtain one!!

18 April - Received NOA2 acceptance

19 April - I downloaded the forms and filled them out

20 April - Went to get passport photographs done

26 April - I received my Photograph Endorsement form and photograph back

27 April - Sent package off to ACRO Portsmouth

30 April - ACRO received my package

13 May - Received email saying "It will now be dealt with in accordance with the published guidelines"

So i guess they still have to do their checks and admin stuff and then send me it in the usual snail mail here in the UK, so another 5 days and it will be exactly one month till i finally get my police certificate, that's if it gets here in the 5 days!! I sent an email this morning asking what the turn a round time would be but still waiting for a reply!!

I paid £45 fee for the standard service, which they state is 10 working day turnaround, not including dates of receipt or dispatch, but that's 2 weeks once they receive it, in my case i had to wait nearly 2 weeks before they even looked at it! with getting photo endorsed, sending and receiving it wont be short of a month. This is the only document i need before phoning for my medical and sending off the forms needed by the London Embassy!!

So my suggestion to everybody is you want the certificate sooner is pay the £80 for premier service and a 2 day turn around but that's only when they start processing it not for the whole process and i guess it also depends if you have a criminal record or not!!, which i dont

I will updateand let everyone know when i actually get the certificate in my hands!!

[Azsara 110]

Just a little advice about obtaining your police certificates!!

It is a lengthy process....so fill out your forms and send them off as soon as you get your text from the USCIS that your NOA2 has been approved, if not before because its coming up to a month and i still have not got them back.

Here is my journey to obtain one!!

18 April - Received NOA2 acceptance

19 April - I downloaded the forms and filled them out

20 April - Went to get passport photographs done

26 April - I received my Photograph Endorsement form and photograph back

27 April - Sent package off to ACRO Portsmouth

30 April - ACRO received my package

13 May - Received email saying "It will now be dealt with in accordance with the published guidelines"

So i guess they still have to do their checks and admin stuff and then send me it in the usual snail mail here in the UK, so another 5 days and it will be exactly one month till i finally get my police certificate, that's if it gets here in the 5 days!! I sent an email this morning asking what the turn a round time would be but still waiting for a reply!!

I paid £45 fee for the standard service, which they state is 10 working day turnaround, not including dates of receipt or dispatch, but that's 2 weeks once they receive it, in my case i had to wait nearly 2 weeks before they even looked at it! with getting photo endorsed, sending and receiving it wont be short of a month. This is the only document i need before phoning for my medical and sending off the forms needed by the London Embassy!!

So my suggestion to everybody is you want the certificate sooner is pay the £80 for premier service and a 2 day turn around but that's only when they start processing it not for the whole process and i guess it also depends if you have a criminal record or not!!, which i dont

I will updateand let everyone know when i actually get the certificate in my hands!!

Hey thanks for your advice! Can you clarify for me what this means though?

26 April - I received my Photograph Endorsement form and photograph back

I already have some left over photos from the package i sent for the actual i129f and as far as i was aware i just needed to print off the police form from the website and get the relevant signatures etc. Also, who did u use as your signer?

[Rob C 2]

This can be a real pain! I had the same thing when I sent off for mine. BUT....I did send off for them in November due to sheer boredom!

I hope they come soon for you!

[EmMatt 2]

You should send off for it well before your NOA2, get the ball rolling, mine took a month, but I applied for it 5months into the process.

Also, whilst we're on the topic of planning ahead for UK (London Embassy), you can get all the forms printed out & ready to go when you receive your Packet 3 it just tells you to go the the London US Embassy website to print them off. Mine are all filled out ready to be dated & sent. All you have to remember to do is check the forms haven't been updated between the time you printed them & date you received packet 3.

Go to your doctors and ask for a copy of your vaccinations/immunisations ASAP too, mine took them a week, though I'm sure some do it there & then. (new receptionist I think, a bit clueless)

Also get your US fiancé to sort out sending you the Affidavit (needs to be signed by them) & his evidence (tax transcript I believe).

We have only just had our NOA2, but I'm crazy organised (perhaps a little obsessed), everything is in hand ready to mail back the instant I get packet 3.

Happy journeys all

[MattNickless 2]

You should send off for it well before your NOA2, get the ball rolling, mine took a month, but I applied for it 5months into the process.

Also, whilst we're on the topic of planning ahead for UK (London Embassy), you can get all the forms printed out & ready to go when you receive your Packet 3 it just tells you to go the the London US Embassy website to print them off. Mine are all filled out ready to be dated & sent. All you have to remember to do is check the forms haven't been updated between the time you printed them & date you received packet 3.

Go to your doctors and ask for a copy of your vaccinations/immunisations ASAP too, mine took them a week, though I'm sure some do it there & then. (new receptionist I think, a bit clueless)

Also get your US fiancé to sort out sending you the Affidavit (needs to be signed by them) & his evidence (tax transcript I believe).

We have only just had our NOA2, but I'm crazy organised (perhaps a little obsessed), everything is in hand ready to mail back the instant I get packet 3.

Happy journeys all

This is all great advice, thank you all for posting and contributing.

I am new to the forums, and receieved NOA1 March 25th, I am from Birmingham England and will be attending London Embassy.

Is there a list on here of everything I am required to do/prepare when NOA2 is received, we really want to get the ball rolling and be prepared as soon as NOA2 arrives!

Thank you!

[MattNickless 2]

Hey thanks for your advice! Can you clarify for me what this means though?

26 April - I received my Photograph Endorsement form and photograph back

I already have some left over photos from the package i sent for the actual i129f and as far as i was aware i just needed to print off the police form from the website and get the relevant signatures etc. Also, who did u use as your signer?

http://www.acro.police.uk/uploadedFiles/Police%20Certificate%20Application%20Form%20-%20ENGLISH%20-%20May%202013.pdf

Page 7, shows a list of people who can endorse your passport photo, to verify you are you

Sorry to bombard (!), but can I apply for this now, before recieving NOA2?

[Azsara 110]

http://www.acro.police.uk/uploadedFiles/Police%20Certificate%20Application%20Form%20-%20ENGLISH%20-%20May%202013.pdf

Page 7, shows a list of people who can endorse your passport photo, to verify you are you

Sorry to bombard (!), but can I apply for this now, before recieving NOA2?

Ah thanks for clearing that up for me

Yeah im applying for it now before I get my NOA2, better safe than sorry

[agnesb 47]

This is all great advice, thank you all for posting and contributing.

I am new to the forums, and receieved NOA1 March 25th, I am from Birmingham England and will be attending London Embassy.

Is there a list on here of everything I am required to do/prepare when NOA2 is received, we really want to get the ball rolling and be prepared as soon as NOA2 arrives!

Thank you!

Packet 3 that London will send to you upon recevieing paperwork from NVC will include this link:

http://london.usembassy.gov/iv_15.html forms you need are located in the top right corner - it tells you also which forms you need to send in duplicate.

[Azsara 110]

Is there a list on here of everything I am required to do/prepare when NOA2 is received, we really want to get the ball rolling and be prepared as soon as NOA2 arrives!

Thank you!

Hey and Welcome!

Here is everything you will need http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/350185-london-2012-k1s-from-noa2-to-interview-thread/

[QueenOfBlades 224]

Hey thanks for your advice! Can you clarify for me what this means though?

26 April - I received my Photograph Endorsement form and photograph back

I already have some left over photos from the package i sent for the actual i129f and as far as i was aware i just needed to print off the police form from the website and get the relevant signatures etc. Also, who did u use as your signer?

I'm ridiculously ####### when it comes to things like this so I actually got my police certificate back in Jan/early Feb, long before I'll need any of it. Just wanted to get it done.

Just to confirm with this - what style passport photos do you mean? As you need US style photographs for the I-129F and UK style passport photographs for the UK police certificate.

[Azsara 110]

I'm ridiculously ####### when it comes to things like this so I actually got my police certificate back in Jan/early Feb, long before I'll need any of it. Just wanted to get it done.

Just to confirm with this - what style passport photos do you mean? As you need US style photographs for the I-129F and UK style passport photographs for the UK police certificate.

Yea i sent UK ones for the i129f which someone told me shortly after was WRONG! So i have some left over of those for the UK police cert x

[QueenOfBlades 224]

Yea i sent UK ones for the i129f which someone told me shortly after was WRONG! So i have some left over of those for the UK police cert x

Eek! Do you think you'll get RFE'd for it? I don't think they'd do it just for that. I had a right palaver getting my US ones, went through a list of suggested "acceptable" photographers on the London Embassy website and had to drive down there and get them done/cut out correctly. Then got my UK ones from a photo booth at Morrisons. I almost think I applied for my certificate a little too early, though it's better to be safe than sorry. I'm just waiting for my nurse to call me back about printing my record of vaccination docs now.

P.S You can get anybody "officialish" to countersign your photo, I got my manager at British Gas to sign mine.

[Azsara 110]

Eek! Do you think you'll get RFE'd for it? I don't think they'd do it just for that. I had a right palaver getting my US ones, went through a list of suggested "acceptable" photographers on the London Embassy website and had to drive down there and get them done/cut out correctly. Then got my UK ones from a photo booth at Morrisons. I almost think I applied for my certificate a little too early, though it's better to be safe than sorry. I'm just waiting for my nurse to call me back about printing my record of vaccination docs now.

P.S You can get anybody "officialish" to countersign your photo, I got my manager at British Gas to sign mine.

yea im pretty sure ill get an RFE as apparently it clearly states on the embassy page it must be US size. There's a couple of things im awaiting an RFE for and I went through a major stress out at myself when I found VJ and realised my mistakes but my fiance convinced me that worrying about it wont resolve anything so I have just come to expect it!

1) wrong size pics send

2) The question where it asks what the address is that you have lived for more than oen year I wrote my current address in Wales rather than N/A

aghhh anyways *breath* ill deal with it when it comes

[QueenOfBlades 224]

yea im pretty sure ill get an RFE as apparently it clearly states on the embassy page it must be US size. There's a couple of things im awaiting an RFE for and I went through a major stress out at myself when I found VJ and realised my mistakes but my fiance convinced me that worrying about it wont resolve anything so I have just come to expect it!

1) wrong size pics send

2) The question where it asks what the address is that you have lived for more than oen year I wrote my current address in Wales rather than N/A

aghhh anyways *breath* ill deal with it when it comes

Well I'm sorry to hear that You never know. Our I-129F was sent off two weeks late because we'd missed loads of stuff out with what I'd sent my fiance originally, then for our actual package, we went through the checklist one by one on VJ and my fella even separated it all with paper clips. Glad I got it done properly, but it's a bit niggly knowing I could have been a December filer >:0(. He's right, worrying won't help anything, it just might be a few weeks difference for NOA2.

Which question's that? I think I put it too. I've only ever lived in my current house though.

[Azsara 110]

Well I'm sorry to hear that You never know. Our I-129F was sent off two weeks late because we'd missed loads of stuff out with what I'd sent my fiance originally, then for our actual package, we went through the checklist one by one on VJ and my fella even separated it all with paper clips. Glad I got it done properly, but it's a bit niggly knowing I could have been a December filer >:0(. He's right, worrying won't help anything, it just might be a few weeks difference for NOA2.

Which question's that? I think I put it too. I've only ever lived in my current house though.

Knowing you i doubt there are any mistakes lol! It was the "address u have lived at for more than one year outside the United States" - stupid question lol