Police certificate discrepancies

[dodgyJim73 6]

Hi everyone.

I'm posting this one because I've been reading the conflicting information between here and the embassy website and it's all very confusing. I apologise if I've missed something obvious in one of the guides and this becomes a re-post etc. I fired off an e-mail to the Sydney consulate office with some questions and received the response at the bottom of this post today.

The embassy site, http://canberra.usembassy.gov/fiance_niv_appl.html, is clearly incorrect and says I need a police certificate for each state or country that I've lived in for more than 6 months. For me this would be VIC, NSW, QLD and my time in the UK. Do they really want 3 certificates for Australia?! After browsing the VJ site for a while I've seen people saying I only need one national certificate to cover Australia. It's always hard to put complete faith in forum posts on the net when it conflicts against information you are reading from the official embassy website.

There's also a bit of a discrepancy around which form to use, P799 or P800 and also whether to get just the name cert or pay extra and get the fingerprint certificate. From what I understand...you only need a fingerprint check IF you don't supply all aliases that you've previously used. Does that sound right to anyone else? The P799 form covers visa applications etc. and that is what they tell me to use in the e-mail, the P800 form I believe is used for people who are wanting to join the police force or work as a teacher etc.

So based on this. I've never had another name or alias etc so I'm going to apply for the standard NSW name police certificate that covers name and date of birth for $52. I will also be printing the e-mail I received from the embassy to put in my file.

I'm hoping somebody else might find this information useful and not get a head full of noise like I've had over the last couple of weeks. If I've made an incorrect statement here can somebody please correct me.

I'm now sitting and waiting for the NVC to send our information to Sydney...

Cheers

James

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Thank you for your recent inquiry.

You are only required to obtain 1 Australian police certificate.

Depending on which Australian state or territory in which you reside will depend on how to apply for the Australian police certificate. Please refer to http://canberra.usembassy.gov/obtain_police_cert.html for further information.

Your certificate can be based on a name check or fingerprint check.

If it’s based on a name check, it must contain all aliases previously and presently used. Failure to provide a name check certificate with all aliases may result in the consular officer refusing your application for a police certificate based on a fingerprint check.

Generally it will take 3 weeks from the date of approval on the NOA for our office to receive your I-129F petition from the U.S.

An overview of the K1 visa process can be found on our website at http://canberra.usembassy.gov/k-1.html

Once the U.S. Consulate General in Sydney has received an approved I-129F petition, a confirmation email (known as 'Packet 3'). will be sent to the listed email address(es) on the I-129F. These instructions are to prepare for the interview appointment with a consular officer.

Once you have received the packet 3 notification, mail these to our office with DSL-1076 to advise the U.S. Consulate General in Sydney that you are ready for your visa interview.

Generally, within 30 days of receiving the packet 3 required documents, a confirmation email will be sent to you (known as "Checklist for day of interview") regarding the scheduled time and date of the final visa interview. Please be aware, final visa interviews are scheduled for Tuesday mornings only. You will be scheduled for the first available date.

Mailing address:

U.S. Consulate General

Attention: IV Unit – PKT 3 DOX

Level 10, MLC Centre

19-29 Martin Place

Sydney, NSW 2000

Due to the volume of applications that are processed at the U.S. Consulate, you should send all required documents by a traceable envelope (ie: express post platinum, registered post) to ensure it is delivered and received by our office. Ensure you keep the tracking number when posting the required documents. You may track your envelope for delivery by checking your tracking number on this link with Australia Post. We are unable to respond to email inquiries requesting confirmation of documents.

Thank you

U.S. Consulate General, Sydney

Immigrant Visa Unit

(CC)

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[Jannette 1]

you must have the federal police check done with fingerprints. It will cost you around $100 plus the fingerprints. on the form it asks you where you have lived and they do it for all of Australia. the name check is a waste of time and money as its unacceptable. the Feds tak around 3 to 4 weeks to process it. You go to a local police station and get finger prints done and they send them with the forms downloaded from the AFP website directly to the FEDS. YOU must supply a traceable envelope that you have addressed to the AFP in Canberra.

If you have lived anywhere else in the world for longer than a year you will need police certs done from them as well. This is the only way to do it.

All the best

[dodgyJim73 6]

This is where it all becomes confusing. The embassy told me in the e-mail that fingerprints aren't necessary...how can something so important like this be ballsed up by an embassy?

[dodgyJim73 6]

Just to add to this...I've sent off for my UK police certificate.

When I called a police station in Sydney to confirm they did fingerprinting there, the guy asked me if I wanted ink or digital. I'm assuming that digital is the way to go but can anyone confirm this? I told him probably digital and he said I need to call the consulate to confirm as different visa's require different types of fingerprints.

Can anyone who needed fingerprints for a K1 interview please confirm which ones they were told to get. I'm still leaning towards digital ones. Each time I pass through the USA customs I never have a problem with the digital reader picking up my fingerprints so I'd say it will be fine.

Cheers

[stevie b 141]

Just to add to this...I've sent off for my UK police certificate.

When I called a police station in Sydney to confirm they did fingerprinting there, the guy asked me if I wanted ink or digital. I'm assuming that digital is the way to go but can anyone confirm this? I told him probably digital and he said I need to call the consulate to confirm as different visa's require different types of fingerprints.

Can anyone who needed fingerprints for a K1 interview please confirm which ones they were told to get. I'm still leaning towards digital ones. Each time I pass through the USA customs I never have a problem with the digital reader picking up my fingerprints so I'd say it will be fine.

Cheers

I wouldn't worry about it at all

go digital.. no ink to wash off

as long as the aussies can produce the background check you are good, that is all the US wants

the US will give you a brand new eye and fingerprint scan upon your successful arrival so they don't care what the aussies use LOL

[dodgyJim73 6]

I wouldn't worry about it at all

go digital.. no ink to wash off

as long as the aussies can produce the background check you are good, that is all the US wants

the US will give you a brand new eye and fingerprint scan upon your successful arrival so they don't care what the aussies use LOL

Excellent stuff. Thanks mate!

[Tina Xu 1]

You cannot use digital fingerprints. You have to go to local police station and it cost around 28.45 in QLD so I'm not quite sure about the other state.

Fingerprint checks

Fingerprint checks may only be conducted where there is a legal or regulatory requirement for such a check to be conducted. Your fingerprints will be checked against a central database of records and will take additional time to process. An additional cost is also associated with this service, see fees below.

Where a fingerprint check is required, it is your responsibility to obtain a full set of fingerprints from your local police jurisdiction. The original of the fingerprints must be posted with your completed application form. Please note that fingerprints taken using a "Livescan" system cannot be accepted.

Applicants in the ACT requiring fingerprints should make a booking to have their fingerprints taken by telephoning the ACT Fingerprint Hotline on 02 6245 7351. Please note that this applies to applicants in the ACT only.

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

Edited September 25, 2013 by Tina Xu