K1 - Foreign police certificate expired by a few weeks?

[J❤️J 139]

Hi everyone!

Hoping someone would be able to help me with this question... I have a foreign police certificate that will expire soon. I *might* be able to schedule my interview before it expires but it looks like this might not happen (I've received my NOA2) but haven't received my packet3 or scheduled my interview. Will the US immigration officer accept a police certificate thats expired by a few weeks? (I haven't returned to the country ever since). Thoughts?

(Note: Obtaining a new foreign police certificate could take 2-3 months which could push back my interview)

Edited April 19, 2018 by J❤️J

[valentinasc 330]

19 minutes ago, J❤️J said:

Hi everyone!

Hoping someone would be able to help me with this question... I have a foreign police certificate that will expire soon. I *might* be able to schedule my interview before it expires but it looks like this might not happen (I've received my NOA2) but haven't received my packet3 or scheduled my interview. Will the US immigration officer accept a police certificate thats expired by a few weeks? (I haven't returned to the country ever since). Thoughts?

(Note: Obtaining a new foreign police certificate could take 2-3 months which could push back my interview)

From which country is the Police Certificate from? It sounds like you are in a tricky situation but i don't think they'd accept it (according to what my lawyer informed me)

I am still waiting on a NOA2 and have to get P.C from 4 different countries haha but when the time comes i've already contacted agencies that can get them to me asap, obviously paying $$ because my lawyer stated they expire after a year and immigration is strict and wants everything up to date and nothing expired 

[arken 4,197]

If you haven’t returned to the foreign country, then you don’t need to get the new police certificate, the old one is fine.

[J❤️J 139]

7 minutes ago, arken said:

If you haven’t returned to the foreign country, then you don’t need to get the new police certificate, the old one is fine.

9 minutes ago, valentinasc said:

From which country is the Police Certificate from? It sounds like you are in a tricky situation but i don't think they'd accept it (according to what my lawyer informed me)

I am still waiting on a NOA2 and have to get P.C from 4 different countries haha but when the time comes i've already contacted agencies that can get them to me asap, obviously paying $$ because my lawyer stated they expire after a year and immigration is strict and wants everything up to date and nothing expired 

Hi! Thanks so much for your replies. I'm Canadian (beneficiary) and lived in Japan from 2009-2011. I haven't been back since. I've kept my old passports showing that I have not returned to Japan. I'm conflicted if I should get a new police certificate or just keep the one I have.... Hmmmm..... I'm still not sure🤔

[valentinasc 330]

Just now, J❤️J said:

 

I know how you feel, i was trying to do the same because what would change if we haven't been back right?

I'd say start looking for a company that could help you to obtain it in Japan, i'm sure you could find something, last thing you'd want to do is receive a "yes it does not matter if it is expired" then you go to the embassy and they'd have to schedule you a second interview..it's always better to be safe than sorry 

Then idk how you translate your documents but Babble-On is really good and you get to have a certified translation within 4 days! So start looking is my advise that way you will feel relieved and without doubts

[J❤️J 139]

1 minute ago, valentinasc said:

I know how you feel, i was trying to do the same because what would change if we haven't been back right?

I'd say start looking for a company that could help you to obtain it in Japan, i'm sure you could find something, last thing you'd want to do is receive a "yes it does not matter if it is expired" then you go to the embassy and they'd have to schedule you a second interview..it's always better to be safe than sorry 

Then idk how you translate your documents but Babble-On is really good and you get to have a certified translation within 4 days! So start looking is my advise that way you will feel relieved and without doubts

Thanks! I have 2 ways to obtain the police certificate... Go to Tokyo (1 week wait time for police certificate) or apply for it here in Canada at the Japanese consulate (2-3 months). Luckily it is printed by the Japanese consulate in English, French and Japanese so no need to have it translated! 😀

[Naes 12,205]

4 minutes ago, J❤️J said:

Thanks! I have 2 ways to obtain the police certificate... Go to Tokyo (1 week wait time for police certificate) or apply for it here in Canada at the Japanese consulate (2-3 months). Luckily it is printed by the Japanese consulate in English, French and Japanese so no need to have it translated! 😀

Come to Tokyo! It’s humid and sunny and cold at the same time now...(serious complaining....)

 

From what I gather Montreal makes people wait a goooood time anyway for the interview and packet 3 so if you’re ok with the wait. 

 

How far are you in the process right now? Got the NVC number right?

 

by the way if you get it from Tokyo you don’t need to translate it either it comes with a sealed envelope to open at the American embassy only so I think it has English too

Edited April 19, 2018 by Naes

[valentinasc 330]

1 minute ago, J❤️J said:

Thanks! I have 2 ways to obtain the police certificate... Go to Tokyo (1 week wait time for police certificate) or apply for it here in Canada at the Japanese consulate (2-3 months). Luckily it is printed by the Japanese consulate in English, French and Japanese so no need to have it translated! 😀

Oh that's great!! can't you also get it from giving a delegation to someone that works exactly on that field ? Try to look up what you can find  And good about the translation, i requested my birth certificate in italy and asked if it could come translated also and boy it was a mess, had like 4 languages in it and it was just a big no haha

[J❤️J 139]

5 minutes ago, Naes said:

Come to Tokyo! It’s humid and sunny and cold at the same time now...(serious complaining....)

 

From what I gather Montreal makes people wait a goooood time anyway for the interview and packet 3 so if you’re ok with the wait. 

 

How far are you in the process right now? Got the NVC number right?

 

by the way if you get it from Tokyo you don’t need to translate it either it comes with a sealed envelope to open at the American embassy only so I think it has English too

Oh that humidity!!! I still have those decorative sweat hankerchiefs... Got some nice ones as omiyage from my coworkers! ☺️ 

I haven't received my NVC# yet... Should my fiance call NVC? Or is there another way to obtain it? 

Both my fiance and I have been crazy busy at work ( fiscal year end) so for the first time in a year I haven't been thinking about the Visa process at alllllllll....till today when I realized it's been 2 weeks since we got our Noa2!!!! Crazy!

I'm leaning towards getting a new police certificate done up. For the first one they said it would take 2-3 months but it only took 2 weeks...hmmmm..... Decisions, descisions

[Naes 12,205]

9 minutes ago, J❤️J said:

Oh that humidity!!! I still have those decorative sweat hankerchiefs... Got some nice ones as omiyage from my coworkers! ☺️ 

I haven't received my NVC# yet... Should my fiance call NVC? Or is there another way to obtain it? 

Both my fiance and I have been crazy busy at work ( fiscal year end) so for the first time in a year I haven't been thinking about the Visa process at alllllllll....till today when I realized it's been 2 weeks since we got our Noa2!!!! Crazy!

I'm leaning towards getting a new police certificate done up. For the first one they said it would take 2-3 months but it only took 2 weeks...hmmmm..... Decisions, descisions

I would do it there at this moment it may add a little but as I said it looks like Montreal is taking its sweet time anyway.

 

you can call them but if you’re not in a hurry you can also wait for them to send you the mail with the number.

 

As long as I’m out of here by July before humidity gets to the level where I need to search for oxygen to breath...

[geowrian 22,338]

To be sure, you can get a new one. That said, if you have not returned to the country then a new one shouldn't be needed.

 

4 hours ago, Naes said:

Come to Tokyo! It’s humid and sunny and cold at the same time now...(serious complaining....)

And crazy busy soon (golden week)... but it's almost time for hanami too.

[arken 4,197]

9 hours ago, J❤️J said:

 

Of course it doesn’t hurt to get a new one, but have you looked at the NVC’s collect supporting documents webpage where it says you don’t need to get a new police certificate if your current certificate has expired and you haven’t travelled back to the country.

[J❤️J 139]

Awesome. Found it!

[Quinton1980 15]

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/collect-and-submit-forms-and-documents-to-the-nvc/step-5-collect-supporting-documents.html

 

Important: Police certificates expire after one year, unless the certificate was issued from your country of previous residence and you have not returned there since the police certificate was issued. If at the time of your interview the following three items are all true, you must bring a new police certificate to your visa interview:

You are more than 16 years old;
The police certificate submitted to NVC was obtained more than one year ago; and
You still live in the country that issued the certificate.

 

Unless I read this wrong, your cert will still be valid.

[J❤️J 139]

2 minutes ago, Quinton1980 said:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/collect-and-submit-forms-and-documents-to-the-nvc/step-5-collect-supporting-documents.html

 

Important: Police certificates expire after one year, unless the certificate was issued from your country of previous residence and you have not returned there since the police certificate was issued. If at the time of your interview the following three items are all true, you must bring a new police certificate to your visa interview:

You are more than 16 years old;
The police certificate submitted to NVC was obtained more than one year ago; and
You still live in the country that issued the certificate.

 

Unless I read this wrong, your cert will still be valid.

Hi! Thanks for this! Sounds about right to me 😀 Im going to print this out and include it with my slightly expired police certificate. I also plan to bring all my old passports showing the lack of entry stamps to Japan. I haven't been back since however I thought I could use my old passports as proof 😊