Survey: How much did it cost you to obtain a police certificate (out of country)

[DK999 14]

My spouse and I used to live in China, which is why we've been asked for a police certificate, which is only obtainable through agents who are asking for $700-1000+ for a piece of paper that is either less than $50 or free.

 

I just want to ask the community, for the sake of determining whether this is just pure price gouging, how much it costs to obtain a country's police certificate if you no longer live there.

 

Who would like to share?

[Mike E 11,739]

We spent over $1000 (airfare, hotel, meals, fees, surface transportation)  to get a police certificate from Singapore that Rangoon first said we needed, and then after we got it, then said we did not.

 

http://theconsulsfiles.blogspot.com/2016/09/ali-is-still-in-business.html?m=1
 

“And if a consular officer refuses a nonimmigrant visa applicant 221(g) for any document that isn't required by the visa application, the applicant goes to talk to Ali.

[…]
Wait a moment. What does Madam mean by 'any document that isn't required by the visa application?' 
“
 

 

[mytruelove18 608]

4 hours ago, DK999 said:

My spouse and I used to live in China, which is why we've been asked for a police certificate, which is only obtainable through agents who are asking for $700-1000+ for a piece of paper that is either less than $50 or free.

 

I just want to ask the community, for the sake of determining whether this is just pure price gouging, how much it costs to obtain a country's police certificate if you no longer live there.

 

Who would like to share?

Dont you have family member living there that can help you?

Or can you apply for the police certificate through a consulate of China?

[DK999 14]

7 hours ago, Mike E said:

We spent over $1000 (airfare, hotel, meals, fees, surface transportation)  to get a police certificate from Singapore that Rangoon first said we needed, and then after we got it, then said we did not.

 

http://theconsulsfiles.blogspot.com/2016/09/ali-is-still-in-business.html?m=1
 

“And if a consular officer refuses a nonimmigrant visa applicant 221(g) for any document that isn't required by the visa application, the applicant goes to talk to Ali.

[…]
Wait a moment. What does Madam mean by 'any document that isn't required by the visa application?' 
“
 

 

That's frustrating to say the least

[DK999 14]

3 hours ago, mytruelove18 said:

Dont you have family member living there that can help you?

Or can you apply for the police certificate through a consulate of China?

My spouse is not Chinese. We DO have friends in ONE of the two cities that she lived in. Yes, you need a separate a background check for each city you lived in. Imagine having lived in five cities and doing this....

 

Who would have thought that China didn't have one centralized system and instead different cities have different requirements? Every person who's ever lived in China, that's who. 

 

No, you cannot apply for it at an overseas embassy. Either in person or you're sending all your documents to China. But wait, first all those documents have to be authenticated by the Chinese embassy. Wonder how much that's gonna cost?

 

The cherry on top...it's not even guaranteed to work and the agents say so themselves. Rant over. 

Edited April 5, 2023 by DK999

[mytruelove18 608]

5 hours ago, DK999 said:

My spouse is not Chinese. We DO have friends in ONE of the two cities that she lived in. Yes, you need a separate a background check for each city you lived in. Imagine having lived in five cities and doing this....

 

Who would have thought that China didn't have one centralized system and instead different cities have different requirements? Every person who's ever lived in China, that's who. 

 

No, you cannot apply for it at an overseas embassy. Either in person or you're sending all your documents to China. But wait, first all those documents have to be authenticated by the Chinese embassy. Wonder how much that's gonna cost?

 

The cherry on top...it's not even guaranteed to work and the agents say so themselves. Rant over. 

Wao very difficult,