New UK Police Certificate process for US visas - you MUST read this!

[BritishGuy36 0]

Hi all

Within the last week as I type this (somewhere in the middle of Feb 2008) the process by which you obtain a police certificate valid for application for a visa for entry into the US has CHANGED.

I cannot claim credit for this find as I only found out about it on another forum. Could a mod please make this sticky and perhaps link to the other forums or put a general note in the guides, as this is important.

The page on the US Embassy website detailing how you apply for a police certificate has changed. This page:

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/iv/ukpc.html

...now gives a link to this page:

http://www.acpo.police.uk/certificates.asp

...for obtaining a police certificate. This is a much faster process, but is more involved and you have to send them much more info and proof than you did before. It also appears to superceed and NULLIFY the previous "subject access application" process.

I have an email address from the letter I got from the police acknowledging my subject access request - I have emailed them asking for comment on this change.

For now, don't waste your £10 on the "old" method as it appears that the US consulate will no longer accept this kind of report for the purposes of visa applications.

If like me you are part-way through the I-130/visa process this is a bit of a nightmare, and it requires some clarification.

I will post back as I get more info.

BG36

Edited February 17, 2008 by BritishGuy36

[bakofoil 27]

I ordered my police certificate 'early' because I knew it would take 40 days or perhaps more. So, I've just wasted £10 and face another delay in receiving paperwork. Great!

[desilu 0]

Thanks for the info British Guy

I notice you are at a similar point to us - NOA 1. Are you waiting until you get NOA2 or applying for certificate the now? Given the faster turnaround the police are now offering I may wait for a little while.

Lou

[Lansbury 19]

Hi all

Within the last week as I type this (somewhere in the middle of Feb 2008) the process by which you obtain a police certificate valid for application for a visa for entry into the US has CHANGED.

I cannot claim credit for this find as I only found out about it on another forum. Could a mod please make this sticky and perhaps link to the other forums or put a general note in the guides, as this is important.

The page on the US Embassy website detailing how you apply for a police certificate has changed. This page:

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/iv/ukpc.html

...now gives a link to this page:

http://www.acpo.police.uk/certificates.asp

...for obtaining a police certificate. This is a much faster process, but is more involved and you have to send them much more info and proof than you did before. It also appears to superceed and NULLIFY the previous "subject access application" process.

I have an email address from the letter I got from the police acknowledging my subject access request - I have emailed them asking for comment on this change.

For now, don't waste your £10 on the "old" method as it appears that the US consulate will no longer accept this kind of report for the purposes of visa applications.

If like me you are part-way through the I-130/visa process this is a bit of a nightmare, and it requires some clarification.

I will post back as I get more info.

BG36

The police certificate has no part in the I-130 process, it is needed for the actual visa application which starts when the I-130 process is complete. Therefore you will need to apply as per the current instructions on the US Embassy web site.

[bakofoil 27]

Lansbury,

The US embassy site is asking for the ACPO form. They must have changed it literally in the last few days. I have emailed ACPO to ask why there appears to be no cooling off period for the 'old' certificate - the one I received this week *liney face*.

[BritishGuy36 0]

Thanks for the info British Guy

I notice you are at a similar point to us - NOA 1. Are you waiting until you get NOA2 or applying for certificate the now? Given the faster turnaround the police are now offering I may wait for a little while.

Lou

As far as I can work out there appears to be no point in sending off for the new certificate early - it's done and dusted in a week - and also they send a copy of the results directly to the Embassy. If they send the results to the Embassy for a visa application they don't have......well I don't know if that would work.

Given that it's a much shorter wait than the "up to 40 days" for the old certificate, it would make sense to me to wait until your DS-230 has gone in before applying for it.

I ordered my police certificate 'early' because I knew it would take 40 days or perhaps more. So, I've just wasted £10 and face another delay in receiving paperwork. Great!

Me too. Getting all my ducks in a row early and it backfired!

[redkitty 0]

This was posted on my other forum from here

http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/visa/niv/add_crime.html

"Applicants applying for visas at the U.S. Embassy in London or the Consulate in Belfast are required to furnish a police certificate from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) issued within 6 months of the date of the visa interview. Information on obtaining the police certificate is available from the ACPO website.

This police certificate covers the whole of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and is sent to the address provided at the time of the application.

Applicants who have, or have applied for, a Subject Access Statement

If you have applied for, or are in possession of a Subject Access Statement, and you will appear for a visa interview before August 15, 2008, the Nonimmigrant Visa Section will accept this Statement, provided it was issued within 6 months of the date of the visa interview. Applicants appearing for interviews on or after August 15 will be required to furnish the new style police certificate from the ACPO."

[Kris and Susiek 0]

Hi all

Within the last week as I type this (somewhere in the middle of Feb 2008) the process by which you obtain a police certificate valid for application for a visa for entry into the US has CHANGED.

I cannot claim credit for this find as I only found out about it on another forum. Could a mod please make this sticky and perhaps link to the other forums or put a general note in the guides, as this is important.

The page on the US Embassy website detailing how you apply for a police certificate has changed. This page:

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/iv/ukpc.html

...now gives a link to this page:

http://www.acpo.police.uk/certificates.asp

...for obtaining a police certificate. This is a much faster process, but is more involved and you have to send them much more info and proof than you did before. It also appears to superceed and NULLIFY the previous "subject access application" process.

I have an email address from the letter I got from the police acknowledging my subject access request - I have emailed them asking for comment on this change.

For now, don't waste your £10 on the "old" method as it appears that the US consulate will no longer accept this kind of report for the purposes of visa applications.

If like me you are part-way through the I-130/visa process this is a bit of a nightmare, and it requires some clarification.

I will post back as I get more info.

BG36

Thanks for this was just about to get the old one lined up now it seems i dont have to

Kris

[BritishGuy36 0]

If you have applied for, or are in possession of a Subject Access Statement, and you will appear for a visa interview before August 15, 2008, the Nonimmigrant Visa Section will accept this Statement, provided it was issued within 6 months of the date of the visa interview. Applicants appearing for interviews on or after August 15 will be required to furnish the new style police certificate from the ACPO."

Excellent! Thanks for that additional info. Seems that time is almost already gone for the subject access certificate then.

[BritishGuy36 0]

Hold on. It states the nonimmigrant visa section will accept the subject access form. I-130 applicants are applying for immigrant visas.

The immigrant visa police check page appears to be this one:

http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/visa/iv/ukpc.html

Which STILL gives out a dead link to a page that apparently is for subject access applications.

So back to square one?

Edited February 18, 2008 by BritishGuy36

[rebeccajo 14]

This is excellent information. I've copied in here the rest of the info from the Consular memo that follows the cut-and-past of redkitty. There's been evidence recently at the consulate of more questions for those charged in the past with drink-related offenses; this blip from the consulate explains how those situations will be handled.

Please also note the form required if you have a conviction of any kind.

Drink Related Offenses

Applicants who have been arrested and/or convicted of a drink related offense may be referred to the Embassy's panel physician for evaluation. You will be advised further on the day of the interview. As we cannot pre-adjudicate a visa application, we are unable to provide further guidance until you formally apply for the visa, at which time you will be given the opportunity to discuss your application with a Consular Officer.

What if I was convicted in the United States?

If you were arrested and/or convicted of an offense in the United States, you are required to obtain a court record from the court(s) in which you were tried. Such court records must show the nature of the offense(s) committed, the section(s) of law contravened and the actual penalty imposed. If the arrest did not result in a conviction, or you are unable to obtain a copy of the court record(s) relating to the charges against you, you may submit with your application a sworn statement which gives the location of the arrest, state and county, and the reason for the arrest. If the arrest resulted in a conviction, the statement should discuss the nature of the offense committed, section of the law contravened and penalty imposed by the court(s). If you do not know the address of the court, the information is available from the internet at http://www.uscourts.gov/links.html. Applicants are also required to obtain a police certificate from the ACPO issued within 6 months of the visa interview.

What if I was convicted in a country other than the United States or the United Kingdom?

If you were arrested and/or convicted of an offense, you are required to obtain a court record from the court(s) in which you were tried. Such court records must show the nature of the offense(s) committed, the section(s) of law contravened and the actual penalty imposed. If the arrest did not result in a conviction, or you are unable to obtain a copy of the court record(s) relating to the charges against you, you may submit with your application a sworn statement which gives the location of the arrest, state and county, and the reason for the arrest. If the arrest resulted in a conviction, the statement should discuss the nature of the offense committed, section of the law contravened and penalty imposed by the court(s). Applicants are also required to obtain a police certificate from the ACPO issued within 6 months of the visa interview

Applying for the visa

You are required to schedule an appointment for an interview with a U.S. Consular Officer.

Applicants applying for visas in London are required to request an appointment with the Visa Coordination Officer to allow sufficient time for their case to be reviewed, as their application will be subject to greater scrutiny. Applicants with criminal histories who do not request an appoitment with the Visa Coordination Officer may be required to return to the Embassy at a later date if there is insufficient time to evaluate their case.

When applying for a visa you are required to submit with your application the following additional documents:

1. A completed personal data sheet, Form VCU1 (PDF 64Kb);

2. A police certificate from the ACPO issued less than 6 months before your visa interview;

3. copies of the court record(s) covering all charges of which you have been convicted, or which are presently pending against you, if relevant.

What if I'm found ineligible?

If the conviction(s) results in the applicant being found permanently ineligible to receive a visa, it will mean a lifetime exclusion from the United States unless he or she obtains a waiver of the permanent ineligibility from the United States Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection (DHSCBP). The granting of a waiver is not automatic and is based on several factors, including nature of the crime committed, sentence served and the period of time which has elapsed since the conviction.

If a favorable recommendation is made to DHSCBP for a waiver of the permanent ineligibility, the application will take a minimum of eight weeks to process; some applications may take longer.

Please note: Delays in processing can and will occur. The processing times quoted are approximate and cannot be guaranteed. It is important that you keep this in mind when applying for the visa. It will not be possible to expedite a case simply because an applicant has not allowed sufficient time for the application to be processed.

Reminder: Applicants should apply for visas well before the anticipated date of travel. No assurances regarding the issuance of visas can be given in advance. Therefore, final travel plans or the purchase of nonrefundable tickets should not be made until a visa has been issued.

[rebeccajo 14]

Hold on. It states the nonimmigrant visa section will accept the subject access form. I-130 applicants are applying for immigrant visas.

The immigrant visa police check page appears to be this one:

http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/visa/iv/ukpc.html

Which STILL gives out a dead link to a page that apparently is for subject access applications.

So back to square one?

The link I see takes you to acpo................

[rebeccajo 14]

British Guy and others in the thread:

I am moving this thread to the Consulate Forum as I believe this is valuable information for all members processing through London. I hope you don't mind.

Edited February 18, 2008 by rebeccajo

[BritishGuy36 0]

British Guy and others in the thread:

I am moving this thread to the Consulate Forum as I believe this is valuable information for all members processing through London. I hope you don't mind.

No problem, I was hoping someone would put it where it would be most use.

Hold on. It states the nonimmigrant visa section will accept the subject access form. I-130 applicants are applying for immigrant visas.

The immigrant visa police check page appears to be this one:

http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/visa/iv/ukpc.html

Which STILL gives out a dead link to a page that apparently is for subject access applications.

So back to square one?

The link I see takes you to acpo................

It does indeed! The old link was still in my browser cache! That shows how recent the change is!

So then - soes this mean that for non-immigrant visas you can still use subject access, but not for immigrant visas?!?!?!?

Edited February 18, 2008 by BritishGuy36

[rebeccajo 14]

British Guy and others in the thread:

I am moving this thread to the Consulate Forum as I believe this is valuable information for all members processing through London. I hope you don't mind.

No problem, I was hoping someone would put it where it would be most use.

Hold on. It states the nonimmigrant visa section will accept the subject access form. I-130 applicants are applying for immigrant visas.

The immigrant visa police check page appears to be this one:

http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/visa/iv/ukpc.html

Which STILL gives out a dead link to a page that apparently is for subject access applications.

So back to square one?

The link I see takes you to acpo................

Errr...nope?

Okey dokey.....looks like our edits are pretty quick too.........lol

Edited February 18, 2008 by rebeccajo