My SO is going to be quite irate with me for posting this, but I need to ask/vent.

We are currently waiting for Packet 3 to arrive, and are getting our paperwork together in advance. Everything is fine, except that he still hasn't sent away for the APCO Police Certificate. I'm not worried about the added time, because it will only take a few extra days to receive it.

The reason he hasn't sent away for it is that he doesn't know anyone from the approved list of occupations who can sign his passport photos. And I mean NO ONE on the list. He is just a quiet workaday guy who never has any medical or legal troubles, so he never deals with these types of people. And he has no friends or relatives in these professions. You know the list:

In order to satisfy ACRO requirements, the person certifying must be included in one of the following groups:

• Accountant
• Bank/building society official
• Barrister
• Broker
• Chairman / Director / Manager / Personnel Officer (limited company)
• Chemist
• Chiropodist
• Commissioner of Oaths
• Councillor: local or county
• Civil Servant (permanent)
• Dentist
• Engineer (Qualified)
• Fire Service Official
• General Practitioner
• Justice of the Peace
• Legal Secretary
• Member of Parliament
• Merchant Navy Officer
• Minister of a recognised religion
• Nurse (SRN and SEN)
• Officer of the Armed Services (active or retired)
• Optician
• Police Officer / Police Staff
• Post Office Official
• Solicitor
• Teacher or Lecturer
• Warrant Officers or Chief Petty Officers

The closest he comes is his boss, who owns the company he works for. Except he's only worked there for 19 months. He refuses to approach her about signing it, because it says they need to know you for 2 years, and he won't put her in the position to be dishonest. He cannot go to his GP because he just retired. His Postman doesn't know him by face, and neither does the bank, library, police, you name it.

So now we are stuck. I can't believe that THIS will be our undoing. And with me being so far away, I can't do anything to help. I've said he should go down to the bank and try. I mean, if they agree it's his bank account, then they can agree it's his photo. I even said to take his passport to the police station and ask someone there to look at his passport and see that it's obviously him. But he won't go.

Any advice?

Doesn't he have a dentist?

No minister? No teacher? No chemist?

My husband is the quietest most 'non-social' guy you could meet, but he could find any number of people from this list..........

Your suggestions here are excellent and probably the best way to get it done, but if he won't go then he needs to understand that it could prevent him getting his visa. Has he said why he won't go?

Gillian

I had pretty much the same problem, as it turned out I didn't need the ACPO form, but if i had, my plan was to go to the Bank. They have a documentable relationship with me for the last 2 1/2 years. Since I only moved here 3 years ago they were pretty much the only people that would have qualified. Sure each individual in the bank hasn't known me personally for 2 years, but I think that it would have been enough to satisfy the requirements.

Lansbury, as our resident police expert, care to comment?

In case you haven't noticed.... he's British.


And no, no chemist, no minister.

I felt awful and distrustful doing so, but I went so far as to ask if there was something he was hiding from me (as in, a police record). Thankfully he didn't get upset, and thankfully he isn't hiding anything.

I'm sure it will get done. I'm also sure it will add a month to our timeline. And I'm sure I will go insane trying not to nag him to get it done.

Just to be sure... do you need to send the police certificate back with Packet 3, or do you just need to bring it to the interview?

You need it for the interview, no need to return it with Packet 3.

you just need it for the interview. I put stuff off for ages too, but somehow an interview date has a way of focusing the mind

Also, once he manages to get it sent out, it only takes 10 working days max to be returned.

He must be registed with a GP.... his GP's office will sign it for him even if the actual GP is new or in his case just retired, the practice Nurse can also do it... he can also get his local Jobcenter + to sign the photos all he needs to do is take his birth certificate and his passport to any Jobcenter and give them his NINO and his passport and birth certificate and they will do it... I used to work for DHSS and Jobcenter+ and we used to do it all the time for people, Civil Servent is one of the listed people who can sign....

Kez

This one Kinda has me stumped im reading the ACRO form as im filing it soon and i cant see anywhere on the form that it says you have to have known the person for two years?? or is it just me?

it's in the instructions page under the heading 'photographs'

hehe yeah but mines an old one its not on there. Just went to the website and sure enough there it is. Good job i saw this i was going to get a copper to do it for me.

Good idea - I'm going to suggest the Jobcenter.

He actually has no idea who is GP is now. But he does need to go to the office to get his medical and vaccine records. I'm gong to tell him to just ask the nurse there.

Going to call him now.


AND.... I just noticed I spelled ACRO as "APCO" LOL!! I wonder where I got THAT from??

Ok no chemist, no minister....but he went to school.

Sounds to me like he thinks it's a stupid requirement (which it is) and he just doesn't want to be bothered. I have to admit though, you're handling it a lot better than I would.

I've recently registered with what was my original childhood GP surgery and had to take along my passport as proof of identity.. so there is no problem with them signing off my photos for me (when I get around to getting them done). Any GP who has been with the surgery for more than two years ought to be fine to sign them as they will know of him from a professional point of view.

God I know! If it were my husband there would be no end of nagging... And I know the options given to him would be either A: grow a pair and get it done or B: not get the visa, don't move and not get married. I can be delightful when mad I think I need some of your zen!

Well I got the cop who arrested me back in 2004 to sign ... err, I mean, I got my GP, who retired last year, to sign mine ... not a problem.

I wanted to laugh yesterday. Half of our GP's at our surgery are new...to this country, never mind the surgery itself. We went to hubby's GP whom he has seen since 2004 and she was not sure if she had known him that long. Thankfully she looked back in the records and said oh yes that should be ok. Now I am waiting on a phone call saying she has signed the form and the picture as she couldn't do it there and then...plus they are going to charge us for it Jeeze everyone is out to make some money off of this whole process money it seems. Even the NHS.

You really don't need to have had a relationship with them. I'm pretty certain you can get them to do it at the post office for a fee and you just have to take along a passport and another form of id. I'm sure the people at his local registry office would do it too.

Good luck, your being super patient!

xxxx