Australian Police Check

[curvebell 29]

Can I go ahead and get my police clearance before NOA2 is received?

I live in NSW and the embassy website says that it is forwarded straight to the US Consulate - since they (US Cons.) would not have received any of my information yet is this going to be a problem?

Just want to get ahead on all the forms that are required for the interview.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[YuAndDan 153]

I would wait until the consulate sends out P3, doing so before the consulate or NVC even knows about you will simply get the report tossed.

In countries where report is sent to you to bring to interview it would be fine because report is valid 1 year.

[payxibka 10,044]

Can I go ahead and get my police clearance before NOA2 is received?

I live in NSW and the embassy website says that it is forwarded straight to the US Consulate - since they (US Cons.) would not have received any of my information yet is this going to be a problem?

Just want to get ahead on all the forms that are required for the interview.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

without your case # you run the risk of the report being lost/misfiled... since it only takes but about 3 weeks...I wouldn't do it until I had the new case file number that is assigned byNVC

[Barbara J 115]

Can I go ahead and get my police clearance before NOA2 is received?

I live in NSW and the embassy website says that it is forwarded straight to the US Consulate - since they (US Cons.) would not have received any of my information yet is this going to be a problem?

Just want to get ahead on all the forms that are required for the interview.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Yes you can our police reports are valid for 1 year in Australia, if you go and get it done end of this month it is valid till next January. And if you are in Sydney it takes 4 weeks for them to return it to you in the mail. Just go to your local police station oh ring first and make an appointment too. I had all this done before my NOA2 and packet 3 arrived so then all I had to do was send it in the day I got it all. When your case is approved at USCIS it will then go to NVC to be allotted a case number then it is forwarded to Sydney. Approx 2 weeks your US petitioner will get an email of packet 3 and send on to you then you print out all the info and gather your documents to send back in then you will be notified of your interview date. Hope this helps.

[curvebell 29]

Thank you all for the feedback.

Yes you can our police reports are valid for 1 year in Australia, if you go and get it done end of this month it is valid till next January. And if you are in Sydney it takes 4 weeks for them to return it to you in the mail. Just go to your local police station oh ring first and make an appointment too. I had all this done before my NOA2 and packet 3 arrived so then all I had to do was send it in the day I got it all. When your case is approved at USCIS it will then go to NVC to be allotted a case number then it is forwarded to Sydney. Approx 2 weeks your US petitioner will get an email of packet 3 and send on to you then you print out all the info and gather your documents to send back in then you will be notified of your interview date. Hope this helps.

@barbarajlw - So are you saying there is an option to have it mailed directly to me rather than to the US Cons. - or is this something that cannot be negotiated? I called up my local police station and they really didn't know much about anything. I cannot imagine another 4 weeks wait after NOA2 just for the police clearance!

Thanks again

[YuAndDan 153]

Thank you all for the feedback.

@barbarajlw - So are you saying there is an option to have it mailed directly to me rather than to the US Cons. - or is this something that cannot be negotiated? I called up my local police station and they really didn't know much about anything. I cannot imagine another 4 weeks wait after NOA2 just for the police clearance!

Thanks again

It typically can take 4 weeks or so for USCIS to send case through NVC to the consulate.

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1flow

You have plenty of time after NOA-2

[lynJer 7]

They will mail the police report to your home address....I think they can mail it elsewhere if you want them to...but why would yah???

go ahead get it done....its a pain in the ####### and the fingerprint stuff leaves your hands black...so take some extra wipes with you....

good luck

[Barbara J 115]

Thank you all for the feedback.

@barbarajlw - So are you saying there is an option to have it mailed directly to me rather than to the US Cons. - or is this something that cannot be negotiated? I called up my local police station and they really didn't know much about anything. I cannot imagine another 4 weeks wait after NOA2 just for the police clearance!

Thanks again

Yes darl have it mailed to you and your right when you ring them they don't seem to know whats going on. When I went for mine the young police officer did not even know the cost lol I had to tell him then he checked it up cause he was going to charge me less haha!!!! Well after NOA 2 you still have to wait a bit for USCIS to send your file to NVC for a case number then on to OZ and that takes about 2 weeks. So if you have all this done before when you get packet 3 of what you need to send in to consulate you will have it all done. Same goes for the medical, it also is valid for 12 months. Look up on US consulate in Sydney and look at the doctors that they nominate near you. You ring and make and appointment. You are supposed to have a case number but I didn't and the doc said it was no big deal. If you wait till you get your case number ring for an appointment straight away as there may be a waiting list too like 2 weeks or so. Because these doctors work out of specialist rooms in the city they are very busy. LOL Lynjer not sure what p0olice station you went to but no ink all done digitally now lol. Good luck Curveball let me know how you get on ok

Oh by the way I did not get a choice of where to send it as in Sydney it is one of the things you have to send in with all your documents. Hey and I would not have anything sent to Sydney US consulate can sit in the mail room for yonks.

Edited January 6, 2011 by barbarajlw

[lynJer 7]

Brisbane city Lock up

up near qut way....you just walk in and they do it while you wait...

I even have their phone number if you need it....If you go to your local copshop they will direct you to the city watchhouse to get it done...they do them there often...

[curvebell 29]

Thank you thank you! Didn't know I could also do the medical now. Brilliant news, want to get this all organised!

Will keep you posted on the progress

[Wayne-Rachel 8]

Wondering how you went with your police check? I am starting to look at what I will need for the next stage now, and the only information I have found otherwise is here: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/obtain_police_cert.html

That page links to this form: http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/15134/P800.pdf

Did you manage to get the check done while you wait like lynJer suggested also? I am new to Sydney too, any idea where the watchhouse is like lynJer suggested?

[curvebell 29]

Wondering how you went with your police check? I am starting to look at what I will need for the next stage now, and the only information I have found otherwise is here: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/obtain_police_cert.html

That page links to this form: http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/15134/P800.pdf

Did you manage to get the check done while you wait like lynJer suggested also? I am new to Sydney too, any idea where the watchhouse is like lynJer suggested?

Hi Wayne/Rachel,

Since I live in Sydney, I have booked to have my check/prints done at my local police station. Call to make an appointment - my station only does this on sundays. Not sure where the Watchhouse is but Lynjer is from Brissie! I'm almost certain this can be done at your local cop shop anyway.

All you need is the P800 form and the fee of $175. You will then receive the cert in the mail in a couple of weeks. You can have it sent directly to you (as indicated by Barbara J) rather than have them send it directly to the US EM (where it will most probably get lost). It also lasts for a year!

I'm going to have mine done on sunday so I'll post back to let you know how it goes

All the best!

[Wayne-Rachel 8]

Hi Wayne/Rachel,

Since I live in Sydney, I have booked to have my check/prints done at my local police station. Call to make an appointment - my station only does this on sundays. Not sure where the Watchhouse is but Lynjer is from Brissie! I'm almost certain this can be done at your local cop shop anyway.

All you need is the P800 form and the fee of $175. You will then receive the cert in the mail in a couple of weeks. You can have it sent directly to you (as indicated by Barbara J) rather than have them send it directly to the US EM (where it will most probably get lost). It also lasts for a year!

I'm going to have mine done on sunday so I'll post back to let you know how it goes

All the best!

Awesome... have fun putting yourself under the microscope lol! Will think about getting mine done soon too, might as well - better than sitting and waiting

[curvebell 29]

Just wanted to share my Police Check experience. I am an NSW resident and here is how it went...

Made an appointment at the local cop shop and was schelduled for a Sunday but was texted and told it was cancelled so they told me I had the option to go to one of my other local stations which is notorious for being well... bad. I was told it was open 24 hours and I didn't need to make an appointment so off I went. Oh, I was also told if someone was in custody I wouldn't be able have them done... weird, I was wondering why. I crossed my fingers and hoped everyone was being well behaved

All I brought with me was my completed P800 form, $175 and 3 forms of ID (DL, Passport & Medicare).

When I got there I was brought into the back where they took my digital fingerprints, palm prints, and side palm prints. The policeman said I was very polite as he squashed my hands against the machine (he is probably not used to someone cooperating whilst taking them ). Anyway, the fingerprint machine was in the cell holding area so that's why they couldn't have taken them if someone was in custody.

Copper said I should get it back within about 3 weeks but if I wanted to check the status to call the Parramatta Criminal Records dept.

It was extremely quick and I feel that my $175 also included a behind the scenes look of a quite notorious police station haha. Also, while I was there someone had reported an assault, two people reported threats to their lives and another needed help evicting an abusive tenant. So all in all it was a good day (for me).

Relieved to get that sorted out. Now on to the Medical!