Police clearance

[Harris_district 0]

I have question about Police clearance. How far do I have to go back for Police clearance. Do I need to go back since the applicantn was 16 or 1 year back would be fine. I can't find any info nor I can get a straight answer from NVC representative. Also, my second question is that do I need to get Police clearance if the applicant stayed in a different city for period of 6 month and was going to college but that was not the applicant permenant resident. I have only filled out applicant permenant resident on I-130 even though applicant was in different city for 6 months. Was I supposed to mentioned the other address and what would be procedure if I do now or its not necessary since that was not her permenant resident. Also Do I need to add the other address in DS-230 or don't need to. Please let me know if I need to explain this little further.

[speedwell 224]

I have question about Police clearance. How far do I have to go back for Police clearance. Do I need to go back since the applicantn was 16 or 1 year back would be fine. I can't find any info nor I can get a straight answer from NVC representative. Also, my second question is that do I need to get Police clearance if the applicant stayed in a different city for period of 6 month and was going to college but that was not the applicant permenant resident. I have only filled out applicant permenant resident on I-130 even though applicant was in different city for 6 months. Was I supposed to mentioned the other address and what would be procedure if I do now or its not necessary since that was not her permenant resident. Also Do I need to add the other address in DS-230 or don't need to. Please let me know if I need to explain this little further.

You need to provide a police certificate for each place you lived in for >6 months. A "place" is a place that issues police certificates--for the UK, it is the whole country, for the US it might be the state, in other places it might be the city. "Lived in" means you maintained a home there, not just visiting. College counts if you lived at school. You need to supply the information they ask for. If the beneficiary lived somewhere for >6 months, you must put it down even if it was "temporary".

[Harris_district 0]

Thanks Speedwell for your response. I have only mentioned where the applicant have permenant residence for 15 years. Haven't specified where the applicant visited for 6 month and wondering if this is going to cause an issue if we mention this now on DS-230. Wouldn't they going to ask why we didn't mention theother place. Or we will be ok if we just get the police certificate for thatplace.

[speedwell 224]

Thanks Speedwell for your response. I have only mentioned where the applicant have permenant residence for 15 years. Haven't specified where the applicant visited for 6 month and wondering if this is going to cause an issue if we mention this now on DS-230. Wouldn't they going to ask why we didn't mention theother place. Or we will be ok if we just get the police certificate for thatplace.

If you wrote it on the DS-230 as a place where you lived for more than 6 months, you must supply a police certificate from there. It sounds to me like you are trying to stretch the definition of "visit" to include somewhere where you stayed for 6 months and had a run-in with the police. If you actually left your previous home and had a home in the place you were "visiting", then you "lived" there even if it was in a hotel or in someone else's house. Don't attempt to fudge on this requirement, it will just catch up to you later.

Edited April 22, 2013 by speedwell

[speedwell 224]

By the way, I just reviewed the requirements for obtaining police certificates, and it says that if you were EVER arrested ANYWHERE ant ANY age, you must provide a police certificate from that place (and court and prison records, as applicable). Refer to the table on this page: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3195.html

[Harris_district 0]

Thanks, link help clear things up. My only concern is that we only list just one address under the place of resident for last 5 years in I-130 form and it already has been approved so if I were to include the second address where my wife lived on and off over the period of 6 months, wouldn't that going to cause any issue. The only reason I list just one address in I-130 is because thats her permenant resident but she went out to a different city for a brief period of time. I was told that I don't need to mentioned this in DS-230 since I didn't list the other address in I-130 but I dont want to hide this info from them and I also don't want them(NVC) to raise any suspecious and create any issue for us. Dont have any issue getting a police certtificate but wants to be cautious before sending it to NVC.

[Mohsin786 23]

i had the similar question to my Attorney he said don't mention address not street address just mention the city where you resided when after the age of 16 till now. for instance if you lived in karachi when you were 16 till now write "karachi" city and province and then from 1998 to Present and if in bwt you lived in other city "Lahore" mention the duration of time. because you already mentioned your current address and the address is being mentioned in Police certificate.

[Harris_district 0]

So for eg. she has been living in khi since 95 till now at the same place but was in Hyderabad in 2011 for little over 6 months. So we need to put current address since 95 till 2013 and Hyderabad, we put 6 months in 2011. We will be getting a police cert for both place. We didn't mention Hyderabad in I-130 because we didn't think we need to disclose because they asked for permenant residence and her permenant residence is in khi.

[speedwell 224]

So for eg. she has been living in khi since 95 till now at the same place but was in Hyderabad in 2011 for little over 6 months. So we need to put current address since 95 till 2013 and Hyderabad, we put 6 months in 2011. We will be getting a police cert for both place. We didn't mention Hyderabad in I-130 because we didn't think we need to disclose because they asked for permenant residence and her permenant residence is in khi.

A total of 6 months, or several visits in a 6-month period, are not the same as continuous residence of 6 months.