Asked to Submit Additional Documentation at Interview

[RCatherine 0]

Hello friends,

I am writing today concerning my fiance's recent trip to the US Embassy in Paris, France for his interview for the K-1 Fiance Visa. We had filled out all of the paperwork necessary and even had additional proof of almost everything. Once he got up to the window to speak with the interviewer, she asked a few questions about our relationship and then asked why he had listed "Trinidad and Tobago" as a place he had lived for two years with no police record. He was a missionary there for our church and never stayed in the same place longer than six months. She told him he was not specific enough and that he must prove his whereabouts during those two years. So, luckily, he and I were able to put our heads together to retrace his whereabouts for those two years and adding letters from loved ones and passport stamps as proof. We were told that this should be proven and sent back to the embassy with his passport for IF he gets the Visa at that time after reviewing the additional documents. The interview was Tuesday, May 21st and the additional documents were express mailed for delivery by Thursday May 23rd.

Has anyone ever been in this situation? If so, how long did you have to wait for your passport to make it back to you and were you approved or denied? This has been a very long, ridiculous process as I am sure most can relate to. I have searched for answers everywhere and I am hoping that I can get some feedback on here.

Please advise!

[ricnally 259]

Whether he moved around or not, as long as he was in the same country for those 2 years, he'll need a police certificate, won't he?

[CaroSL 68]

Whether he moved around or not, as long as he was in the same country for those 2 years, he'll need a police certificate, won't he?

Good point, he should need a police certificate.

What have you been told about this exactly at the embassy? Did you send a police certificate?

If not, is there any way you can get one quickly and send it to the embassy?

Double, triple, even quadriple check with them what they need exactly... You don't want to not send them a PC if this is what they expect...

[RCatherine 0]

Well, as far as we know, unless he was a resident in one place of six months or longer he does NOT need a police report from there. The lady at the embassy told him that letters would be sufficient but she was VERY vague and unhelpful in the matter. We have provided as much information as necessary (and as much as possible) without the police reports. I've never read of this anywhere so I do not exactly know the right thing to do or what outcome to expect!

Well, as far as we know, unless he was a resident in one place of six months or longer he does NOT need a police report from there. The lady at the embassy told him that letters would be sufficient but she was VERY vague and unhelpful in the matter. We have provided as much information as necessary (and as much as possible) without the police reports. I've never read of this anywhere so I do not exactly know the right thing to do or what outcome to expect!

And I should also note that he traveled between many countries during these two years which is why he doesn't have to provide the police report. He does have documentation of where he was and the timeline was very clearly showing how long he was in each country.

[ricnally 259]

I see, so his travels to other countries while sort of "based" in TT were long enough that it doesn't really seem like he was "resident" in TT, so therefore he doesn't need a police cert. Is that correct? If so,then, as long as his passport stamps are legible, that should be enough proof to show this. If it's kind of iffy as to whether or not he was a resident of TT, you may have to get the police cert. Kind of a grey area, I guess, and maybe they were confused by you putting that he was there for 2 years (which wasn't really correct, from the way I understand it).

[LauraCF 5]

So police certificates are required for periods of longer than 6 months? I thought it was a year, or at least that's what is says on the Paris Consulate information page?

[RCatherine 0]

The interviewer stated that letters would be sufficient proof to show where he was over those two years. We added scanned passport stamps and sent his passport for them to (hopefully) put the visa in there! He put TT as his residence because that is where the mission was based out of but never really stayed there.

From what I understand- anywhere your foreign fiance(e) stayed LONGER than SIX MONTHS they DO need a police record from that country excluding the USA. In fact, this was verified at the Embassy by the consular. I would say to get them just in case so you don't end up in my situation with more questions than answers.

[LauraCF 5]

Waaaah. FML.

[ricnally 259]

So police certificates are required for periods of longer than 6 months? I thought it was a year, or at least that's what is says on the Paris Consulate information page?

I know it's 6 months for Canada. Don't know about France.

[LauraCF 5]

The interviewer stated that letters would be sufficient proof to show where he was over those two years. We added scanned passport stamps and sent his passport for them to (hopefully) put the visa in there! He put TT as his residence because that is where the mission was based out of but never really stayed there.

From what I understand- anywhere your foreign fiance(e) stayed LONGER than SIX MONTHS they DO need a police record from that country excluding the USA. In fact, this was verified at the Embassy by the consular. I would say to get them just in case so you don't end up in my situation with more questions than answers.

I'm now just wondering if they have stipulated whether you need fingerprint and name checks, or name checks only?

Sorry to pester you, I'm now panicking, with potentially three countries I need to get these from!!

[RCatherine 0]

Well, did your fiancé stay longer than six months in on country other than his own? He will have to have a police record from those places in addition to one from his own country. I'm unsure of how it works, but when my fiancé got his he did it online in France. As for other countries- I'm not sure. They may just need to research how to get them. My fiancé didn't get his fingerprints taken- it was a very simple and easy process. But again, he's in France so depending on what country you need them from it may be harder. Also, you won't need them until you get your notice of the interview containing different paperwork. So unless you have gotten that, you will probably have time! I remember thinking how I was on a time crunch all the time when really all my time is spent waiting and waiting. It's frustrating and scary!

[Inky 1,111]

I'm now just wondering if they have stipulated whether you need fingerprint and name checks, or name checks only?

Sorry to pester you, I'm now panicking, with potentially three countries I need to get these from!!

That would depend on what the country requires. If you are applying from outside the country sometimes they require finger printing to be done and sent to them. Look up how to get the police certs from the specific countrys he needs.

[LauraCF 5]

Well I got my answer from the Embassy in the end;

From: ParisConIV, Paris [mailto:ParisConIV@state.gov]

Subject: FW: K-1 Visa - Police Certificates

Dear Ms Clare,

Each visa applicant aged 16 years or older is required to submit a police certificate or casier judiciaire from the police authorities of: the applicants country of citizenship, current country of residence (if applicant has resided there for at least six months) and all countries where the applicant has resided for at least one year. Please see http://travel.state.gov "reciprocity by country" for more information on how to obtain a police certificate (with the exception of the United States).

Sincerely,

Immigrant Visa Section

U.S. Embassy, Paris France

Hope that's helpful to anyone else unsure.

Required for:

Country of nationality;

current residency if over 6 months; and

12 months if previously lived.

So my Fiance wont need them for his past trips as they were not 12 months.

X

[RCatherine 0]

I would not be concerned about the fingerprints, although just to be very safe I would get them anyway. Just be sure to chronicle everywhere he has been and have a police record ready to present at the interview from those places mentioned. We proved that he was not in any place longer than six months and by doing so (if there are years unaccounted for) we just showed letters and passport scans to show his whereabouts. I know it's stressful, but it can be done. Just be sure to stay ahead of the game and not wait until the last second like we did. The good news is that he is home in the states with me now and we are happy because the visa came after all the hard work!

Good Luck! Let me know if you need anything...I know this process is hard!