Subject Access Form Vs. Police Certificate

[lizzy33 2]

I received my letter from the embassy saying they had received our visa petition and that I needed to book my medical but, before that, I would need to fill in some forms and request a police certificate.
I called the local police department and they directed me to an online form that I could fill out, print and send off, costing £10. A month later I received a letter which reads:

'Dear Miss Thornton

Subject Access Section 7, Data Protection Act 1998

I am writing in reply to your reques for information that may be held about you on the Police Nation Computer.

The Data Protection act.... blah blah blah

From the personal details supplied in your request there is no information held about you on the PNC

This document does not constitute a Certificate of Good Character.

blah blah blah.'

I took this document to my visa medical and the woman on the desk asked me where the second part of it was. She said this was just the cover letter and there should have been an actual police certificate.
This has held up my medical results being sent to the embassy. I called the number for ACPO Criminal Records Office (as printed at the top of my letter) and they informed me that I had filled out the WRONG form, that I had received the Subject Access Request certificate but what I actually needed was the police certificate form, which has cost me a further £45.

Did anyone else have any similar issues? I have seen posts such as this one:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/11564-subject-access-request/

which suggests that other people may be requesting the wrong form. Or did I have the right form in the first place but was just missing the second part of it?

Thanks,
Lizzy

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Your letter from the embassy would have told you to get your instructions from their website here http://london.usembassy.gov/iv_15.html

Step Two on that page says "Assemble all of the documents required in support of your application." it is a link you need to click and read to find the list of documents.

On that document list page you find--

"Police Certificates for the United Kingdom: A visa applicant who has resided in the United Kingdom for 6 months or more since the age of 16, is required to obtain a police certificate from the ACPO Criminal Records Office (ACRO). Please follow this link for further information." (and there is yet another link you will have to click and read for further info on how to get your police certificate.)

So you did not get the police certificate from ACPO, which is what the embassy requires. If you have any arrests or even cautions, then you need to also order a subject access report from ACPO, not the local station.

The thread you referenced is from 2006 and is no longer reliable information. The ACPO certificates have been required since around 2008.

Edited June 13, 2013 by Nich-Nick

[Stuart and Tina 4]

I recently obtained my Subject Access Request as I hope to obtain my k1 visa soon.I am Scottish and I believe that this is the form we use.I think it's ACPO in England and Wales.I may have it wrong though?

[lizzy33 2]

@Nich-Nick It was the Subject Access Form from ACPO that I received and was told it was incorrect, so now I have requested the Police Certificate from ACPO.
@Stuart and Tina, I hope you don't end up in the same situation as me!