Unable to get Police certificate - Possible but too expensive

[germancho24 0]

Hi!

I lived for 11 months in Slovakia as an exchange student when I was 17 years old. Therefore, I am required to submit a Police Certificate from Slovakia. The problem is that:

1. The certificate can only be issued if I request it IN PERSON at the Slovak Embassy.

2. There is no Slovak Embassy in my country of residence (Colombia). The embassy assigned for my country is in Brasilia (Brazil).

I have contacted both the Slovak Embassy in Brasilia and the Ministry of Justice in Slovakia and they told me there is no other way to obtain the letter other than traveling to Brasilia.

This means that I would need to spend at least 1200 USD in flight tickets alone and other additional expenses on top of that. That is very difficult for me at this time. I have successfully obtained Police Certificates from Colombia and from the Netherlands, where I lived the last two years.

My questions are:

a. Do you think an explanation letter to the NVC, telling them of my efforts to get that document and the impossibility to obtain it in my country can help me obtain a waiver for that document?

b. Is there a special template for these kind of explanation letters for missing documents in the application package?

Thanks,

German Cortes

[dwheels76 5,468]

Hi!

I lived for 11 months in Slovakia as an exchange student when I was 17 years old. Therefore, I am required to submit a Police Certificate from Slovakia. The problem is that:

1. The certificate can only be issued if I request it IN PERSON at the Slovak Embassy.

2. There is no Slovak Embassy in my country of residence (Colombia). The embassy assigned for my country is in Brasilia (Brazil).

I have contacted both the Slovak Embassy in Brasilia and the Ministry of Justice in Slovakia and they told me there is no other way to obtain the letter other than traveling to Brasilia.

This means that I would need to spend at least 1200 USD in flight tickets alone and other additional expenses on top of that. That is very difficult for me at this time. I have successfully obtained Police Certificates from Colombia and from the Netherlands, where I lived the last two years.

My questions are:

a. Do you think an explanation letter to the NVC, telling them of my efforts to get that document and the impossibility to obtain it in my country can help me obtain a waiver for that document?

b. Is there a special template for these kind of explanation letters for missing documents in the application package?

Thanks,

German Cortes

Seems like you have to request the form to order the documents and go to nearest police station for fingerprinting. Read this wiki website for you.

http://www.wikiprocedure.com/index.php/Slovakia_-_Obtain_a_Police_Clearance_Certificate_%28Criminal_Record,_Vypis_z_Registra_Trestov%29

[Ryan H 3,812]

Even if the NVC completed your case without the Slovakian Police Certificate, the Embassy will not issue a visa without the certificate. The Embassy will not care about your circumstances

[JCV 5]

don't you only need police cert for places you resided 12+ months anyway?

[mallafri76 1,012]

For country of previous residency, you have to have lived there for a minimum of one year before you need to submit a police transcript/certificate. So if you were only living in Slovakia for 11 months, you're good, no need for a police transcript.

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Supporting_documents.html

[Shabaz 67]

For country of previous residency, you have to have lived there for a minimum of one year before you need to submit a police transcript/certificate. So if you were only living in Slovakia for 11 months, you're good, no need for a police transcript.

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Supporting_documents.html

Ya... i am also agreed...PCC is needed if u lived 12 or 12+ months in other country....i also lived KSA for 11 months but i am not attaching KSA PCC.

[JCV 5]

yup, i lived in berlin 11 months and my lawyer confirmed i don't need a police cert.

[Cathi 5,770]

don't you only need police cert for places you resided 12+ months anyway?

it is 6+ months, not 12

[Cathi 5,770]

Ya... i am also agreed...PCC is needed if u lived 12 or 12+ months in other country....i also lived KSA for 11 months but i am not attaching KSA PCC.

wrong, it is 6 months

[mallafri76 1,012]

it is 6+ months, not 12

The six months is for your country of nationality and your current country of residence. The OP is not from Slovakia and is not living there right now, therefore she would only need a police cert if she had lived in Slovakia for 12 months or longer.

[Cathi 5,770]

Hi!

I lived for 11 months in Slovakia as an exchange student when I was 17 years old. Therefore, I am required to submit a Police Certificate from Slovakia. The problem is that:

1. The certificate can only be issued if I request it IN PERSON at the Slovak Embassy.

2. There is no Slovak Embassy in my country of residence (Colombia). The embassy assigned for my country is in Brasilia (Brazil).

I have contacted both the Slovak Embassy in Brasilia and the Ministry of Justice in Slovakia and they told me there is no other way to obtain the letter other than traveling to Brasilia.

This means that I would need to spend at least 1200 USD in flight tickets alone and other additional expenses on top of that. That is very difficult for me at this time. I have successfully obtained Police Certificates from Colombia and from the Netherlands, where I lived the last two years.

My questions are:

a. Do you think an explanation letter to the NVC, telling them of my efforts to get that document and the impossibility to obtain it in my country can help me obtain a waiver for that document?

b. Is there a special template for these kind of explanation letters for missing documents in the application package?

Thanks,

German Cortes

do you have anyone you know who lives there and can obtain the certificate for you? My husband had the same issue and he went to a local police department where he lived, had his fingerprints taken and he sent them to his sister who still lives in the country he lived in for a short time and she was able to obtain the certificate for him

[D.Ba 85]

It depends on the country, too. In Frankfurt they just changed it from 6 to 12 months in December. Don't argue, check.

[mallafri76 1,012]

It says at least a year in a country of previous residence on NVC's website. I assume they know more about the rules than we do, since they're the ones asking for the information. Link to NVC website with the information clearly stating one year for country of previous residence:

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Supporting_documents.html

You always have to give a police cert for your country of nationality and country of current residence, if you have lived there for six months or longer.

OP, are you originally from Slovakia, i.e, is that your country of nationality? If yes, then you need a police cert. If your nationality is not Slovakian and you are not currently living in Slovakia, you do not need a police cert. Please click on my link to NVC's website and it will explain it to you. You can see it straight from NVC themselves.

[germancho24 0]

Thank you every body for your replies. No, I am not from Slovakia, I was only there as an exchange student.

I also read in the NVC website that a police certificate is necessary only after one year, however I am confused because it says the requirements may be different among embassies, therefore I checked the website of the American embassy in Bogota, Colombia and it says this: Solicitors who lived in another country for more than 6 months after turning 16 years old should obtain a Police certificate from those countries (except the United States).

I called both the Slovak Embassy and the Ministry of Justice in Slovakia and they say no one can obtain the Certificate on my behalf. The only way is to be there in person. I called the NVC and they told me I COULD TRY attaching a letter of explanation saying why I am not sending the certificate.

[Jawaree 718]

Some embassies will ask for 6 mths others a yr

maybe finding out the requirement at your consulate

would be a good idea