Tracking Hong Kong police certificate

[pamawemo 78]

Not sure if this is the right forum to ask - and I did a pretty thorough search here on VJ - but does anyone know the current process for tracking the Hong Kong police certificate?

 

My fiance just received notification that her Singapore COC is ready to be picked up by her proxy (YAY!) and now we just need to make sure the Hong Kong certificate arrives in Manila by her interview date. I'd read that you can contact Hong Kong police and get a tracking number but they use PhilPost and some folks have had a problem with USEM Manilla not receiving it. Can we contact the Manila Embassy to check? Does anyone have any recent experience with HK police certificate?

 

Also, her interview is 2/14. If we can't determine if the HK certificate is at the embassy, should she still do the interview? Thanks.

[Hank_ 9,173]

1 hour ago, pamawemo said:

Not sure if this is the right forum to ask - and I did a pretty thorough search here on VJ - but does anyone know the current process for tracking the Hong Kong police certificate?

 

My fiance just received notification that her Singapore COC is ready to be picked up by her proxy (YAY!) and now we just need to make sure the Hong Kong certificate arrives in Manila by her interview date. I'd read that you can contact Hong Kong police and get a tracking number but they use PhilPost and some folks have had a problem with USEM Manilla not receiving it. Can we contact the Manila Embassy to check? Does anyone have any recent experience with HK police certificate?

 

Also, her interview is 2/14. If we can't determine if the HK certificate is at the embassy, should she still do the interview? Thanks.

Who is the proxy that is picking up this certificate?

 

 

As for interview without the PC ... yes complete the interview, you will receive a 221g if the PC isn't there yet, but that is only a delay ... still better than rescheduling

[pamawemo 78]

Just now, Hank_ said:

Who is the proxy that is picking up this certificate?

 

 

As for interview without the PC ... yes complete the interview, you will receive a 221g if the PC isn't there yet, but that is only a delay ... still better than rescheduling

Thanks. The proxy in Singapore is her friend. Because we had read using PhilPost to Singapore would take forever, my finance applied online as required and then used a service (like DHL) and shipped her fingerprints to her friend who mailed them in Singapore along with a proxy authorization letter. She also had to identify her friend as the proxy during the online application process. Singapore Police turned it around in a week so now her friend will go in person to pick up the certificate and DHL it to Manila where my fiance is staying.

 

The HK cert is different because they send it directly to the consulate but there is no notification so hard to know if it has been received in Manila. She is worried that she will get to the interview and they will tell her they don't have it. She is super organized and wants to make sure she has all her ducks in a row.  Perhaps she can email the consulate and ask them if they have it?

[Hank_ 9,173]

11 minutes ago, pamawemo said:

Thanks. The proxy in Singapore is her friend. Because we had read using PhilPost to Singapore would take forever, my finance applied online as required and then used a service (like DHL) and shipped her fingerprints to her friend who mailed them in Singapore along with a proxy authorization letter. She also had to identify her friend as the proxy during the online application process. Singapore Police turned it around in a week so now her friend will go in person to pick up the certificate and DHL it to Manila where my fiance is staying.

 

The HK cert is different because they send it directly to the consulate but there is no notification so hard to know if it has been received in Manila. She is worried that she will get to the interview and they will tell her they don't have it. She is super organized and wants to make sure she has all her ducks in a row.  Perhaps she can email the consulate and ask them if they have it?

Ah ... yes PhilPost is like a black hole in space for mail .. scary.

 

Only suggestion I have for the HK certificate is to check CEAC status and watch for the date to change .. that would mean someone accessed your case file.  

 

I would be surprised (or more so shocked) if you got an email reply regarding the HK cert.

[pamawemo 78]

7 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

Ah ... yes PhilPost is like a black hole in space for mail .. scary.

 

Only suggestion I have for the HK certificate is to check CEAC status and watch for the date to change .. that would mean someone accessed your case file.  

 

I would be surprised (or more so shocked) if you got an email reply regarding the HK cert.

Good advice. We'll do that and will post our experience if we do try the email route. (in the event others have the same question/issue.)

[Hank_ 9,173]

Just now, pamawemo said:

Good advice. We'll do that and will post our experience if we do try the email route. (in the event others have the same question/issue.)

That would be great!

 

Salamat!

[pamawemo 78]

Thought I would update this topic if others are looking for information about the Hong Kong police certificate. My fiance collected all the documentation needed for the Hong Kong police and sent it to her friend in Hong Kong who agreed to deliver it, along with the fee, to the Hong Kong Police. She was issued a receipt on 1/15/19. On 1/30/19, my fiance emailed the Hong Kong police at eo-cncc-ib@police.gov.hk to inquire about the status of her case. She received a reply email on 2/1/19 stating the certificate was sent 1/29/19 via registered HK air mail to USEM. They did not provide a tracking number (fiance didn't ask for one). According to the Hong Kong Post website, registered air mail to Manila takes 9-10 business days.

 

We have been checking CEAC every day to see if her case has been "touched" but so far no change on the latest date which is 1/14/19. She did send an email yesterday to IVManilaReplies@state.gov asking if the certificate has been received but we are not anticipating a response. Just creating a paper trail. But you never know! She has also asked her friend in HK if she will go to the HK Police department on Monday with the receipt to see if they can tell her from their end if it has been delivered. (Seems they like to do things in person!)

 

So that's where we are. Interview is 2/14 and all we are waiting for is the HK Police certificate. Technically it should be in Manila Monday or Tuesday but she may not know for certain until she is at the interview window. Stressful. But we remain hopeful. It would be the best Valentine's Day present.

[Hank_ 9,173]

it has only been 8 business days     Little more patience ...  

[pamawemo 78]

2 hours ago, Hank_ said:

it has only been 8 business days     Little more patience ...  

Yep, 9 days is Monday and her friend has the day off so said she would check on it for her in Hong Kong to see if they can tell her what the tracking info says. I did read here on VJ of a case where the interviewee had email confirmation from HK that the cert had been received at USEM and she printed that email and took to the interview. Her CO said they did not have the HK cert so she presented the email and they were able to locate it, saving her from a 221g. Since we are cutting it close (and who knows how efficient the USEM mailroom is!), we thought it's a good idea to have some documentation to take to the interview. Wish us luck. 

[Hank_ 9,173]

36 minutes ago, pamawemo said:

Yep, 9 days is Monday and her friend has the day off so said she would check on it for her in Hong Kong to see if they can tell her what the tracking info says. I did read here on VJ of a case where the interviewee had email confirmation from HK that the cert had been received at USEM and she printed that email and took to the interview. Her CO said they did not have the HK cert so she presented the email and they were able to locate it, saving her from a 221g. Since we are cutting it close (and who knows how efficient the USEM mailroom is!), we thought it's a good idea to have some documentation to take to the interview. Wish us luck. 

Does it have the MNL# with it?

[pamawemo 78]

1 hour ago, Hank_ said:

Does it have the MNL# with it?

Do you mean the certificate? She submitted the NVC letter with the MNL# on it as required by HK Police, along with their application and her fingerprints (their form). So I guess the answer is we provided the MNL# but who knows if they include that on the certificate. Hopefully, they have a system in place that works "most of the time." We initially thought the Singapore COC was the sticky one but the HK process of sending directly to the embassy really takes things out of our control.

 

Gotta just hope it gets there by Thursday. Patience and positivity.

[Hank_ 9,173]

44 minutes ago, pamawemo said:

Do you mean the certificate? She submitted the NVC letter with the MNL# on it as required by HK Police, along with their application and her fingerprints (their form). So I guess the answer is we provided the MNL# but who knows if they include that on the certificate. Hopefully, they have a system in place that works "most of the time." We initially thought the Singapore COC was the sticky one but the HK process of sending directly to the embassy really takes things out of our control.

 

Gotta just hope it gets there by Thursday. Patience and positivity.

Yup you have it covered, the NVC letter will handle it so the embassy can match it up easily with your case file.

 

Bring the receipt that you have, just in case the certificate hasn't arrived yet, so the CO is aware and will be watching for it.

 

I have seen a fair number of certificates from HK over the years, they seem to have a handle on the process.

 

 

[pamawemo 78]

25 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

Yup you have it covered, the NVC letter will handle it so the embassy can match it up easily with your case file.

 

Bring the receipt that you have, just in case the certificate hasn't arrived yet, so the CO is aware and will be watching for it.

 

I have seen a fair number of certificates from HK over the years, they seem to have a handle on the process.

 

 

Can we be pretty confident the date on our CEAC will change if the police certificate arrives? Or is that a hit and miss kind of thing? I know you mentioned checking that to see if the case has been touched.

[Hank_ 9,173]

2 hours ago, pamawemo said:

Can we be pretty confident the date on our CEAC will change if the police certificate arrives? Or is that a hit and miss kind of thing? I know you mentioned checking that to see if the case has been touched.

I would think if anyone opens your case file the date would change .. it always has before.    You may not know when the certificate arrives but you should have a good "feeling" for if it is in your file.

[pamawemo 78]

On 2/8/2019 at 5:52 PM, Hank_ said:

I would think if anyone opens your case file the date would change .. it always has before.    You may not know when the certificate arrives but you should have a good "feeling" for if it is in your file.

We have that "good feeling" this morning! Our case was "updated" with today's date at CEAC. So we are hoping that means the Hong Kong police certificate has arrived at USEM. All systems go. Thanks, Hank, for your calm reassurance.