Police Certificate Date Confusion? Please Help!

[Sm4598 37]

Hi all! My husband has his visa interview on March 8. We know police certificates are valid for 12 months, but the ACRO certificate includes two different dates. 

 

Date of Creation: 2/10/2020

Date Printed: 5/10/2020

 

Bizarrely, these dates are three months apart. We obviously didn’t receive the certificate until after 5/2020. My memory is hazy from that time, but I’m guessing COVID in February 2020 had something to do with the delay.

 

Does the certificate’s 12-month validity start from the creation date or the printed date? I’ve looked everywhere online and can’t find an answer, other than it’s valid from 12 months from “issuance.”

 

Our interview is in 2 weeks so we’re really panicking about whether or not to order a new certificate today in hopes that it will arrive by March 8. Can anyone give any clarity on this? 

 

Thanks so much. 

[Boiler 43,381]

Or 3 days apart.

[corntop 129]

That's a very long delay, was it lost in the post at the time and then re-requested? My ACRO was created on 26/03/20 and printed on 31/03/20.  *Just seen Boiler's post after typing this, are you typing dates in US or UK format? 😅

 

I would take a guess (but I don't know for sure) that "date of creation" is the valid date since its at the top, as the certificate itself is only really valid until the day your history is checked (i.e. you could commit crime the month after and it wouldn't show I assume)

 

According to this blurb on the ACRO website, you can request additional copies up to 3 months after it was first printed, which I think could mean "date printed" can vary but the "date of creation" would stay the same?

 

 

 

[Sm4598 37]

3 hours ago, corntop said:

That's a very long delay, was it lost in the post at the time and then re-requested? My ACRO was created on 26/03/20 and printed on 31/03/20.  *Just seen Boiler's post after typing this, are you typing dates in US or UK format? 😅

 

I would take a guess (but I don't know for sure) that "date of creation" is the valid date since its at the top, as the certificate itself is only really valid until the day your history is checked (i.e. you could commit crime the month after and it wouldn't show I assume)

 

According to this blurb on the ACRO website, you can request additional copies up to 3 months after it was first printed, which I think could mean "date printed" can vary but the "date of creation" would stay the same?

 

 

 

Nope, three months apart. The dates are written in UK format on the police certificates, I just converted them into US for the post because that’s the way my American brain works. 

 

No idea why it happened that way. Our guess is that it was when COVID was kicking off in the UK and that caused delays, because my husband doesn’t have a criminal record or complicated residential history. 

 

Ah well. If it’s the date created that matters, looks like we’ll be submitting another application tonight and crossing our fingers that it arrives in time for the appointment. 

[Wuozopo 4,285]

5 hours ago, Sm4598 said:

Nope, three months apart. The dates are written in UK format on the police certificates, I just converted them into US for the post because that’s the way my American brain works. 

 

No idea why it happened that way. Our guess is that it was when COVID was kicking off in the UK and that caused delays, because my husband doesn’t have a criminal record or complicated residential history. 

 

Ah well. If it’s the date created that matters, looks like we’ll be submitting another application tonight and crossing our fingers that it arrives in time for the appointment. 

Does the certificate say “No Trace” or “No Live Trace”?

[Sm4598 37]

17 hours ago, Wuozopo said:

Does the certificate say “No Trace” or “No Live Trace”?

The certificate says No Trace. As I said, he doesn’t have a criminal record. 

[Wuozopo 4,285]

1 hour ago, Sm4598 said:

The certificate says No Trace. As I said, he doesn’t have a criminal record. 

Just checking because some people think “no live trace” means no record when they may have had a caution which is hidden but counts. Those people should order a Subject Access Report too. 

[midsummer 84]

My date created and printed are 7 days apart. I had to get mine sent to Australia and panicked a bit worrying they wouldn't arrive in time for my interview at Sydney last month. I called ACRO who offered to send out a new copy on a next day delivery service  - no good for me because I'm not in the UK but that might be an option for you also.  My certificate arrived the day before I flew out for my interview so I was lucky. I'd give them a call if I were you - I called a couple of times and they were very helpful each time I called. Wait time was short also.

 

Second edit because I see you checked the date format and posted about that above. Best of luck with it all

Edited February 23, 2021 by midsummer