Portugal Police Clearance (PCC) for U.S. Consular Interview – Validity & Tips?

[faruaktas 0]

Hi everyone,

I have an upcoming U.S. Green Card consular interview, and one of the required documents is a Police Clearance Certificate from Portugal, since I previously lived there. I’m not a Portuguese citizen, and my interview will be held in a country other than Portugal, so I’ve arranged for my lawyer in Portugal to help obtain the certificate on my behalf. I’ve already reviewed the official U.S. guidance on the State Department reciprocity page, but I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has first-hand experience with this process:

 

1. How long is the Portuguese PCC valid from the date of issue? Was it accepted if it was issued over 1 month prior to the interview, or does it need to be within a specific time frame (like 3 months)?

 

2.  Are there any practical issues I should watch out for? Such as problems with digital vs. physical copies, required stamps, language (English vs. Portuguese), or other format-related concerns?

 

3. Did your consulate accept the certificate without problems? Especially in cases where the document was obtained by a lawyer on your behalf.

 

Any insight or advice would be very helpful. I'm just trying to avoid any surprises and make sure I’m fully prepared.

Thanks in advance

Edited May 20 by faruaktas