KaneLumski

They already have that.
 
OP, you are correct that police certificates from countries where you have not returned to live do not expire. I sent a 10-year-old police certificate from Germany to the NVC that I had obtained when I applied to be a foster parent in the U.K. (my home country). Good thing I kept it! 

Do we need to have police clearances from every country we have resided in?  What is the validity of the clearance?  Do we need new ones from those countries if we have previously obtained clearances and haven't returned to the country?  
Background:
 
My husband (South African citizen) and I (the American) live in Johannesburg, South Africa. We submitted Form I-130 at the consulate in Johannesburg. We haven't yet received our approval, but we want to make sure all our papers are in order. We acquired a list of what the consulate needs for the next packet (shout out to Jenny for giving us a preview of what may be to come!) and that list says police clearances.
 
We previously lived in Thailand for just under two years (2014-2016) and received police clearances from Thailand in June 2016. We understand the validity is typically one year. But does that include if we haven't gone back to the country?
 

Avoid getting a checklist. Here are the most common reasons why people get a checklist. 
 
FIRST off, the NVC does not receive your documents from the USCIS. The only documents they review are the ones you send them. And the VERSION of documents you sent to the USCIS, may not acceptable at the NVC. VERY important, check the US embassy website in your country to see if you can get a detailed list of the versions of the documents you must need. Normally their list will tell you the version you need. Make sure you include everything that is required (applicable to you) from your NVC welcome letter. 
 
Here is a list of the most common reasons why the NVC delays cases asking for new documentation to be sent to them.. Delaying the processing for another  8-11 weeks! 
 
THE NVC loses your documents: 
Make sure you write your CASE number on EVERY copy, including your AOS/i-864 form.. TIP:  Buy a stamp and stamp each copy..  Or print out the applicant's case number/name on a label sheet, then cut and stick on each copy.
 
Use the correct version of each document: Verify the version you need with the US embassy you're having an interview at. If copies are not in the embassy accepted language, have them translated. But send the copies of the original with it. 
 
AOS/i-864: Write None and N/A on any empty field.. You can't do this via the computer.. Have to handwrite this. Include EVERY page, and sign it. Even if there is nothing on the page, you include it and write None and N/A on every empty field. 
 
Police and Court Records
If you lived in any country more than 6 months, you have to request and police report from that country.. If you have any court records, you have to request those too. 
 
The following are commonly lost, missing, or the correct version wasn't sent in originally. 
Police records/Police clearance
Court records
Birth certificate
Marriage certificate 
Landing Papers 
Proof of residency. For example, you're from Portugal but living in Canada. You need to send the NVC your canadian proof of residency and landing papers. 
Tax Transcripts, W2 Forms, 1099 forms. If you don't have a w2, and tax transcripts explain why you don't have them in a letter.
Divorce records
 
Here is a list of real checklists from Feb/March/April cases.. Don't let this happen to you. 
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Asked for proof of canadian residence (PR card) which was already submitted with I-130 and mailed document to NVC on June 12th. Also assessment for W2 form which I can take in Interview.
Court record
Incorrect BC and police report
Affidavit of Support form and supporting financial documents
Photocopy of original birth certificate
Missing Birth Certificate
Wrong birth certificate
missing i-i-864a (household member)
They say we are missing Birth Cert and Police Cert but we sent them.
Missing police record
NVC could not accept our police certificate-apparently they lost 2 pages of it
Birth certificate
1st checklist 12/07/17 . correct info in AOS : in the application in sponsor's household size i filled the box #3 instead of #1.
2nd checklist 02/11/17 only sent corrected pages. Didn't know that i had to send all 12 pages again . my latest scan date was 02/15/17
I-864, some places left blank.
They said it was an incorrect birth certificate.
Checklist for a death certificate
Court Records
obsolete AOS form
Incorrect birth certificate. Needs to be one with parents names
Incorrect Marriage Certificate
Financial documents (standard as we are using assets). Also said we had incorrect birth certificate. When I called to clarify, turned out it was incorrect police certificate.
Missing ppc
Marriage Certificate and Police Certificate
Computer generated birth certificate
Police report , w2 from my sponsor
PCC and W2 form
requested missing Nigeria police clearance
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Don't hesitate to add to the list.  Complete this Checklist Survey . 
 
To see all the results, click on the following:
 
Checklist Responses
 
Thank you for your time in filling out the survey, with your help, this will hopefully help others who are about to submit their file to the NVC. And possibly help the NVC improve their instructions to reduce the amount of cases receiving a checklist. 
 
Thank you, 
 
JBMG

The embassy websites are usually pretty helpful. Here are various things you can use:
- voter registration
- current US driver's license
- tax returns (mandatory)
- US bank statement
- quotes from moving companies
- e-mails between real estate agents to show you are looking for property (rent or buy)
- e-mails with local schools showing you intend to enroll your children
 
 
Really just anything that shows you are serious about relocating to the US and/or have maintained any ties there. Don't worry if you haven't maintained ties like a driver's license or bank account, just show that you *intend* to do so.