Address for sending police report direct to NVC?

[liz&andrew 0]

Hi everyone,

I'm the 'beneficiary'... from Australia originally, but have lived in both UK and Israel for more than 12 months. Currently living in London UK.

I'm gathering all the 'civil documents' needed for my DS-230 submission -- and I've applied for my UK & Australia police certificates, which will be sent directly to me. Fine.

However -- the Israeli embassy have said their police certificate insist on sending their police report direct to the intended recipient organisation. The Israeli embassy here in London has requested a 'name' of a person to which they can send the report. Eek. A named person at the NVC? Yeah right!

Has anyone had experience of this? I assume I should just give the Israeli embassy/police my NVC Case Number...(instead of a name), and have them send it to: Att: DR, 31 Rochester...etc, as listed here.

Agreed?

Is the NVC likely to loose this document?

Is there anything else I can do to ensure sure this document gets associated to my DS-230?

Will it be a problem to not have this document during the embassy interview in London?

Thanks everyone!

Andrew

[OnionsJester 1]

If you cannot get them to send it to you, that would probably be the best way to do it. It is possible they will lose it, but if there's no other way, you might just have to bite the bullet.

I have no experience though, as I've only ever lived in the UK and thankfully, as I'm sure you know, ours are a lot easier to deal with .

[KLS2010 30]

Have you tried calling the NVC and asking what they recommend you do? I'm sure you're not the first person that has had to get a police check from Israel. If you call them and don't feel like you get a reassuring answer (likely that you wont; the inital operators at the NVC usually read off a script, and are not usually capable of answering 'non-standard' questions), then ask to speak to a supervisor. If you can get to speak to a supervisor, make sure you get their name - you may be able to give their name to the Israelis if they insist on having someone to send it to.

And, if it were me, I would err on the side of caution and assume that YES, the NVC is likely to lose it if it's sent separately to your other documents. You don't want to have to go through the process of getting another police check if they do lose it.

And, yes, it will be a problem not to have that document when you have your interview. It seems in alot of cases, the NVC will release the case to the Embassy/Consulate without having the police check - on the proviso that it is taken to the interview. If you don't have it then, you will not be approved until it is provided.

My advice would be to first call the NVC and go from there.

Good luck ..hope you can get something sorted out!

[liz&andrew 0]

Thank you both for the replies.

I did call the NVC... but they insisted that the case number would be sufficient for the addressing.

I'm going to strenuously insist the Israeli embassy provide me with a copy, prior to forwarding to the NVC. If this works, everything will be fine, I'm sure.

If they don't... AND the NVC manage to loose the document, then I'll be stuck in this interview, I guess.

I still haven't managed to visit the Israeli embassy to apply for this certificate -- due to their restricted opening hours. Hopefully I can take time off work tomorrow.

I shall report back when useful... Regards, Andrew.

[seagull64 0]

Andrew, how did you make out with the Israel police certificate? We need to get one for a K1 visa soon. Hiw long did it take to get it to the embassy? How do you know when the embassy receives it....did you just schedule the interview and hope that it is?

[speedwell 224]

New topic to me, but why not request the Israelis to send the police certificate to an agency in your locality where they could hold it for you to pick up? Make arrangements with a police department in your own town, perhaps? Even HR at your job? How do the Israelis know you don't need the certificate for work or a police clearance?

Edited May 1, 2013 by speedwell

[liz&andrew 0]

Wow... yes, and update here would be very valuable for those about to venture down the Israeli police certificate route! What a story I have!!!

So -- my fears turned out to be well founded. The certificate was never received by the US Embassy here in London, nor have I seen/heard anything from anyone as to its whereabouts.

Some explanation: When you visit the Israeli embassy (at least in London, UK)... the ask 'why' you need the certificate... and they'll only ever allow for the certificate to be sent directly to the requesting authority, I pushed them on this point -- telling them I was concerned the certificate would get lost and I'd have no copy for my records. They still refused to alter the delivery address to anything other than the US embassy here in London. The Israelis suggested it would take 6-8 weeks to arrive back in London. The Israeli embassy would receive it first... and they would then forward it directly to the US embassy in London (with, hopefully, my case number on the front). I called the US embassy in London to confirm they have the systems (supposedly) to hold this certificate... until they receive the full package from the NVC.

The Israeli form I filled out... suggests that only 'foreign consulates' or 'adoption agencies' could ever possibly be requesting this certificate... and it didn't leave room for HR departments, or anything else like that (But, I must admit -- I didn't verbally request that either, so I can't be 100% sure they wouldn't allow that). I had told them, of course, it was for a US visa... so they insisted they would only to send it to an official US authority/embassy. I gave them the address for the US embassy here in London -- knowing that my case would eventually arrive there... for reference in my as-yet-unscheduled interview. Within my IV packet cover letter... (which is the bit that requires the police certs) I explained that the Israeli certificate was being sent directly to the US embassy in London, and I include a photo of the receipt of payment I had made to the Israeli embassy. I figured that would be solid enough for the IV & AOS packet to be approved... and passed through for my interview scheduling in London (which it was).

*please ignore the address in that attachment -- I subsequently changed it to the US embassy address in London.

A further complication/addition (which is perhaps unique to me): I'm not an Israeli citizen... so I don't have a "Teudat Zehut", or Israeli ID number. I only studied in Israel on a student VISA. I figured this would further place the process at risk... because when the Israel police receives the request... they don't have a any record of me (probably more because I wasn't being tracked by the Shin Bet, more than anything!). However... because I had a wonderful, dedicated friend in Israel... I had this friend visit the local Israeli police dept., and request a short-form version to complement my IV packet in case the full-length one did get lost. I gave her a 'letter of authority' with a passport photocopy & my signature. She harassed the local police in Tel Aviv & J'lem... (on three different visit) who eventually conceded to her request and provided her with a short-form, hebrew only, copy which was basically 'empty' -- with my name on it. They initially & strongly refused though, suggesting that short-form copies can only be given to those who have a Teudat Zehut.

So... my IV packet was sent with both a translated short-form... and evidence of me applying for the long-form through the official route.

I had my interview... and asked: "So... Mr US Consular Official, did you ever receive the long-form certificate from the Israeli's ???".

Answer? No. They didn't. Perhaps it never got sent... or the US embassy lost it... I don't know. But they approved my application anyway... based upon either: my short-from copy OR the fact that I showed ample evidence that I had tried to get one.

Hope that helps everyone who tries I probably just scared off anyone who reads this.... but it's true: of my whole USA visa process, getting an Israeli police certificate was by far the worst & most challenging part of my VISA application. Be prepared!

Andrew.

Edited May 1, 2013 by liz&andrew

[speedwell 224]

Wow, that's nuts. Thanks for the update!!