[wcoetsee]

Hi All,

Regarding the police doc that you require. Obviously you need one from your home country and then they also state you need one from each and every country that you stayed in for more than a year.

My question is:

More than a year meaning at one go or more than a year time spent in a country.


Any help would be appreciated?

thanks,
Werner

[skibumwa]

Great question.. humm I'd guess more than 1 total year, but to be sure, you might want to call NZ immigrations in Wellington.

If you need an FBI check for the USA, it took me 3 weeks to get mine back, but I also requested in writing that it be expedited in addition to giving the FBI a pre-paid FED EX return envelope as a 'hint' to speed it up. I took the advice of a FBI receptionist at their West Virginia Crime Lab where the FBI check takes place.

I hear that Scotland Yard (UK) takes forever as in 2-3 months to get a police check back! eeeesh... :exit

I give credit to the FBI for the speediness of their response!
:)

John

[wcoetsee]

Sure i understand that what i am asking is say you went to UK for 10months then returned to your home country for 1month and then went back to UK for 8months, does this count as staying in UK for more than 1year?

cheers,
Werner

[Oliver]

Goeiedag!
I would think that it applies to the total amount of time spent in the particular country, and not the duration of continuous stay only. I would suggest that in the example that you cite a police certificate would be required.

[wcoetsee]

Thanks!

What i heard was that when you return to your country and spent less time there than previously in foreign country and then going back again then if the total amount in that particular country exceeds 1year the you need one yes.

You from PE??? Me to, being in Auckland for 5weeks now.

[suzer]

I've been working on this as well. Spent 16 months in the UK as a student, so seems I need this:

http://www.met.police.uk/dataprotection/forms/3019b.pdf

from them:

http://www.met.police.uk/dataprotection/forms.htm

and as a US citizen I also need this:

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/fprequest.htm

Now I'm trying to figure out:

1. Where I should go in NZ to get fingerprints done;)

and

2. If I also need something called a police clearance certificate from the US in addition to the FBI background check.

[skibumwa]

The FBI background check is all you need for the USA. Go to any police dept, get fingerprinted and they give you the fingerprint form to send to the FBI.

All police departments (city and state police depts) nationwide share their info with the FBI. $18 and a few weeks is all should take! :)



I've been working on this as well. Spent 16 months in the UK as a student, so seems I need this:

http://www.met.police.uk/dataprotection/forms/3019b.pdf

from them:

http://www.met.police.uk/dataprotection/forms.htm

and as a US citizen I also need this:

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/fprequest.htm

Now I'm trying to figure out:

1. Where I should go in NZ to get fingerprints done;)

and

2. If I also need something called a police clearance certificate from the US in addition to the FBI background check.

[suzer]

The FBI background check is all you need for the USA. Go to any police dept, get fingerprinted and they give you the fingerprint form to send to the FBI.

All police departments (city and state police depts) nationwide share their info with the FBI. $18 and a few weeks is all should take! :)

Sorry should have said I'm doing this for Australia, not NZ...so not sure if I need both or just the FBI check.

[suzer]

Sorry should have said I'm doing this for Australia, not NZ...so not sure if I need both or just the FBI check.

And yep just rang Aus immigration/visa info...you need both the FBI check and clearance from your local police in the US.

[checkout]

Getting FBI clearance takes a long time (2 months I think) if you are applying from overseas

[suzer]

It can take up to 4 months regardless of where you apply from, although you can ask them to expedite it and they often do.

[skibumwa]

Are they sure because that makes no sense? Here's why I ask this...

The FBI houses all of the criminal backgrounds on everyone in country from where ever they lived and/or got arrested/got charged with crimes, etc. In other words, your local police will not have information that the FBI does not on have you. If the local police are not sharing someone's criminal record background info the FBI there are some major problems there. Sooner or later, the FBI will crack down on that police dept. and someone will get in trouble/fired/investigated by the Feds.

Hummmm very interesting indeed.. I guess the Aussies require your driving records too - speeding tickets and etc? The FBI does not track that stuff...

Best of luck with the Aussie Immigration process. I hear it's harder than NZs!




And yep just rang Aus immigration/visa info...you need both the FBI check and clearance from your local police in the US.

[suzer]

I hope it's not too much harder:/ But yes, they do require both it seems. Both should be easy enough to get, so better more than less at the end of the day.