[lockstock]

There's a little man somewhere in the depths of New Scotland Yard who does nothing but deal with police check forms for people who want to leave the country. It says it could take 40 days on the tin, and it probably will do just that. Only remember this, the 40 days doesn't start when you post it. it doesn't start when your local police authority gets it. It doesn't even start when they send it to the Met. It starts when the little man in the office in the depths of Scotland Yard unwraps it from the leg of the carrier pigeon.

My daughter's form was all that was holding up the PR application and today is about day 45. I've been phoning the number on our Police Check certificates but no-one answered and the voice-mail was full. So I decided to phone Scotland Yard (it still is Whitehall 1212!!!! - well a few more numbers in front) and got through to a pleasant chap who told me the number I had been ringing to get through to the Data people had actually been obsolete for two years:roll

Anyway, he then gave me another number and I got through to Claire - super efficient, listened, understood and acted - immediately:nice1. She phoned back when she said she would and said it was in the post today. Too late cos I'm leaving for NZ on Saturday and it won't get here in time for me to get to London. 'Never fear!'declares Claire. 'I'll get them to leave you another at the front desk in New Scotland Yard so you can pick it up'. And so that's what she did. And so tomorrow I'm going to London to submit the ITA at very long last.

Now, booking the train from here to London (3 and a half hours...each way) - that's another story. Arriva Trains Wales. Please get your call centres back to the UK.

[thirtysomethings]

Wow you have my sympathy think it was day 36 my police check pitched up !
At least you have it ready to pick up now !
Makes me laugh in days of data integration etc the amount of time it takes. I can only assume the same queries are run on different systems !
Good luck with your submission - then buckle up the ride takes on a whole new feel. Drop me a PM if you want to know what happened with us !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Steadybears]

What an performance - sounds like you in Africa - thats exactly what happens here for us!!!
Hope your train trip more successful.
Jayne

[Steve73]

My sympathies with you - I'm in the same position although thankfully my application is not quite as urgent. I posted mine to the Met Police about three weeks ago and got a reply yesterday informing me that as far as they were concerned the 40 days started from yesterday!

I just wonder where my application has been for the past three weeks.........??

[speckythecky]

I was just getting ready to phone when mine turned up, about 38/39 days I think.
I am sure it doesn't take that long to find info, I think they are just trying to prove that they deserve the £10. When I used to work in data protection I always responded as soon as I could. The £10 is a standard charge for accessing data and is set by the government.

[mgbridges]

Our checks turned up pretty much bang on the 40-day limit. Sorry to hear you've been having grief.

Martin

[peebles16]

Got me worried now we handed our's into local police this week and officer stated normally takes 40 days but don't worry usually come through much quicker - wishful thinking that Scottish police system might be quicker?

K

[steviec]

Ours took exactly 40 days too,we also made some phone calls to try speed it up.Hang in there.
Tracy.

[aggelon]

I had my police checks completed and returned within 24 hours.

The secret is to work there for 9 years and know who is on the desk that week!!

[Familyofmonkeys]

We had problems as I did not change my surname when we got married...OH changed his when we had first baby, so we were all the same. When his police check came back, NZ immigration service then said that we had to provide evidence from New Scotland Yard that they had checked BOTH of his surnames...which they had, but it does not say this on any of the forms you get back :( They wanted us to pay for another police check for other surname, and wait another 40 days....NO WAY we said...so they did a letter direct to NZ immigration to confirm checks OK in the end.

[Croft]

Our police checks (via New Scotland Yard) only took about 15 days to get back, this about 2 years ago now. I was shocked to get them back so soon as I hadn't prepared anything else at that point, but submitted the police checks as everyone told me they took an age!

[lockstock]

Yep. I'dsecond that. Get them in as soon as you can.
Well, back form my day out in London. Up with the lark and all the trains on time. Heavy security at Scotland yard and I had to make a real effort not to get arsey with the woman guard who wanted to know if I had an appointment and then didn't seem to want to listen as I tried to explain I had a letter waiting at the desk to do with our immigration application. She glazed over when I got to the bit about NZQA and the EOI...and told me to go in!
Lovely police officers on the desk - one very handsome one by the name of Michael Douglas - lovely smile, but I digress.

Then on to NZ House. Through the door behind the desk, up the stairs and pressed the right button for the ticket. Seen straight away but was still hot and bothered having come hot foot from Scotland Yard. I'm not sure whether she was having a bad day or not but a little more of the legendary NZ welcome would not have gone amiss I have to say. I didn't have enough bits to say we've lived together more than 12 months (been married two years) and the Xray form on my daughter's medical didn't have a box ticked so that has to go back.:roll
I managed to phone the hospital in York and they'll get it sorted but it still spoiled things a bit.

Anyway, it's lodged and apparently there's not a huge waiting list and we should hear in about four weeks which gives me enough time to enjoy my 10 days in New Zealand from next Saturday.

[Croft]

Yep. I'dsecond that. Get them in as soon as you can.
Well, back form my day out in London. Up with the lark and all the trains on time. Heavy security at Scotland yard and I had to make a real effort not to get arsey with the woman guard who wanted to know if I had an appointment and then didn't seem to want to listen as I tried to explain I had a letter waiting at the desk to do with our immigration application. She glazed over when I got to the bit about NZQA and the EOI...and told me to go in!
Lovely police officers on the desk - one very handsome one by the name of Michael Douglas - lovely smile, but I digress.

Then on to NZ House. Through the door behind the desk, up the stairs and pressed the right button for the ticket. Seen straight away but was still hot and bothered having come hot foot from Scotland Yard. I'm not sure whether she was having a bad day or not but a little more of the legendary NZ welcome would not have gone amiss I have to say. I didn't have enough bits to say we've lived together more than 12 months (been married two years) and the Xray form on my daughter's medical didn't have a box ticked so that has to go back.:roll
I managed to phone the hospital in York and they'll get it sorted but it still spoiled things a bit.

Anyway, it's lodged and apparently there's not a huge waiting list and we should hear in about four weeks which gives me enough time to enjoy my 10 days in New Zealand from next Saturday.

What a nightmare! The waiting area in NZ House is not the best is it, though I guess sufficient for a half hour wait or so. Have a good time in NZ anyway.

[thirtysomethings]

Yes waiting is interesting :) Must admit felt an anti-climax when eventually my number came up to hand in ITA.
After all the hard work and hassle expected fireworks champagne medals !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Meanwhile back in reality.the boxes get ticked.