[marybelle]

We are trying to fill in our EOI but have come across a stumbling block.
We lived in Spain for 3 years in the last 10 and need Police certs.
We have contacted the consulate and they directed us to the regional police.
We have tried to get a response from them but to no avail. What can we do if they never reply.
I know it would be wrong but if we don't declare the fact that we lived abroad would NZIS find out? We are becoming desperate and don't know which way to turn...can anybody help??

Marybelle

[IanW99]

We are trying to fill in our EOI but have come across a stumbling block.
We lived in Spain for 3 years in the last 10 and need Police certs.
We have contacted the consulate and they directed us to the regional police.
We have tried to get a response from them but to no avail. What can we do if they never reply.
I know it would be wrong but if we don't declare the fact that we lived abroad would NZIS find out? We are becoming desperate and don't know which way to turn...can anybody help??

Marybelle

Check Police certificates for Spain (http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/general/formsandfees/formsandguides/policecertificate/st/spain.htm) for what to do / who to contact.

Keep evidence of your attempts and if you fail then the following will apply:-
If police certificates are unavailable
If you cannot get a police certificate, provide detailed information of your attempts to get one. If we are satisfied that police certificates are not available or it would be unduly difficult for you to get them (for example where the authorities of any such country will not generally provide such certificates), we may instead ask you to make and provide a separate statutory declaration in both English and your own language.

Ian

[marybelle]

Thanks Ian.

The statutory declaration route may not help us as Police certs are "technically avaliable" from Spain.

We have found an agency who will help us for a large sum of money with no promise of success!

As we are all EU members and Police can check for criminal records across Europe why do we still have to get individual certificates for each country? Can't we get the British Police to check us out?

As a last resort does anyone know what checks NZIS actually do?
Will they trace your commings and goings through border control around the world from your passport number?

We are running out of time as I have an interview tomorrow and fear that this problem will bring our NZ dream to a screaching halt!!

Very fed-up now.

Marybelle

[IanW99]

Thanks Ian.

The statutory declaration route may not help us as Police certs are "technically avaliable" from Spain.

We have found an agency who will help us for a large sum of money with no promise of success!

...


It clearly says if you are "Outside Spain" then you need to apply through a Spanish Consulate. This is what I would do? I certainly wouldn't use an agency.

For the statutory declaration it doesn't matter if the police certificate is technically available, just that you have tried all options and have been unable to acquire one. This is why you need to keep proof of your attempts.

Ian

[PaoLe]

Hi marybelle

We are from Spain and live near Madrid. I can't understand why you must pay a large amount of money for something that your country embassy in Spain may help you to obtain. Do you speak Spanish? Contacting (by phone or by mail) Spanish Ministry of Justice maybe could help you (and save your money :nice1 )

Best regards :)

[TrentBridge]

My understanding is that you don't need the police certificate for your EOI, but you will need it for ITA.

As Ian says if you can't get your certificates then keep your evidence to show that you have tried.

I wouldn't try to hide anything from NZIS. I think it's best to be totally honest and up front with them. Provide your evidence to show that you have tried to get your police certs.

Best of luck.

[marybelle]

Thanks for your replys.

Just to clarify, it is the British Embassy and FCO who want to charge me £242 and won't guarantee getting the certs!

Have emailed the Spanish Embassy to see if they are a little less money grabbing!

[qslinger]

I know it would be wrong but if we don't declare the fact that we lived abroad would NZIS find out? We are becoming desperate and don't know which way to turn...can anybody help??

Marybelle


If u are using the same passports as u were in Spain, they will find out visa the entry and exit stamps.

Besides, if u already have mentioned in ur EOI and submitted, there will be all kinds of questions on why u were removing Spain from the list of countries u stayed in. And lets not forget, if they were to find out I am pretty sure the
concequences will be dire including them rejecting ur application.

Keep trying for the police certificate thru someone who u might know in Spain. good luck.

[dharder]

As we are all EU members and Police can check for criminal records across Europe why do we still have to get individual certificates for each country? Can't we get the British Police to check us out?

No, it doesn't work that way. And if it did, someone would be shouting 'police state'...

I'm not quite sure what the British Embassy would have to do with getting this, and I certainly wouldn't pay that amount of money to anyone to get the certificate.

Is there no information on the Spanish embassy website about this? I got a certificate from Germany while living in London, and the website of the German Embassy told me quite clearly what I needed to do. The issuing agency was the ministry of justice in Germany (I think), and they don't really have anything to do with embassies or police stations.

And even if you don't have entry and exit stamps in your passports to show you lived in Spain, I wouldn't lie about it. Just tell them, as others have suggested, what you have tried, and that it didn't work, and then take it from there.

Good luck,

Daniela

[marybelle]

Thanks to everyone for your replies.

I know it would be stupid to try and lie about our time in Spain and thinking about it with a clearer head it is not something I would risk.
I am normally a very honest person and it just goes to show what stres can do to a persons judgement!!:o

I have received some greatly needed help from PaoLe. They have provided links for me to follow including forms and guidance notes so hopefully it will all turn out right in the end!

A special thanks to PaoLe :clap:clap

Marybelle

[cappuccino]

I know other people who had difficulty getting Spanish police reports. I hope you have an easier time then they did!